Etalk reporter Liz Trinnear got her start on MuchMusic, and that’s also where she met her now husband, Nathaniel Motte from the band 3OH!3. Here she dishes the details on that first meeting.
How they met
We met in May of 2010. At the time, I was working as a MuchMusic VJ, and Nathaniel was touring with his band 3OH!3. They had a day off in Toronto and were doing a press day at the CTV building. We met in the hallway. I saw a tall man with a ponytail and a poncho, and he saw what he says was “a beautiful girl.” Later that day, I interviewed Nathaniel and his bandmate on the roof of the building. I gave them flowers as a peace offering (long story), and Nathaniel kept the flowers.
The first date
Our first date was the same day we met. Nathaniel and his band had their tour bus parked on Richmond Street, behind the CTV building, and they were having coffee across the street from the old MuchMusic Live studio (at the corner of Queen and John Streets). Nathaniel borrowed his friend’s iPad and wrote “Prom?” on it and held it up to the window, where I was filming a live TV show. I invited him in, and he hung around for the rest of the evening (there is video proof!). After I was done with work, Nathaniel invited me to join his friends and touring mates at dinner. After dinner we went to watch one of his friends DJ. We danced and had fun. He insisted I wear earplugs at the club to protect my ears, and since we didn’t have any, he made some out of napkins (and maybe some spit). It was love at first saliva.
Memorable moments
After Nathaniel left, we used BBM to stay in touch, over phone and text, for the following six weeks. He decided to come to Toronto after their tour ended, as his band was nominated for a MuchMusic Video Award that year. He extended his stay in Toronto, to “see about the girl,” and we went on many dates. (He politely got a hotel room, as he didn’t “assume” he could stay with me.)
The proposal
We were on a trip to England and France last summer (2016). We had just spent a wonderful week in London, and we flew down to the southwest of France, where Nathaniel’s mom is from and where most of his extended family lives. He insisted we go straight from the airport to the summer house his grandfather built, to see it before all the family got there for their vacation (his parents were married there on July 7, 1977). I had a coffee stain on my shirt, and no makeup on. I had absolutely no idea that he was going to propose. He brought me up to the balcony overlooking the bay and popped the question (meanwhile I thought he was tying his shoe). I said, “YES!”
The wedding
We got married in Boulder, Colo. (where Nathaniel grew up) on July 7, 2017. The ceremony was on top of Flagstaff Mountain, overlooking the town of Boulder. It rained buckets during our ceremony (mostly during our vows, which they say is good luck), but the sun came out afterwards, and we drove down the mountain in an old Triumph TR6, with all our family, friends and loved ones.
Balancing careers and marriage
We’ve both always respected each other’s careers, and we acknowledge the fact that we aren’t always able to be together. When we started dating, we’d go two months without seeing each other, but we’d make efforts to stay in touch. We’d try to talk daily on FaceTime (thank God for FaceTime). I think we have an understanding and patience for each other’s chaotic and dynamic work schedules. It helps that we’re both in similar fields of work. Also most importantly, we’re both really proud and encouraging of each other, and we always have been!
Secret to success
Communication, support, love, laughter and, perhaps most importantly, fun! We make each other laugh. We take interest in each other’s projects and lives, and we just love being together. The “put-away” room I have at our house also helps. That’s a room where I can do whatever I want. There are no rules. It’s perfect chaos, and Nathaniel isn’t allowed to come in. The rest of the house is spotless. The put-away room can get a little crazy sometimes.
Life after retirement
I see us in an RV, towing another RV, wearing matching tracksuits and sipping Arnold Palmers.
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