He proposed in December of 2019, inside the house they had just bought together, in Toronto.
They set their wedding date for May 29, 2021, at an indoor venue, but like so many couples, the coronavirus forced them to change their plans. They postponed it to summer, moving it outdoors.
They were married by Dean Kennedy, a wedding officiant ordained by Celebrating Life Ministries, on Aug. 14, at Kurtz Orchards in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, with around 100 guests in attendance.
They were hopeful that some guests would be able to join them from abroad, like one of Ms. Smith’s best friends, Sarah Redington, who lives in London.
When it became clear that travel restrictions would prevent Ms. Redington from making the trip, Mr. Gallant came up with a novel way to surprise his bride.
“I don’t know how the idea of a hologram came to mind, but a lot of us know that this technology exists,” he said. He searched online for a company with studios in both Toronto and London, landing on ARHT Media, which beamed Ms. Redington to Toronto in the form of a hologram, both to deliver a toast, which she had prerecorded, and then to have a live chat with Ms. Smith. Ms. Redington appeared in her bridesmaid dress, with her hair and makeup professionally done. They also had a virtual hug. To make this happen, Ms. Redington stood in front of a green screen in a London studio, in the middle of the night.
“For Sarah to be able to participate in our wedding in this way was magical,” said Ms. Smith, who will now be known as Ms. Smith Gallant.
Mr. Gallant added, “My aunts told me they felt like they were on Star Trek.”