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Husband and wife duo Bryan and Sarah Baeumler are HGTV’s latest stars. The Canadian couple has captivated viewers with their new show, Renovation Island. The series chronicles their move to the Bahamas with their four children, where they plan to renovate a dilapidated resort and turn it into a luxe, eco-friendly vacation destination. 

Sarah and Bryan Baeumler are already HGTV stars in Canada

The Baeumlers might be new to American TV audiences, but the pair are already well-known in their native Canada. 

“We can’t go anywhere in Canada without being recognized,’’ Bryan told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. 

The 46-year-old licensed contractor has starred in multiple shows on HGTV Canada. He got his TV start in 2007 as the host of Disaster DIY. He’s since starred in House of Bryan, Leave It to Bryan, and Bryan, Inc. Several of his shows also feature his wife Sarah and their four children, Quintyn, Charlotte, Lincoln, and Josephine. 

Their latest show has finally brought them to the U.S. Renovation Island — two seasons of which already aired in Canada under the title Island of Bryan — premiered in June on HGTV.

Bryan and Sarah met in high school and married in 2004 

Bryan and Sarah’s relationship goes all the way back to high school. The couple met “long before reality television was even a concept,” Sarah told TRNTO. But they didn’t start dating until a decade later. Their first date in 2001 was pretty memorable. 

“Bryan had planned an evening out on the town for us,” Sarah recalled. “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 couple married in 2004 and later had four kids. Though they work hard, they’re also focused on balancing that with their family life. 

“Bryan and I are both very hard workers, but we always make sure that nothing takes priority over our relationship and our family,” Sarah said. “I think that is the key. Family first and everything else second.” 

The Baeumlers didn’t plan to renovate a resort 

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‘Renovation Island’: Here’s How Much It Costs to Stay at the Baeumler Family’s Luxury Bahamas Beach Resort

While the Baeumlers had done some pretty ambitious projects in the past — including building their 4,000-square-foot dream home — nothing compares to their most recent venture, where they renovated an entire resort on South Andros Island in the Bahamas.

The decision came during a family was vacationing at their home in the Florida Keys. They decided to take their boat out and explore parts of the Bahamas, they explained in an interview with People. On their trip, they saw the Emerald Palms hotel, which had been abandoned for years. They quickly decided it would be their next project. 

“I think it took about 5 minutes of touring the hotel until we all looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s do this!’” Sarah told the magazine.  

While the project has come with some big challenges, from dealing with the logistics of getting supplies to the island to facing down Hurrican Dorian, they wouldn’t go back on their decision. 

“We definitely underestimated the challenges,” Sarah admitted. “But most people work 51 weeks a year so they can spend one week in paradise. We’re here every day!”

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