COLLINGWOOD — A local couple said I do on Friday, becoming the first people to wed at Collingwood Town Hall in almost four years.
Nathalie Piloto and José Carlos Batisla Mulot tied the knot on Jan. 10 in council chambers, surrounded by friends.
When asked why she and Mulot decided to get married at town hall, Piloto had a simple answer.
“Where better than here – in the middle of Collingwood? It’s beautiful here,” she said.
As a Cuban refugee, Piloto came to Collingwood from Cuba three and a half years ago. Prior to leaving Cuba, she had worked in public relations at a resort.
That’s where she met Mulot.
“The pandemic had started and people who were travelling needed to quarantine for 15 days in the hotel I was working in,” Piloto explained. “He had come for a trip and he was there for those 15 days.”
When Piloto moved to Canada, Mulot moved to the U.S. as a refugee there.
“It was hard for us – all that time apart. Now, we’re married!” she said with a laugh, holding up her ringed finger after the ceremony concluded.
Now that the couple are married, Mulot will be moving to Collingwood and the couple will build their life here, together.
“He’s said he won’t live anywhere else in Canada, except for Collingwood,” said Piloto.
Piloto’s small wedding included her brother Javier, who is also a Cuban refugee living in Collingwood, and a Spanish translator for Mulot as well as the couple’s friends. Piloto’s mother and other family members are still living in Cuba, but livestreamed in for the occasion.
Since COVID-19 shutdowns, civil wedding ceremonies done through the Town of Collingwood had been put on hold, mostly due to staff transitions. In 2018, the town performed 19 weddings, in 2019 there were 26 and in 2020 prior to the pandemic being declared, the town did 13 weddings that year.
Weddings through the Town of Collingwood take place in council chambers at town hall, and are conducted on Fridays.
The wedding of Piloto and Mulet marked the first ceremony of 2025, as the town soft launches the return of the service, which has been suspended since COVID-19 shutdowns. The restart of wedding services performed at Collingwood Town Hall has been included in the town’s 2025 budget.
"I am thrilled to provide this service again," said town clerk Sara Almas, who acts as the town’s officiant. "Officiating weddings has always been one of my favourite duties.”
“As public servants, we often face challenges and complex issues, so it is truly rewarding to contribute to such a special and significant occasion in a couple’s life," she said.
For more information about weddings in Collingwood, click here.
