Nebraska Weddings

Take just one step inside the doors at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) and one thing will be certain… this is the place you’ll host your wedding.  Because The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) isn’t just any wedding venue, it’s the perfect combo of breathtaking beauty (hello, Grand Ballroom) and top-notch service… all wrapped up in one dream-worthy locale.

Located just steps from the amazingness that is North Michigan Avenue and nestled amongst some of the world’s coolest landmarks (think the Museum of Contemporary Art and the John Hancock Building), The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) is not only a seriously stunning place to say I do, it boasts a team of Wedding Experts that will handle every last aspect of your big day, from providing those much needed vendor recommendations to customizing yummy menus to organizing the guest accommodations.  And speaking of guests, they’re going to love sampling the crazy culinary skills of Executive Chef Martin Knaubert, the floor-to-ceiling skyline views of Chicago and the 400,000 crystal chandelier located in the ballroom.  It’s basically a wedding paradise.

So what are you waiting for, lovelies?  Head on over to The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) (and their blog!) to start planning your dream wedding… you’ll even receive a guest room stay the night prior to the wedding day and complimentary lunches for the men’s and women’s changing rooms on the day of the wedding!

Photography: Amanda Hein Photography | Photography: Kingensmith | Photography: Katie Kett Photography | Photography: Gerber + Scarpelli Wedding Photography | Photography: Kent Drake Photography

There’s something so charming about hometown weddings, and this Omaha affair is truly heartwarming. Elegant with a modern twist, the sculpture gardens of the Joslyn Art Museum provided the perfect backdrop for Kyle Robino of Habitat structured blooms and the Bride’s statuesque Vera Wang gown. It’s safe to say that I’m in love with every sweet moment chronicled by Dana Damewood, take a peek here.

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From The Bride… Though Geoff and I met and live in Washington, D.C., we never questioned that we would marry anywhere but my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. Nebraska remains a very special place to me, and our wedding weekend was the perfect chance to show off this vibrant Midwestern city to our family and friends from across the country.

Our goal was to plan a personal and meaningful wedding that would reflect us as a couple, while creating a unique, fun, and unforgettable weekend for our guests.

We merged the best of both worlds with our venue choice — a stunning, modern ceremony space, followed by a beautiful, green outdoor setting in the sculpture garden with a wonderful view of the city’s skyline. Our wedding was a first for the museum; they had never held an outside event under a tent. And while being the first certainly came with its challenges — everyone from the caterers, to the florist and tent company had to start without any precedent in place — we were able to craft our vision from scratch and wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The color inspiration for the day started with a trip to a beloved ribbon shop in New York, where I found the blue and cream ribbon that we used to tie my bouquet. On that same trip I discovered the Vera Wang gown I chose as my dress, and everything evolved from there. We added green to the navy and ivory color palette, and the look became a mix of fun, breezy, prep, grounded by modern elements and unexpected details.

Though the big decisions, like venue, were key, the small details were so much fun to conceive and implement. We collaborated with Nebraska vendors when possible, like Porridge Papers in Lincoln, Nebraska who letterpressed the invitations and printed plantable coasters that guests could take home and grow into wildflowers.

The season also dictated many of the details. We knew it would be hot, so paper fans and custom gelato from a local creamery were essential to keep the guests cool throughout the warm Nebraska night.

From the bespoke Omaha map and weekend itinerary Geoff designed, to my great-grandmother’s antique lace tablecloth repurposed as the Chuppah cover, and our hand-quilled ketubah, we worked to personalize even the smallest details throughout the weekend. As a couple we share a love of traveling the country, and spent the better part of a year collecting vintage postcards from places significant to our relationship and backgrounds. In lieu of a guest book we asked our guests to choose a favorite card and leave us advice or well-wishes.

In the end, the entire weekend was a truly authentic representation of us as a couple. We could not have asked for a more beautiful three days surrounded by our family and friends in Omaha.

From Dana Damewood… I had so much fun working with Ally, Geoff, and their families on this wedding. I was so excited to hear that they were the first to have their reception under a tent outside of the Joslyn Art Museum in the sculpture garden. When I arrived on the big day, I couldn’t believe how perfect all of their details were. Everywhere I looked, everything was gorgeous– I was so happy to have a client deliver so much creativity! The girls looked amazing in their blue dresses and gold accessories, while the guys sported fun ties and socks. The ceremony was set up in a way that I have never seen before at Joslyn and it worked especially well for the guests and for the photography.

The reception was decorated perfectly to complement and highlight the outdoor setting, with white and green florals, large moss table numbers created by the bride’s mother, hemstitched napkins and linen table runners, and other fun details. But, my favorite part of their wedding day was the dance floor. In all my years of shooting, I have never seen anything quite like it. The band, Entourage, really knew how to keep the party going. I remember being scared that I was going to get hurt a few times but I loved every minute of it, laughing and dancing a little myself. The wedding was full of fun people with so much energy and enthusiasm – perfect material for a wedding photographer.

Photography: Dana Damewood | Florist: Kyle Robino of Habitat | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Wedding Cake: Chris Janicek's Cake Box | Ceremony: Joslyn Art Museum | Bride's Shoes: Valentino | Bridesmaid's Dresses: Sonia Rykiel | Catering: Abraham Catering | Hair and Makeup: Bungalow/8 Hairdressing | Band: Entourage | Groom's Suit: Z by Zegna | Tent Rental: Lincoln Tent | Bride's Clutch: Serpui Marie Via Calypso St. Barth | Cocktail Hour and Reception: Joslyn Art Museum | Custom Gelato: eCreamery | Groom's Tie: Hermes | Invitation And Paper Design: Friendly Design | Ketubah: Paper Quilling by Ann Martin | Letterpress Invitations: Porridge Papers | Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Anderson O'Brien Fine Art | Rentals And Linens: AAA Rents

When it comes to classic weddings, visions of full-length dressed ‘maids, bunches of white blooms and a glowing reception come to mind. But when that vision has the touch of elegance that this one does, it’s taken to a whole other level of awe-inspiring beauty. Jeffrey Sampson sits behind every lovely moment, ones that will add an extra twinkle to your eye today. Have a look for yourself right here.

From the beautiful Bride… One of the most important things to us was music – first the ceremony music – both the songs and the vocalist – and then the band. I wanted the music in the ceremony to make everyone, including Thom and I, get that same feeling you do when you watch a really deep TV show or movie, haha. The ones that give you that lump in your throat, shake your core and make you feel alive. I by no means want to put church music down, but there songs that make me feel more spiritual than those in the Gather Hymnals if you will and it was important to get to use those songs in the ceremony

We spent countless hours thinking up our favorite songs about love and life and good. I compiled so many word documents with lyrics and looked up videos of acoustic versions in female voices. After we condensed our Spotify playlist down (for the 100th time) to our top 10 or so, it was time to decide where to put each song – it was a lot like choreographing the ceremony. In my opinion, the timing and placement of the music in the ceremony can make such a big difference. Looking back, the ceremony music – both the songs AND Tara’s voice – is one of my favorite parts of our entire day.

My dress. What I had in mind was nothing like the dress I ended up getting. I never thought I would wear a strapless, poofy gown however the second I tried this dress on, I knew it was it. I absolutely loved all the custom details we added to the dress – these details made it mine and made me feel like the bride I had always dreamed of being. We added a big champagne bow to the back that had detachable tails, a designer crystal belt, and most of all, the longer train! My favorite thing about the dress had to have been the train. Since the church was so massive and gothic, the long train and Chantilly lace really seemed fitting. Another one of my very favorite parts of my dress was my veil. My veil was also my “something borrowed”. My cousin, Leigh was one of my Matron of Honors and she wore it in her wedding. It was her mom’s (my aunt’s) and so not only was it super gorgeous, but it had a lot of meaning behind it and it was such an honor for her to lend it to me. My “something old” was the jewelry my nana let me wear – the vintage diamond necklace, diamond bracelet and pearl ring were perfect with my dress and made me feel like a Queen. My “something new” was a pair of earrings my friend picked up for me last minute and my “something blue” was a new pair of light blue hanky panky’s . One thing I underestimated was how much the dress would set the entire “theme” and “tone” of the wedding. Immediately after we found the dress – I knew exactly what I wanted the wedding to be like and was able to start making more decisions and acting on them. I never thought that the dress would have such an effect and be what kicked everything else to start falling into place.

Paper. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted the invitation to look like and Allie was very helpful in working with me. We hopped on a Skype call a few times and did the whole thing over the phone and web – pretty cool! I wanted classic and ethereal with a touch of whimsical. I love paper like I said – so paper was important. I wanted to incorporate the outlines of California (for Thom) and Nebraska (for me) and I wanted our names to be in Allie’s whimsical calligraphy so we could use it as a logo and incorporate it in other elements of our wedding. Lastly, I definitely knew I wanted to use vintage postal stamps to again incorporate California and Nebraska and because I thought it made the invite more personalized to Thom and I, helped set the eclectic tone of the wedding and added a pop of color (which in turn also made it stand out in your pile of mail).

Flowers. My bouquet was amazing. Peonies are my all time favorite flower and they were in season! The hand tied bouquet Mullhalls made for me was beyond perfect – even better than I imagined. I was blown away when they gave it to me right before I went outside to meet Thom for our “first look”. It was huge!!! We wrapped it with the fabric from my mom’s veil from when she got married. Her veil would not have matched my wedding dress so rather than scratch the whole thing, she offered taking some of the fabric off and wrapping my bouquet with it for good luck and to have a piece of her with me. I loved that. It was super special. I loved the bridesmaid’s bouquets so much. I loved that the girls had to let the white and blush pink astilbe rest in their arm instead hold it of with their hands and loved the way the champagne ribbon from the bow fell. It was elegant and natural and ethereal and unique all at the same time. At the church, we lined the pews with ivory tulle, a champagne satin ribbon to match my dress, a vendella rose, champagne feather and maidenhair fern.

Decor. One of my very favorite things was all of the vintage wedding photographs Thom and I gathered from our families and dispersed through out the front entry room. We labeled each with who they were, their wedding date and how we were related. It set a very romantic tone and inspired fun conversations as people arrived. We used different types of eclectic and vintage frames that we had from home or bought at Ross and Hobby Lobby. I loved the natural and garden and ethereal feel of the reception décor. The up lighting, candlelight, and hanging soft yellow bulbs from the ceiling created such a beautiful ambience. There were different centerpiece styles dispersed throughout the tables in the ballrooms. All of the tables had mercury vases of all different sizes with monochromatic garden roses, peonies and blush ranunculus. The head table was centered with silk ivy and giant mercury candelabras, column candles and glass bubble balls. Other tables had a giant gold artsy sculpture on them that twisted and turned up and had ivy plants intertwined and moss balls and stacked candles on each “branch”. Other tables had big round bowls with curly willow sticks sticking out of the center, filled with moss balls, white blooming begonia plants, succulents and other textural elements. We used greenery to hang off the ends of all of the fireplace mantles. The flowers were beyond amazing and really set the scene. It was beautiful.

Photography: Jeffrey Sampson Photography | Videography: Complete Music | Event Design: Textiles | Florist: Mulhall's | Wedding Dress: Bridal Image | Invitations: Allie Ruth Designs | Church: St. Johns Creighton University | Reception: Omaha Country Club | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Ready Or Knot | Hair & Makeup: Blush Makeup Artistry | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Transportation: Ollie The Trolly

Today we’re thanking our lucky stars for WASIO photography, the sole reason your Saturday is about to take a giant step up from normal to extraordinary.  I’m talking an entire portfolio of jaw-droppingly gorgeous images from one of the most talented photography teams you will ever meet.  How’s that for the perfect weekend?  Dive into all of the pretty (+ a discount and giveaway) below!

From WASIO photography… Living in Chicago, we get to appreciate the beautiful architecture and incorporate it in our photographs. The roots of our inspiration are landscapes and being in the moment. True love is one of our greatest motivators that inspires us to capture special moments that literally happen in seconds. By having such a strong passion for love and beauty, we thrive to deliver timeless photographs that will be passed down through generations. Our goal is to always awe our clients with the famous WASIO signature style photographs.

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram. 

Discount! Book WASIO photography in August or September and we will add 10 additional images to our handcrafted wedding albums! ($300 value)

Giveaway!  One lucky SMP reader will win a sunset or sunrise 1-hour engagement session* with WASIO photography! (Value $499)  Simply leave a comment below telling us why Chicago is your city of choice for your engagement session!  The winner, chosen completely at random, will be announced right here on SMP on Friday, September 12, 2014.  

For terms and conditions, click here.  

*Session must take place in downtown Chicago on a mutually agreed day. The engagement session includes session time plus one WASIO signature edit 8×10 print. Online gallery will include all color corrected images from the session. Client will have the option to purchase additional prints with WASIO signature edit or all high-resolution electronic images.

Pretty doesn’t even begin to describe what you’re about to feast your eyes on, my dears. Inspired by old world craftsmanship and the jewelry history of Europe, Adam Foster Fine Art Jewelry creates truly stunning and unique designs. Each piece is designed by Adam Foster and hand made in his St. Louis, Missouri boutique + studio. I mean, come on, how gorgeous are these sparklers?!

Traveling across the country — and the world — to source incredible stones and to gather inspiration, Adam Foster of Foster Fine Art Jewelry is truly a creative genius. He believes that knowing the source of the materials and the people that cut, mine or make each element of his pieces is crucial to the design process. And we couldn’t agree more. From truly unique engagement and wedding rings to one-of-a-kind necklaces and bracelets, this line of jewelry is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

Working with clients across the globe, Adam Foster Fine Art Jewelry can help you design something incredible. You can see more of his work in his Etsy shop, as well as on Pinterest and Facebook. To schedule your in-person meeting, give them a call at 314.771.3390 or email info{at}fosterjewelry.com.

The broaches in the bridal bouquet sold me on this whole shoot immediately. Not just because of the floral genius at Florals Etcetera, but just the general abundance of talent at Carrie Dayton Events, The Modern Hive, and Geoff Johnson Photography, just to name a few. It’s not easy to do the mod-vibe without being overly kitschy, but this is so sophisticated, it could fit perfectly into the woods or an urban loft.

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From Carrie Dayton Events… This sophisticated, hip ‘Mid-Century Modern Wedding’ was created for a young professional, urban couple who lives a modern day lifestyle. They appreciate nature and have a passion for design. Mid-Century components were implemented throughout the day’s events to emphasize the couple’s bold personality and lifestyle. Repurposed furniture was selected and used as the inspiration for the couple’s ceremony and reception. The rustic, outdoor setting lends maturity and trendiness to the style. Invitations were printed on wood to give guests the impression this was going to be a different wedding. Contemporary touches, such as the color palate, accent pieces, and flowers allure to a realistic setting for the 21st Century bride. The combination of these elements set the stage for this couple to express their personalities, style and most of all, love.

It was magical how such a large team of creative partners came together on this project including some who aren’t in the wedding industry such as Hutch Furnishings and The Modern Hive who are in the furniture and interior design industry. The team worked together as if they had known each other for years. The day was seamless and flowed like a properly timed wedding. I chose the partners based on their amazing talent and “can do attitudes.”

The bride and groom in the shoot are married and worked with me for their 2011 wedding. Courtney, the bride, is the owner of The Modern Hive and assisted with the design of the shoot. As the day progressed it was fun to watch their love and personalities come out on film. It was like reliving their wedding all over.

Photography: Geoff Johnson Photography | Event Design: Carrie Dayton Events & Consulting | Event Design: The Modern Hive | Floral Design: Florals Etcetera | Wedding Dress: Ready Or Knot | Cake: The Chocolates Bar | Invitations: Inkblot Paper | Makeup & Hair: Hilda Schluetr | Event Furnishings: Hutch | Family Farm: Carrie Dayton Events & Consulting

“Classic and traditional but still fresh and modern.” Rhylan Lang, I think you just defined the SMP wedding. And this shoot from Megan Pomeroy Photography is just the shoot to go along with that “Perfect SMP” definition. Classic, traditional, fresh, modern, and pretty.

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From Rhylan Lang… Classic country club inspiration. This shoot focused on soft details like gold accents, rich textures and classic floral arrangements. We loved the touches of unexpected elements like the pop of orange in the centerpieces and rose gold in jewelry. Classic and traditional but still fresh and modern.

Photography: Megan Pomeroy Photography | Flowers: Flowers For Special Occasions | Makeup: GretchElizArtistry | Hair: Kontempo | Design and Coordination: Special Occasion by Design | Gown "Watters Adelaide": Rhylan Lang Bridal | Jewelry "Haute Bride": Rhylan Lang Bridal | Location: Omaha Country Club

Weddings like this one captured by Megan Pomeroy make me want to cry tears of pure happiness, or at the very least kiss my computer screen. Because it simply doesn’t get prettier than this, lovelies. With blooms from Shamrock & Thistle so beautiful I could stare at them forever, a color palette so fresh I plan on pinning every image, and one completely in love couple  – every detail planned by Lovestru.ck Weddings + Events is as good as they get, and you can see all of them right here.

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From Lovestru.ck Weddings + Events…From the moment I met Tara and Randy almost ten months before their wedding, the couple knew they wanted a soft and romantic wedding using shades of pink and purple. Like all Lovestru.ck weddings, we wanted to design an event that spoke to the couple’s personality and style, so we began the design process by getting to know the couple. We found that Tara’s Italian heritage and Randy’s German background played a large role in their lives, so we decided to utilize those strong cultural-ties in our design. Our first step was to focus the color palette. We kept the soft blush color, and we paired it with a wine-inspired reddish-purple tone.

Lesley at Inclosed Studio crafted beautiful letterpress invites and day-of stationery inspired by vintage wine labels and leafy grape vines. She also designed a monogram for the couple that was used throughout the stationery suite.

Tara wore a Monique Lhuillier gown accessorized with Haute Bride jewelry from Rhylan Lang. Her bouquet was wrapped with a piece of her mother’s veil and adorned with an heirloom locket. The men wore slim-cut black suits, and each bridesmaid selected her own black dress.

Tara and Randy were married in front of 200 guests during their traditional Catholic ceremony. Their guests showered the newlyweds as they exited the church with heart-shaped rice. The confetti was packaged in glassine bags, stamped with their gold-foil monogram, and sealed with a custom wax stamp.

Guests were welcomed to the couple’s lively reception by a hand-painted welcome sign that we framed in an ornate mirror. We hung wooden escort cards on mini garden hooks that were arranged in mounds of moss and centered around a grand centerpiece in the couple’s wedding colors.

Throughout their relationship, Randy and Tara created lists of restaurants to try, places to visit, and date-night activities. Over the last few years, they’ve cross items off (ex: eat Philly cheesesteaks in Philadelphia) while adding new items (ex: go surfing) to the list. As a nontraditional guestbook, we instructed guests to fill a wooden book (purchased on Etsy) with their suggestions of items to add to the newlywed’s to-do list.

Shamrock & Thistle arranged earthy and lush centerpieces using deep red amartanthus, dark purple scabiosa, varying shades of garden roses, and the most stunning cafe au lait dahlias. The varying heights of centerpieces created visual interest in the dinner space, and the draping greens hung on the chandelier above the dance floor, carried the organic and airy-feeling florals throughout the reception venue.

The head table was layered with pink textured linens from La Tavola. We had custom napkins embroidered with the couple’s monogram for the couple to take home after the wedding as cherished mementos. We set a box of biscotti (a traditional Italian cookie) that doubled as a place card at each place setting. The table numbers were crafted out of cork and embellished with gold foil.

As a late-night snack, Tara and Randy served German-inspired pretzel bites with beer cheese (so delicious!) and Italian-inspired mini cannolis and tiramisu bites. We stacked wine crates to create height for the food display, and Melissa from Pretty Paperie hand-lettered signs for all of the snacks using her artful and ornate lettering styles.

We also had Melissa create signage for other focal areas at the reception. She lettered our bride and groom chair-back signs. Tara’s sign read “Sposa” (or Bride in Italian), and Randy’s sign read “Bräutigam” (or Groom in German). Melissa lettered welcome signs and a sign for the card birdcage (both in written in Italian and German).

Another memorable moment of the evening was the speech given by the bride’s father:
“I promised you a present on your wedding day and here it is. When I was in London earlier this year I got this I an antique store. It is an old Roman coin, from 830 AD…almost two thousand years old. On the front of the coin is an emperor wearing a crown called a radiate. On the back is the Goddess Fortuna. So the crown radiate represents how the two of you and your love radiate whenever you are together. The Goddess Fortuna represents that you will have great fortune in your life. And may your love last as long as this coin has.”

Photography: Megan Pomeroy Photography | Floral Design: Shamrock & Thistle | Cake: Butterfly Bakery | Stationery: inclosed stationery and letterpress shop | Ceremony Venue: St. Wenceslaus | Reception Venue: Shadowridge Country Club | Bridal Attire: Rhylan Lang Bridal | Event Design + Coordination: Lovestru.ck | Filmmaker: A Sound Impression | Hand Lettering: The Pretty Paperie Shop | Linen: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: AAA Rents

I love a good surprise. I’m awful at pulling them off! But I sure do like them. So when I read that this sweet couple surprised their entire guest list with a wedding that no one knew was happening? I was bursting with excitement and quite honestly, impressed beyond words. Of course, Lovestru.ck Weddings + Events was there to help pull off every pretty detail, while The Mullers snapped up every jaw-dropping moment. Join in all the fun right here in the gallery and don’t miss the look on the guests faces in the film by Creative Films!

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From Lovestru.ck… I have known Jocelyn since the first day she opened her bridal salon in Omaha. Since then, we’ve shared in helping multiple brides get married in the Midwest. I knew Jocelyn had been dating her boyfriend, Paul, for nearly fourteen years, so I wasn’t surprised when she asked me this past summer to help plan her wedding. But Jocelyn did have a trick up her sleeve. No one knew Paul and Jocelyn were actually engaged. She wanted her nuptials to be a complete surprise for her guests.

Jocelyn set a date for three months after our initial planning meeting, so we quickly got to work. The bride-to-be wanted her wedding to feel timeless, but we knew we had to come up with fresh and innovative design concepts for Jocelyn who is constantly surrounded by wedding details in her line of work. We drew inspiration from notable dress designers and threw in some highly-personal details along with a few whimsical touches. The french blue and opal color palette was inspired by two Amsale bridesmaid dresses carried in Jocelyn’s store. We even ordered extra Amsale fabric to make a custom linen for the cake table.

One of the hardest decisions for Jocelyn to make was her gown selection. After brainstorming many options, she choose a gorgeous gown from Kelly Faetanini, a newly acquired line at her store. The fit-to-flare gown had a sweetheart neckline and was covered in a stunning gilded guipure lace. We soon realized we had to be very strategic about how we planned the couple’s wedding. The goal was to gather guests at a cocktail lounge under the pretense that Paul was going to surprise Jocelyn and propose to her in front of all of their family and friends. Once guests arrived at the cocktail hour, they would learn that the couple was actually getting married that night and be shuttled to the church and back to a reception at an art gallery across the street from the cocktail lounge.

Inclosed Studio created invitations for the cocktail hour/surprise engagement. Jocelyn loves stationery, so she wanted the invitation to be a work of art, but they had to be designed with more masculine touches as the invitation had to look like it was coming from Paul. In order to give Jocelyn the invitation suite she’s always dreamed of, we decided to use stationery to reveal the evening’s true intentions. Inclosed created a gorgeous invitation along with an paper accordion that was filled with the evening’s timeline, the ceremony program, and each guest’s escort card. We attached the envelope bundles to a floating wall, and prompted guests to grab their marked envelope as they entered the cocktail hour. I was so glad Creative Films was able to capture many of the guests’ astonished reactions.

After guests picked their jaws up off the floor, they grabbed a drink at the bar as they waited for the shuttles to the ceremony. We bundled chicken salad sandwiches on mini croissants and sweet potato chips in boxes for guests to eat on the bus ride and to tide them over during the couple’s catholic ceremony. The element of surprise created a palpable energy in the church, as just over one hundred guests witnessed Jocelyn and Paul’s nuptials. After the ceremony, the newlyweds exited the church through a tunnel of sparklers and rode to their reception in a 51 Chevy Convertible.

Guests were once again surprised as they entered the reception. Blooms and Bouquets transformed the art gallery with gorgeous chiffon draping and clusters of chandeliers. Guests were offered a Wedding Cake Cocktail made of vanilla vodka, ginger ale, and fresh raspberry as they found their seats. The table numbers were marked by different years the couple had dated as well as a fun memory from each year. Attitude on Food served a delicious family-style meal to all of the guests. The couple chose to serve their wedding cake a la mode in honor of their late fathers who often shared their love of ice cream with their children after dinner. The bride and groom both love donuts, so we created a wall of donuts for guests to enjoy throughout the evening. We gladly turned a blind eye as the groom’s nephews decided to have pre-dinner donut.

Usually we deem a wedding successful based on the guest experience and the flow of the evening, but we felt extremely proud to help Jocelyn and Paul achieve their top secret mission of throwing a surprise wedding without a hitch!

Photography: The Mullers | Videography: Creative Films | Event Design + Planning: Lovestru.ck | Cake: Happy Hollow Country Club | Stationery: inclosed stationery and letterpress shop | Church: Our Lady Of Lourdes | Reception: Anderson O'Brien Fine Art | Jewelry: Mark Edward | Catering: Attitude on Food | Makeup: Blush Makeup Artistry | Hair: Kontempo | Bridal Gown: Ready Or Knot | Cocktail Hour: J's on Jackson | Personal Flowers: Hy-Vee | Reception Florist/Draping: Blooms And Bouquets | Rentals: AAA Rents | Sparklers: Aerial FX

Confession: Halloween is cool in my book as long as we don’t have to watch Hocus Pocus. I saw the movie when a little girl and have been terrified of the Sanderson sisters ever since. However, after coming across this Hocus Pocus inspired shoot from Sequined Silver Lining and Lovestru.ck Weddings & Events, I’ve come to the conclusion that I can be on board with Halloween, Hocus Pocus and all, as long as I get this version, from Meghan Savage Photography, of the story. Obsessed might be an understatement.

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From Lovestru.ck… Natalie and I have worked together for the past few years, and when Natalie asked me to reunite with her (she moved to Kansas City a few months ago) to create a Fall-inspired photo shoot, I jumped at the opportunity to work with her again.

We bounced a lot of ideas off each other, but we settled on creating a dark and moody styled shoot. We wanted to design a shoot that was centered on beautiful and inspiring bridal looks with dramatic and mysterious undertones.

Natalie and I have styled multiple shoots together, and we’ve always discussed wanting to work with a red head, brunette and blonde for models. Luckily, Natalie was able to find three models that fit the bill for this shoot. As I was running outside a few weeks ago and thinking about the changing seasons, I was suddenly inspired to add in elements from my favorite Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus. Using our photographic memory of the movie (like most women our age, watching Hocus Pocus is a yearly tradition) we referenced the Sanderson Sisters’ hair, makeup and wardrobe as well as the movie’s set design throughout the shoot.

Attire:
For the wardrobe, Natalie pulled gowns that had a hint of color, and we played with using traditional veils as witches’ capes. Natalie paired fall accessories such as leather gloves and fur vests with the delicate bridal gowns to give them an edge. We also incorporate an evil eye bracelet into Winifred’s look to reference the head witch’s infamous one-eyed book.

Tablescape/Props:
The tablescape had to be bewitching but also relatable. I wanted the table to look like something The Sanderson Sisters would put together for a dinner party. We used dark metals, silky velvets, glowing candles and rich copper tones to give it a layered but moody feeling. The table was set for Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson as well as Mr. Thackery Binx – the beloved black cat in Hocus Pocus.

Flowers:
Melissa from Blooms and Bouquets created earthy and dark floral arrangements using red astilbe, burgundy scabiosa, stained pepper berry, cranberry viburnum, passion flower vine, and dark red peonies.

Desserts:
Angela crafted many beautiful and delicious desserts for our shoot. The tablescape featured fluted chocolate cake with chunks of honeycomb and pomegranate. Our dessert display included liege waffles with a thick caramel coating, an extra tall Devil’s food cake with chocolate salted caramel buttercream and super dark chocolate chunk cookies.

Photography: Meghan Savage Photography | Floral Design: Blooms And Bouquets | Stationery: Velvet Raptor | Make up: Lashes and Love | Hair: Bungalow/8 Hairdressing | Calligraphy: The Pretty Paperie Shop | Bridal Gowns: Jillian Fellers | Bridal Gowns: Ready Or Knot | Creative Direction/Styling: Lovestru.ck | Nails: Chill Body | Pastry: Angela Garbacz Pastry | Wardrobe Styling:: Sequined Silver Lining

There’s nothing wrong with a good cry once in a while. Especially when those happy tears are thanks to the perfect wedding film from Kale Fitch. So cozy on up and grab a tissue,  because this Omaha wedding has a whole lot of heart. Oh, and don’t dare miss the full photo gallery from the oh-so-talented Amanda K.

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From Kale Fitch Films…This is one of my absolute favorite wedding films I have done to date.  I am a filmmaker from Utah but traveled to Omaha for the beautiful wedding of AJ & Nikki.  This film is every reason why I love what I do. Every aspect of this wedding, couple, families, locations filled my creative and emotional palette. You could feel the love, warmth and caring from every toast/speech that the family made. Take a few minutes to appreciate these two beautiful people?

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Cinematography: Kale Fitch Films | Photography: Amanda K. Photography | Ceremony Location: St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church | Reception Location: Scottish Rite Reception Center | Floral Design: Amy’s Flowers and Gifts | Hair + Makeup: Kontempo Salon (Kirby Keomysay) | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Light in the Box (ordered in “lilac”)

Sometimes we can get caught up in the details, and rightly so. It’s the flowers you choose, the candles you light, the paper suite you so carefully pick out that represent you as a couple. But inspirational shoots like this from Megan Pomeroy are proof that all you really need is love. The bride was dressed from head to toe in beauty by Rhylan Lang but aside from some fantastic florals and a sparkly gown, the love was the star. And that right there is proof that with the pretty comes from within. Don’t forget about the gallery for just a little more inspiration!

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From Rhylan Lang … Megan and I wanted to bring together a style shoot that combined the idea of classic style, modern touches and her signature, soft romanticism. We selected a gown that had a timeless silhouette, combined with modern beading, to give a juxtaposition to the dreary, early winter Nebraska landscape. To bring together the modern details, of the beading on the gown, we selected a classic tuxedo with a twist. We chose to lose the vest for a more modern look, skinny tie, and went with grey, instead of a more traditional black, to keep it soft. For hair and make-up we kept the hair soft, classic and loose, and went with a neutral palette for the face with the always gorgeous, red lip. Flowers were again classic with just a touch of color mixed in. Tied loosely to help bring out the feeling of soft romanticism in the photos. We are so happy with the way it all came together!

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Photography: Megan Pomeroy | Flowers: I Bloom | Makeup: GretchElizArtistry | Shoes: Pelle Moda | Dress: Annasul Y from Rhylan Lang | Earrings: Haute Bride from Rhylan Lang | Veil: Sara Gabriel from Rhylan Lang | Tux: Tip Top Tux

We’re wrapping up another fabulous wedding Wednesday with this super fun and energy filled Lincoln fete. We’re loving the simple, red tulip bouquet, the pretty vintage dress worn not only by this beautiful bride, but also her mother and her grandmother, and the red, white and blue bowtie rocked by the groom. There are so many fun filled and meaningful details in this fabulous wedding captured perfectly by Dixie Pixel that it’s a total no brainer when I tell you that you need to get over to the gallery asap!

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From the Bride…One of the interests my husband and I share is a love of vintage – of things of the past. With that in mind, it was easy to decide the focus of our wedding: the dress I chose to wear was not only my mother’s dress, but my grandmother’s dress. She purchased it in the 1950’s and I swoon when she reminds me that she had “express ordered it from New York City!” Since New York was where my husband and I met, it all seemed to come together so perfectly. The bow ties, the red lips, shoes and flowers, the wedding cake my mother made for us, all the details were in line. It was such a spectacular day and looking back at the photos I’m reminded that we had the kind of celebration we had hoped for: an old soul wedding to kick off our brand new life together.

From Dixie Pixel…Jessica grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Matt in a small Kansas town.  They met after both moved to New York to begin their careers.  It was only fitting that they return the mid-west for their wedding.  The ceremony was held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska.  Jessica was stunning in her “Oma’s” (grandmother’s) and mother’s wedding dress, a tea-length eyelet gown.  The pearls Jessica wore also belonged to her “Oma” (grandmother).

The flowers were beautifully simple, as Jessica carried a bouquet of single red tulips, and Matt sported a red rose to compliment his red, white and blue bow tie. Matt & Jessica invited their priest from NYC to come to Lincoln to marry them.  He had their marriage blessed by the Pope!  After the ceremony, guests released 100 red balloons as the couple descended the steps of the church.  They scheduled the reception to begin 2 hours after the ceremony ended so they could go to different locations around Lincoln for their photos.  The reception was very relaxed and simple.  A family style dinner was served to 150 guests at the Ridnour Room (located in the Haymarket in Lincoln).  A local cover band, Hard Knox played music spanning from the 50’s to the 90’s.

Wedding Photography: Dixie Pixel / Ceremony Location: St. Mary’s Catholic Church / Reception: Apothecary Loft – Ridnour Room / Hair: Megan McBride / Wedding Dress: Bride’s Mother’s and Grandmother’s / Wedding Cake: Mother of the Bride / Invitations: The Groom / Catering: Carlene Sullivan / Floral: Hy-Vee / Photo Booth: Photo Booth Experts

If I were a dress, I would so be this Vera Wang number. Not only is it a ruffled dream but it gets to witness some of the most drop-dead gorgeous weddings. We are talking all out GLAMOUR like this Nebraska beauty captured by Geoff Johnson Photographer. And this is but the tip of the whole pretty iceberg. Get your gallery on for more from the day.

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From the Bride… Kendall and I met in 6th grade.  We were on the same “team” in middle school and that is where my lifelong crush started.  After going through all of middle school and high school together, all the while me having a huge crush on him, we started dating our senior year at Lincoln East High School.

On the weekend of our 4 year anniversary, Kendall and I went out to San Diego, CA with my family.  On the night of our anniversary, having no idea what we were going to be doing or where we would be going, a driver and car pulled up in front of my parent’s house.  The driver drove us to Torrey Pines State Reserve where Kendall had a spot picked out, high overlooking the ocean.  With the sweetest words and most romantic spot, that is where he proposed.  Then we ate at the Sky Room and La Valencia Hotel.  After dinner, we walked down to meet our driver and to my surprise, Kendall’s parents had flown in to surprise me.  The rest of the night was spent drinking champagne and looking forward to marrying my best friend.

My wedding inspiration was a simple, classic, but contemporary, chic look.  Clean lines, white orchids, rich pewter, and a splash of coral.  I wanted every piece of the ceremony and reception to be cohesive. I achieved that look by carrying through different aspects such as: letterpress invitations to letterpress menus, our monogram, silk organza dress and the head table runner that matched my dress.

One of my favorite special touches was our monogram.  We had a Lincoln calligrapher design it for us and it was on everything from napkins and invitations to the cake.  Another special piece was on the head table we had a runner that my mother-in-law made to mimic my dress.  It spilled over the top of the table so you saw it as soon as guests entered the ballroom.

As the wedding day is such a blur, as I assume it is to many other brides, many of the memories I have come from the beautiful pictures we got. From my mom helping me put on my dress, to walking down the aisle and seeing Kendall, to our first dance.  Though a specific special memory during our ceremony was the duet.  A couple sang “The Prayer” and I just remember looking and Kendall and I could feel the power of the song. Our first kiss was also a favorite memory because we had spent the days prior to the wedding “deciding on a kiss” (haha) and then when it came down to it, I got so excited I jumped into his arms and remember the best feeling.

Wedding Photography & Cinematography: Geoff Johnson Photographer / Floral & Event Design: Hillis & Company / Event Planning: Marilyn Cintani & Laura Frantz / Wedding Ceremony Location: Westminster Presbyterian Church / Wedding Reception Location: Country Club of Lincoln / Wedding Invitations: Porridge Papers / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang

You really gotta give this next bride, groom and their families some big props for putting together this adorable DIY wedding. Everything from the dress to the desserts were made with love for this sweet couple. And may I just say that I think they did a fabulous job! Luckily for us Bryan and Mae were there to capture all the handmade details! And there is much, much more to pore over in the gallery!

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From Bryan and Mae: We photographed this wedding last weekend at The Arbor Day Tree Farm in Nebraska, and it was the perfect backdrop for Karin and Jeremy’s personal, handmade wedding. The couple relied on friends, family, and various online sellers to make their day completely unique. Most notably, the bride’s gorgeous gown was designed by her Aunt, handmade by her Mother, and adorned with teal buttons from her Grandmother’s collection. The bride also had a friend make fabric boutineers for the groomsmen, corsages for the bridesmaids, and headbands for the flower girls. The groom and groomsmen’s tree ties (bringing in the theme of the tree farm) were from Cyberoptix Tie Lab, that boasts having “ties that don’t suck.” Karin’s rad feather earrings were from Etsy, and these were her only adornment, as she opted out of wearing a veil or carrying flowers. The couple also had an adorable entourage of nine children (nieces, nephews, and friends), girls dressed in tutus and tights and the boys in bow ties. The children waved streamers and carried a sign announcing the bride as they came down the aisle. The ceremony was held in the historic barn at the farm, under Chinese lanterns and stringed lights hanging from the exposed rafters. At the reception, tables were decorated with burlap runners and bundt cakes made by friends and family.

From the Bride: Unlike me, and like most every other girl, you should start planning your wedding when you are four years old. That way, when Dr. Right asks you to marry him, you say yes, and then know exactly how to proceed.  I had no idea what I wanted our wedding to look like.  I did know two things for sure: we wanted our wedding ceremony to display covenant love, and that we absolutely adore our family and friends and wanted them to have lots of fun celebrating the very first day of our marriage.

After searching for venues around Omaha, we finally settled on the Arbor Day Farms and Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.  I can’t say enough good things about their wedding coordinator, Adessa, and all of the helpful staff.  We both love being outside and support The Arbor Day Foundation’s commitment to sustaining the environment.  Oh, and the property is beautiful! Jeremy and I are both decedents of hard-working country folk, and found it very fitting to start our lives together in the coolest barn in the state. The day was sunny and warm, and everything went as planned – perfect (more or less;)!

Speaking of perfect: Bryan and Mae of Bryan and Mae should take pictures of you, whether you’re getting married or not.  They are the sweetest, coolest, friendliest, most fun and talented photographers in the galaxy.  I could sing their praises all day, but the pictures speak for themselves.  They made us feel so at ease in front of the camera, and were generally super awesome to hang out with.

I love that so much of our wedding was handmade.  Almost all of the attire and accessories for the wedding were handmade by sellers I found on etsy.  The bridesmaids, groomsman, parents, and little friends were all sporting Princess Lasertron custom accessories, made with love by our friend Megan.  I never stepped foot in a bridal store because, frankly, they scare me.  My dress was designed by my aunt and constructed by my lovely mama, who patiently tolerates me and my wacky ideas.  When I proposed that we have 18 different flavors of wedding cake, all in bundts on the guests’ tables, our awesome and talented friends rose to the occasion for BYOB (bring your own bundt) dessert awesomeness.  One cake didn’t make it to the reception, and was promptly devoured at brunch the next day. Our friends were so incredibly helpful in the party planning, and more importantly, marriage planning. It was a beautiful day for making big promises, smiling, hugging friends, dancing, feasting, and general fun-having.  All in the name of Love.

Photography: Bryan and Mae / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Arbor Day Tree Farm / Bride’s Dress: Bride’s Mother and Aunt / Bride’s Earrings: Gather Jewelry / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Corsages, Groomsmen Boutineers and Flowergirl Headbands: Friend of the Bride / Groomsmen’s Ties: Ties That Don’t Suck / Bridal party accessories: Princess Lasertron / Tutus: Lovingshop / Boys ties: Meandmatilda / Bridesmaid jewelry: cheapdatejewelry / Groomsman suits: Banana Republic / Bride’s boots: Frye / Groom’s boots: Lucchese / Hair: Carmen Imm

Western Country Chic. Kind of catchy. Or is it Country Western Chic? When you pair the joy of the countryside with the love of the city, there’s a whole lot of room to create and design, don’t you think? The bride will tell you what motivated their wedding style below, but I think she might have created a whole new category! From Geoff Johnson Photography, an elegant country chic wedding at Happy Hollow Country Club …

See Alison and J.R.’s whole SMP gallery here ~ their Engagement Shoot from Geoff Johnson right here ~ plus more of their wedding on Geoff’s blog here!

J.R. and I are a funny combination of big city and small town people. We love downtown and urban places, but have a true love for the country and wide open spaces. I wanted our wedding to be extremely classy and chic, but also casual and fun, thus evolved the idea of a western country chic styled wedding. We knew we needed a large-ish venue and we knew that the food at Happy Hollow was fantastic, so that was pretty much a done deal.

We had a “house party” which is a Southern tradition. I first encountered it when I was in college at Baylor in Texas. It’s another group of close friends that gets to be a part of the wedding, but doesn’t have to stand up in front. They are hosts, take care of details, etc. It was a blast being able to have more of our close friends in the wedding than we would have been able to otherwise. This IS a delightful southern tradition that helps include all your very close friends into the overall celebration of the moment at hand ~ your extra-special go-to girls from your past, present and future!

One thing we did that was a little quirky, had to do with the fact that I ADORE pizza and popcorn. So … at the reception, we had, you guessed it! Pizza and Popcorn. La Casa Pizzaria catered in with bottles of coke and Vic’s popcorn delivered at the end of the night. Everyone was starving and it was SO good. It just really hit the spot. Our favors? Yep. Popcorn, Cokes and Pizza. The popcorn was wrapped in cute little boxes with our initials on stickers printed on them to match the wedding colors, tied with a pretty ribbon.

Of all the memories that will forever be with me, I think that my most favorite are the private moments with J.R. right before the wedding. I don’t think up until that point it felt very real or that it was actually going to happen. Then, when we saw each other all dressed up and ready to go for the first time, we were like, “OH MY GOSH…we are really going to do this; we are really getting married!!” It was so special and I KNOW, I will never forget the moment or the feelings.

Photography: Geoff Johnson Video/Cinematography: The Wedding Storytellers / Floral & Event Design: Liz Larmore and Aaron Carlson Design / Ceremony Location: Christ Community Church, Omaha / Reception Location: Happy Hollow Country Club, Omaha / Event Planning: Ann Pitschka, Triple AAA Rents & Nina Roumpf, Uniquely Nina / Invitations: Carrie Ratcliff / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Dress: Paloma Blanca / Entertainment/Band: Galaxy Red, from St. Louis, MO