Real Columbus Wedding: Leonardia and Jesse Koch

June 26, 2021 | Their love story involves two proposals and two different versions of when and where they met. But Leonardia (Hardy) and Jesse Koch just smile at inconsistencies in the tale of how they were ultimately united. 

“She claims not to remember this, but … Nardia and I met in college [in 2008] at one of my friend’s parties,” Jesse says. 

Leonardia insists they met on Tinder in 2016. 

Either way, once the couple started dating, they quickly fell head over heels. By the end of 2019, Jesse had proposed—and Leonardia had accepted—not once, but twice. That November, he popped the question with an aquamarine ring after Leonardia had a bad day at work. In December, he got on bended knee to present her with a diamond just before Christmas. 

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Despite their charmingly different perspectives on how they first connected, the two were united on everything else leading up to their June 26, 2021, wedding. 

“The theme of our relationship is magic,” Leonardia says, noting it felt like a miracle when they stumbled upon the perfect wedding venue in Granville after months of searching. 

“One day, after visiting a venue that did not match our vision, we were driving and saw this beautiful mansion in the distance,” Jesse recalls. 

It was the historic Bryn Du Mansion, with its massive front lawn and grand, columned façade. 

“We thought it was someone’s house,” Leonardia recalls. They did some research, discovering Bryn Du hosted weddings and one of its available dates was their five-year anniversary as a couple. 

“We both looked at each other, and we knew this was the perfect place for our wedding,” Jesse says. 

The wedding was held in the garden, with Leonardia’s longtime friend Joe Day officiating. 

Leonardia walked down the aisle with her mother and carried a small bouquet of flowers from her late father’s birth month, which she placed on the communion table. The DJ also played some of her father’s favorite songs throughout the evening. 

“Nardia and I wrote our entire ceremony over the course of a few nights, a few drinks and some good music,” Jesse says. They even had a “thumb war” at the altar to determine who got to read their vows first. 

“I won,” Leonardia says. “But Jesse admitted he threw it.” 

The Kochs’ guest list was pared back to meet COVID-19 protocols, but that just made the event more intimate. 

“It felt like a big family reunion, because we hadn’t seen each other in literally a year,” Leonardia says. 

Vendors 

Ceremony and reception: Bryn Du Mansion 

Caterer: Berwick Manor

Cake: Dizurts Custom Cakes and More

Florist: Granville Flower Co. 

Rentals: Personal Touch Party Rentals & Events and Bryn Du Mansion 

Music: Yellowbud Productions 

Photographer: MacklerMedia Photography 

Stationery: Minted.com 

Accommodations: Granville Inn and Courtyard by Marriott Newark Granville 

Rehearsal dinner: Bryn Du Mansion with catering from Berwick Manor 

Bride’s attire: Bliss by Monique Lhuillier gown and a veil from La Jeune Mariee, accessories from BHLDN and La Jeune Mariee  

Bride’s hair and makeup: Hair by Le Peacock Salon (Blue Ash), makeup by Alea Beauty 

Groom’s attire: Giorgio Fiorelli suit from Ticknors Men’s Clothier, accessories from Ticknors and Amazon 

Rings: Diamond Cellar

Bridesmaids’ attire: Revelry gowns 

Groomsmen’s attire: Suits from Ticknors Men's Clothier 

This story first appeared in the spring/summer 2022 issue of Columbus Weddings, published in December 2021.