Real Columbus Elopement: Kylee Ardolino-Pecoraro and Matthew Pecoraro

Feb. 2, 2023 | If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us about weddings, it’s this: The only thing that matters is staying true to yourselves as a couple. That’s exactly what Kylee Ardolino-Pecoraro and Matthew Pecoraro did for their courthouse mini-mony this year. 

“We are having our wedding out of the country in the Dominican Republic this coming May, so we decided to get legally married in Columbus with just our immediate families around and made a weekend of it,” Kylee says. “I personally love nontraditional weddings, so I thought it would be fun to style a vintage-inspired red dress and build around that.” 

She and Matthew met through mutual friends when she moved to New York City in January 2016. After a yearslong relationship, Matthew proposed in December 2021; the fiancés moved back to Columbus last year. 

The couple didn’t want a photographer at their intimate ceremony, instead opting to hire Stephanie West Photography to commemorate the day with a post-elopement shoot. 

“Kylee bought a gorgeous red dress that had a stunning [1940s] vibe. When she contacted me to book their session, she mentioned that she wanted a location that would complement her dress,” West says. Kylee and Matthew had booked a stay at Downtown’s 1920s, art deco Hotel LeVeque—the perfect spot to complement their vintage theme. 

“I wanted to photograph their session with a very cinematic look; I wanted every image to look like a still shot from a movie, and I think we achieved that perfectly,” West adds. “This session currently holds the record for my most-viewed Reel on Instagram, as well. People loved it!”  

Flip through the gallery below to see why for yourself. 

Vendors 

Photographer:Stephanie West Photography 

Ceremony venue:Franklin County Municipal Courthouse 

Photo shoot location: Hotel LeVeque 

Bride’s attire: Custom Teuta Matoshi dress, gloves from Etsy, shoes from Nordstrom 

Bride’s hair and makeup: Hair by Josephine at Penzone Salons + Spas; DIY makeup (Kylee is an esthetician and makeup artist herself) 

Groom’s attire: Suit from Men’s Wearhouse 

Rings: Kylee’s engagement ring is a family heirloom; her wedding band is from Brilliant Earth, and Matthew’s band is from a family jeweler in New Jersey 

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the time period by which Kylee's dress was inspired.