CLEVELAND — Wedding and engagement season is in full swing, and one of the most important elements of a big day is the venue. A brand new destination to celebrate just opened in Tremont: The Elliot, owned and operated by former event coordinator Stephanie Ridgely.
"In August of 2020, I decided that the next step in my career is to buy a venue," she explained. "You know, we're all stuck at home because the pandemic and we realize life is short, so what can we do next?"
So, the Tremont resident took action, looking inward at her own neighborhood and setting her eyes on the old Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church. She made plans to turn the historic house of worship into an event venue, focusing specifically on weddings.
"I loved the idea of bringing something back to life in this community," Ridgely said. "I walked in and I saw tall ceilings and I saw opportunity for a chandelier, a balcony, a grand staircase, everything that a bride would want."
Despite her persistence and excitement, the transformation took dedication and determination.
"I think one of the hardest parts is finding all the things that you don't know you're going to discover throughout the project," she admitted.
Operating as a church from 1909-2009, it was important for Stephanie to maintain the building history, like its stained-glass windows, bell towers, and vaulted ceilings.
"There are not a lot of places in Ohio that keep the architecture and the history," Ridgely said, "and so we really wanted to play that up while adding a modern touch."
And love isn’t the only thing in the air at The Elliot; the new venue is open to hosting a variety of events.
"We have a great little speakeasy bar downstairs that we're going to be doing some open mic nights, karaoke trivia, anything you can think of," Ridgely told us.
No matter the occasion, Stephanie hopes her venue finds a place in people's hearts.
"I hope the Elliot is a place that people can say they made great memories," she said.
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*Editor's Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.