Meet Lauren LoDolce + Matthew Pontone — a Jersey City couple that got engaged in Montauk, New York. The two met on a dating app during the height of COVID-19, had their engagement shoot in Sicily, and have been living in Jersey City for about two years now. The Hoboken Girl had the chance to catch up with this couple who is in the process of wedding planning. Read on for more about Lauren and Matt’s love story and some details about their upcoming New Jersey wedding.
Photo credit: Antonio Lamalfa (@antoniolamalfa_fotografo)
The Hoboken Girl: What do you both do for a living?
Lauren LoDolce: I work in fashion. My company manufactures sleepwear/intimates for several different brands + I am on the sales side.
Matthew Pontone: I work in financial services, focusing on growth marketing.
Read More: This Hoboken Couple is the 5th Generation in Their Family to Marry at St. Francis
HG: What city do you both live in + for how long have you lived there? What’s your favorite part about living here?
LL + MP: We have been living in Jersey City for the past two years and absolutely love it here. We love the variety of restaurants that JC has to offer + appreciate how close we are to New York City. As big foodies, it’s great to have so many options in the nearby vicinity.
HG: When/where did you and your partner meet?
LL + MP: We met on Bumble at the height of COVID in 2020. Our first date was at Hillstone on one of the coldest days in January before indoor dining was open in NYC. We were absolutely freezing and miserable, but I guess you can say it all worked out.
Photo credit: Antonio Lamalfa (@antoniolamalfa_fotografo)
HG: How long have you been together?
LL + MP: Almost 3 years.
HG: Was there an instant connection/chemistry between you two?
LL + MP: Definitely. We started chatting on Bumble right before Christmas and bonded immediately over whose mother would be making more cookies that year. The competition still holds strong to this day.
HG: What are the qualities you love most about each other?
LL: I love how patient, hard-working, + kind he is. He makes every day so fun and is extremely family oriented, which has always been very important to me. And most importantly, I love that he never judges my obsession with reality TV and is always down to watch the drama with me.
MP: I love her outgoing personality to spark a convo with anybody, her thoughtfulness for others with always keeping close attention to the details, + and her amazing sense of humor. She’s extremely family-oriented and is a great sous-chef in the kitchen always being my number one fan for any dish I feel like cooking up.
Photo credit: Antonio Lamalfa (@antoniolamalfa_fotografo)
HG: When was the moment you knew you were meant to marry each other?
LL + MP: We can’t say there is one specific moment that comes to mind. From the beginning, our interests and personalities lined up so perfectly. Everything felt very natural and easy.
HG: Tell us about your proposal.
LL: The proposal happened while we were vacationing in Montauk for the weekend with our two friends, one of our favorite trips that we do every year. We went for an early morning beach walk and Matt proposed while we were on our walk. It was so perfect and exactly how I envisioned it. I never wanted a big elaborate proposal with a bunch of people around. When we got back to our hotel, our friends had decked out the entire room with decorations/champagne, etc. Then, throughout the day Matt had organized for some of my best friends to show up + surprise me. It was so amazing and totally unexpected!
HG: How long have you been engaged + what has been the best part about it?
LL + MP: We have been engaged for about a year now and have really enjoyed planning every aspect of the day together. Luckily, we have very similar tastes/styles, so planning has been fun and relatively easy.
HG: Where are you planning to get married?
LL + MP: We are getting married at The Venetian in Garfield, NJ.
HG: What part of the wedding planning process are you most excited about + what part are you not looking forward to?
LL + MP: We have really enjoyed every step of the planning process — from choosing invitations, putting together the guest list, and all the other little details to make our day special. One of our favorite tasks has been curating the playlist for our band. We both love live music and it has been really fun to put together the music vibe that we hope to achieve for the day of.
Photo credit: Antonio Lamalfa (@antoniolamalfa_fotografo)
HG: How many people do you plan to have at your wedding?
LL + MP: We expect about 200 people at the wedding.
HG: Do you plan to use any local vendors? If so, which ones and why those vendors?
LL + MP: Most of our vendors are located in NJ/NY:
- Band (NJ) — The Rhythm Shop (@silverproentertainment)
- Florist (NY) — New City Florist (@newcityflorist)
- Hair/Makeup (NJ) — Skin Bar + Paint Studio (@jillyan_scarpa_makeup_artistry)
- Photographer (NY) — Glenmar Studio (@glenmarstudio)
- Photo booth (NJ) — Timeless Photobooths (@timelessphotobooths)
- Wedding Venue (NJ) — The Venetian (@thevenetiannj)
HG: What are you looking forward to most as a married couple?
LL + MP: Starting a family! We hope to give our Boston Terrier, Pearl, a brother or sister in the near future.
Photo credit: Antonio Lamalfa (@antoniolamalfa_fotografo)
See More: The Best Proposal Spots in North Jersey
HG: What are some of your favorite local date night spots?
LL + MP: Our top favorites in Jersey City include Corto, Razza, Lobster Garage, Battello, + DomoDomo.
