Two Lookalikes, One Unlikely Friendship
What starts as a moment of confusion can become something unexpectedly enduring. At Felicia Harding’s wedding on Vancouver Island this summer, guests repeatedly mistook the bride for her friend Brittany Delaney. The mix-ups weren’t just occasional slips of memory; they pointed to a real, growing bond between two women who look uncannily alike. With similar brown curly hair, bangs, and broad smiles, the pair have learned to navigate a world that can feel like a photo exhibit of their own likenesses.
The Spark: A Social Media Coincidence
Their friendship began not with a hello, but with a double-take. Brittany Delaney runs Confections Cake Company in St. Albert, Alberta, while Felicia Harding builds a music career in Victoria, B.C. Six years ago, an art teacher who knew both women posted a playful observation online about how much they looked alike. Intrigued, Delaney clicked through to Harding’s photos and was startled by the resemblance. “What the hell?” she recalled thinking. A direct message followed, and the two soon discovered a shared sense of humor and a surprising number of commonalities beyond appearance.
Beyond the Surface
Harding notes that the similarities extend beyond looks. In conversation, they discovered parallel paths—entrepreneurs who share a creative streak, a similar cadence to their voices, and a set of mannerisms that echo one another. “We’re both entrepreneurs… Our voices are similar and our mannerisms are kind of alike too,” Harding explains. The resonance wasn’t only physical; it felt like a kinship forged through shared experiences, even at a cellular level.
First Meetings That Felt Like Luck
After years of online connection, the duo finally met in person during a trip to Edmonton when Delaney invited Harding to visit. Delaney’s mother picked Harding up from West Edmonton Mall and drove her to the bakery where Delaney works. A playful moment—someone suggesting Harding hold a child who didn’t yet react to her—became a vivid memory of their instant compatibility. The two friendship blossomed from there, with Delaney even baking Harding’s wedding cake and delivering it to Vancouver Island for the ceremony. The wedding became a backdrop where the lookalike dynamic played out in real life, with guests repeatedly mistaking one for the other.
Family, Functions, and the Way They Are Seen
The mix-ups at the wedding are just one facet of a larger narrative. Delaney and Harding share a West Coast connection, having grown up just a few hours apart—Delaney in Comox, B.C., and Harding in Victoria. They’ve even learned to unlock each other’s phones with facial recognition after numerous catch-ups. They haven’t just found friendship; they’ve discovered a sense of belonging that makes their likenesses feel less like a paradox and more like a pathway to shared opportunities and experiences.
DNA Tests: A Curious Verification
Curiosity led the two to take a DNA test this fall to explore whether their resemblance hints at genealogical ties. The result? They’re not related. The 23andMe test looks back four generations, but as both women are female, the analysis omits the paternal Y chromosome. Still, the result didn’t dampen their bond. Harding says their friendship feels richer than any lineage could explain. They plan to test additional relatives to see if distant connections surface, but for now, the bond stands on its own, a testament to how similar looks can spark a lifelong friendship.
What the Future Holds
As they navigate life with parallel looks and shared ambitions, Harding and Delaney are finding that their resemblance is less about vanity and more about the human connection behind it. They’ve turned an initial confusion into a foundation for trust, collaboration, and mutual support—two women who discovered a mirror image in the other and chose to celebrate it rather than shy away from it. The next chapters of their story may involve more creative collaborations, more personal milestones, and perhaps a few more double-takes along the way—each one a reminder that sometimes a lookalike is not a trick of the eye but a doorway to friendship.
