He planned to return to his hometown of Cleveland and wanted to know if Rochelle was all in with CLE for the long-term. “I love it here, had just bought a house in Battery Park,” she says.
Fast-forward to the couple’s third trip to Fort Lauderdale in December 2020. Rich proposed on the beach at midnight on New Year’s Eve — and even arranged for a photographer to capture the moment. “I had no idea it was coming … it was very romantic,” Rochelle says.
That night, they had a conversation about what their wedding would look like. “We either needed to go big or go destination and we decided to go big,” Rochelle says, relating that they come from large families and have strong networks of friends.
They needed a venue that could accommodate about 250 people, which was a limiting factor. “It gets harder once you get over 200 people,” she says. “And we didn’t want to smoosh everyone in.”
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They planned for a July 2022 wedding, allowing time to check out venues, save and hopefully move past COVID-19. Initially, The Old Courthouse was not on the list of venues to explore. The couple wasn’t sure about logistics such as bringing in everything from seating to silverware. “But when we visited, we were immediately like, ‘OK. Whatever the problems are, we’ll work it out.’ The space is so breathtaking that we could imagine having a wedding anywhere else,” Rochelle says.
And actually, the logistics were not so complex. “We loved that there was parking,” she adds.
The grandeur was a primary selling point. “Our entrance was down the staircase, and we loved the idea of our guests going up to the mezzanine for cocktail hour.” The couple customized a GOBO with an R&R insignia for their first names.
“Our guests really reveled in the fact that they were inside the building and said it was the most beautiful place,” Rochelle says, relating that it required very little decor considering its rich, historic detail.
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They rented portable air conditioning units, which kept the place cool while doubling as a wind machine for Beyonce hair-flowing posed pics, Rochelle jokes.
They worked with A Taste of Excellence Catering and OH Hello Event Planning were the “masters of the room” and helped the couple pull together all the details. At this venue, Rochelle can’t imagine it any other way. Another bit of advice: “Shape your venue around your guest count, don’t shape your guest count based on the site you choose.”
Rochelle says they joke, “We are Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland,” and their Downtown wedding location showcasing one of the city’s institutions was fitting.
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