In this episode of The Frequency of Love Podcast, Celeste and Dave sit down with Amanda and Phil — a couple whose love story began with chaos, chemistry, and a yellow Big-Bird-esque robe, and somehow unfolded into eighteen years of partnership built on humor and devotion. From university chance-encounters to cross-country grand gestures, backpacking across Europe, and three weddings that still didn’t make them legally married in Ontario… their story is the kind that sounds unbelievable until you hear them tell it.
Grounded in friendship, fueled by adventure, and held together by the exact balance of impulsivity and calm, Amanda and Phil show how real love grows when two people choose each other — day after day, challenge after challenge, laugh after laugh.
Episode Summary
Amanda and Phil’s connection sparked in university with a hilariously mismatched first meeting — Phil in a gas mask and ripped T-shirt, Amanda arriving straight from a midterm. A pajama kegger, a four-cheese poutine, and one beer-down-the-back later, something between them simply clicked.
What followed was an ease neither expected. Days together became months, friendship became partnership, and Amanda even told her roommate, “I think I’m going to marry that guy.” From Amanda impulsively flying across the country to bring Phil home to finish his degree, to backpacking Europe with a paper map and no money, to a proposal that happened while Amanda had altitude sickness at a Swiss waterfall, their love has always been chaotic, hilarious, and intentional.
Sixteen-plus years, two kids, three weddings, and countless adventures later, they’re still choosing each other — with the same spark, just more stories to laugh about.
The Heart of This Episode:
How a friendship-first foundation fuels long-term love
Why balancing adventure with calm creates relationship harmony
What it means to push each other outside comfort zones — in a healthy way
Staying connected through major transitions, travel, and raising kids
The beauty (and comedy) of imperfect, totally human love stories
About Amanda and Phil
Amanda and Phil are a pair of opposites who fit together in the most natural way. Amanda is energetic, impulsive in the best way, and full of bold ideas — the kind of person who will book a flight across the country on instinct, bring anyone to life with her humor, and jump into new experiences without hesitation. Phil is grounded, thoughtful, and steady, with a calm presence that balances Amanda’s fire and a quiet curiosity that shapes the way he moves through the world. Together, they bring out the best in each other: Amanda’s spark meets Phil’s depth, her adventure meets his intentionality, and their shared love of fun, friendship, and growth keeps their partnership strong.
Follow Amanda & Phil
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thattorontomom/
Get Celeste and Dave’s book!
The Love List — available now on Amazon
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1998721264
Connect with Celeste
Instagram: @celestepennington_
Website: celestepennington.com
