Finding love wasn鈥檛 top of mind for Dave Wright when he went for coffee in the bistro at White Rock Seniors Village last year.

It was the middle of the pandemic, and the 90-year-old was just starting to venture out following the death of June, his wife of nearly 70 years.

But he couldn鈥檛 help but notice a certain lady who was also in the bistro that day.

鈥淥ver at the bar, there鈥檚 some ladies talking and this one lady in particular looked at me and smiled,鈥� Wright recalled Wednesday (July 27). 鈥淚 smiled back, and that was it. I didn鈥檛 even know her name.鈥�

As he played records for the residents over the weeks that followed, the lady with the smile 鈥� Christine Connon 鈥� moved closer and closer, eventually sitting next to him on his walker.

Connon, 80, said 鈥渋t鈥� happened for her when Wright was handling the music. A six-year resident of White Rock Seniors Village, she hadn鈥檛 seen him around until that day in the bistro.

鈥淚t happened just like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like it was meant to be.鈥�

Now, the pair are the talk of the Maple Street seniors鈥� residence, as they get ready to tie the knot on Saturday (July 31). It will be the first wedding held at the retirement community since it opened as Christina Place in 1999.

Wright said word of their engagement just about made community relations manager Si Cussen fall out of her chair. Cussen was the first one to learn the news, but 鈥渟he couldn鈥檛 keep it to herself,鈥� Wright chuckled.

In the two months since the proposal 鈥� 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 get down on one knee, because if I got down, I couldn鈥檛 get back up,鈥� Wright quipped 鈥� Wright said he has noticed a lightness at the residence. More residents are emerging from their rooms, and love has bloomed in other corners.

鈥淲e think we鈥檝e been a part of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t shows what can happen.鈥�

He said the pandemic and all of its restrictions, in a sense, actually increased opportunities to find love.

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鈥淭he tighter is it, the greater the possibility of people getting close and fond of each other,鈥� Wright explained. 鈥淚t can happen. We鈥檙e as young as we are at heart. We鈥檙e getting on in years, all of us. It doesn鈥檛 matter 鈥� it鈥檚 how we feel and we feel that it鈥檚 right and we鈥檙e looking forward to spending as much time as we can together.鈥�

Connon, who worked as a nurse at St. Paul鈥檚 Hospital after moving to B.C. from England, agreed, adding that the pandemic made her value the relationship even more.

鈥淚t does make you feel more about what鈥檚 going on in life, and everything, and how we appreciate it,鈥� she said.

Thanks to easing restrictions, dozens of guests will be able to attend the wedding, including Wright鈥檚 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

鈥淚t鈥檒l be lovely,鈥� Connon said, thinking of the day ahead. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 just being with all my friends and everything. It鈥檒l be lovely to see everybody and be together.鈥�