Bryan Baeumler, one of T.O.’s top handymen known for HGTV Canada shows Leave It to Bryan and Disaster DIY, married his high school pal, Sarah. Turns out she also has a knack for home renovations, though on the design side, and now joins him onscreen as his partner in crime in the series House of Bryan, Home to Win and Island of Bryan/Renovation Island. Here she shares their most memorable moments and how they balance work, love and four kids.
How they met
Bryan and I met in high school long before reality television was even a concept! We didn’t date back then, but we kept in touch over the next 10 years as we both completed high school, university and post-grad programs. In 2001, we were both copied on an email from a mutual friend, which was the catalyst for us to begin talking again, and we decided to reunite over coffee after work.
The first date
Our first date was in September of 2001 in Toronto. Bryan had planned an evening out on the town for us. First we went and saw The Lion King theatre production, which was fantastic. Afterwards, we went for a lovely sushi dinner. He definitely pulled out all the stops, and it was a very exciting first date.
The proposal
The proposal is a bit of a funny story, actually. Bryan and I were visiting his family out east in Nova Scotia. He had planned to propose while we were on this beautiful scenic hike beside the ocean. The views and scenery are usually breathtaking. However, on this particular day it was so foggy you could hardly see 20 feet in front of you. We ended up heading home and, on our way back, got a flat tire! Needless to say, it wasn’t the romantic journey Bryan was expecting, so he waited until later that night to pop the question.
The wedding
Bryan and I were married Sept. 3, 2004, at the Graydon Hall Manor in Toronto. Our honeymoon was in Vegas! Bryan had originally booked an oceanside beach house for us. However, we had to cancel on the day of our wedding due to a hurricane that hit the Florida coast. We ended up looking online and booking a last-minute Vegas vacation, which turned out to be a lot of fun.
The kids
We have four wonderful children, two boys and two girls. Our eldest is Quintyn, then Charlotte, Lincoln and our youngest, Josephine.
Balancing work and life
Like any other couple, work is a regular part of our day-to-day life. Bryan and I are both very hard workers, but we always make sure that nothing takes priority over our relationship and our family. I think that is the key. Family first and everything else second. We love what we do, and we work hard so we can enjoy time with our family and watch the kids grow up.
Shared hobbies
Bryan and I both share a passion for a wide variety of water sports. When we are up at the cottage, we love to water-ski, wakeboard and tube. Down in Florida, we often take the boat out and do some fishing. It’s great because we have passed our love for being outside and active to the kids. Now we are able to enjoy these activities with the entire family. We are both also certified scuba divers and love to travel to find the best scuba diving spots. We went to the Maldives and found incredible places there to dive.
Life after retirement
With four kids, I don’t know if we will ever retire!