Wedding Planning

Wedding planning can either be a fun, joyful experience, or it can feel hectic and stressful. It’s all about how you approach the planning. If you are in the process of planning your wedding or you see one off in the distance, we have some tips and expert insight to share with you. We want you to be able to look back and smile at this time in your life, and we know some local rockstars who can help make that happen. Here are a few main pointers on the topic of wedding planning.

Set a Budget

We know the money side of things is usually the most stressful part of wedding planning and, therefore, the least fun to discuss, but don’t derail your excitement just yet. Setting a budget is an important early step in planning your wedding. It’s what determines the main parts of your special day, such as the venue and the food being served. Once you know your spending limit, you can allocate your money based on what best suits your needs and desires.

Make sure you are carefully exploring your options, though. You don’t have to go with the first caterer you find or book the first venue that is available during the time of year you want your wedding to be.

“Never be afraid to ask for a second quote, even if your first quote was from us!” Jim Sobczyk from Cornhusker Beverage and Bridal told us with a chuckle. “If you’re a couple dealing with a tight budget, the best thing you can do is request many quotes for every aspect of your wedding. Every business will have different products and services for different prices. We work with each couple individually to help guide them through the decision-making process while being respectful to their budget.”

Cornhusker Beverage and Bridal is Omaha’s premier one-stop-shop for all your beverage and print services. If it sounds like a mismatch, don’t be deceived. Cornhusker Beverage is a full-service liquor store with a large selection of wedding invitations, seating charts, table tents, and even an in-store stationery department for custom orders. They can provide you with anything from a full-serve open bar the night of your wedding to custom invitation fonts. They even have home-brewed beer!

While there are numerous options for wedding invitations online, nothing takes the place of being able to see and feel the quality of different options in person.

“One relatively new trend I’ve been seeing lately is couples having us create personalized timelines featuring pictorial graphics for the itinerary of the wedding events in fonts and colors coordinating to the invitation to make sure everything flows. Overall, brides have reported back that this made their out-of-town guests feel more comfortable and involved in the process.”

Create a List of Priorities

Once the last dance has ended and the guests push back their chairs and return to their homes, what will you look back at and cherish most? What are the things that, if missed, you will wish you had included? These things should get a star on your list of priorities.

Jordyn Champoux, marketing manager for The Kindler Hotel, shared her thoughts on the importance of prioritizing the most important thing of all—the happy couple.

“The most important priority should be to make the wedding represent you and your future spouse and really bring that out and let it shine through the wedding events and details,” she said. “Make sure you are picking for you because it’s your day.”

The Kindler Hotel goes above and beyond to make the wedding night a special one for the bride and groom.

“Our romance package for brides and grooms is extra special,” Jordyn said. “We provide champagne and boxes of chocolates in the room, and we make sure everything is just right and ready to welcome the newlyweds. We want them to enter the room and get an immediate feeling of romance, luxury, and relaxation. Our romance package is the perfect way to evoke this feeling.”

The Kindler Hotel truly takes luxury to the next level. They’ve considered every detail in their bright, comfortable rooms. Their furnishings and decor are exquisite and perfectly suited for a romantic wedding night. The experience doesn’t have to be reserved only for the wedding couple, however. The Kindler offers room blocks for wedding parties so everyone can enjoy a sumptuously relaxing sleep.

“I advise people to plan ahead and make sure to book far in advance,” Jordyn said. “Secure your reservation early so you can spend your time and energy planning other things.”

Get Organized and Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is advisable, considering the limitless details to think through in preparing for a wedding. Organization is key. Sarah Diego, bridal coordinator for Creative Hair Design Salon and Spa, offered her advice for getting organized and starting your wedding planning ahead of time.

“To help the bride feel special and prepared, I recommend planning in six-month, three-month, and one-month phases,” Sarah said. “This will help ensure the wedding planning process goes smoothly. Six months before the wedding, I encourage brides to schedule their wedding party, hair and makeup trials, nail appointments (pedicure, manicure, or full set of acrylic nails), spa services, waxing needs, and color/haircut appointments. By scheduling in advance, you are able to pick the best time frame that fits your schedule and guarantee a reservation for all services needed before the wedding. Three months prior to the wedding day, I recommend confirming all appointments and making any changes needed. One month out, I advise bringing the veil and any inspiration pictures in for your trial. Finally, on the big day, I encourage brides to relax and let us take care of your hairstyle and makeup services for you! With this planning process in mind, you will be ready to shine on your special day! At Creative Hair Design, we offer a spacious salon for large parties with multiple stylists and makeup artists in one location. We allow the option of bringing in food/drinks or catering as we provide a custom set-up included with crystal serving platters, decorative napkins, and all essentials for food and beverages. In addition, Creative Hair Design offers a bridal promotion and encourages brides-to-be to give us a call and learn more. Here at Creative Hair Design, your wedding day is as special to us as it is to you!”

Determine Your Style

It’s never too early to start to gathering inspiration for your unique wedding style. Whether you’re wanting classic, rustic, bohemian, natural, glamorous, or anything in between, you will need to find a way to show your style throughout the evening. One way to do so is by utilizing Honeyman Rent-All. They’ve been providing event supplies to Omaha since 1968, and they are constantly building their inventory. Honeyman provides everything from canopies to tables and chairs. They also have an extensive selection of cake holders and china. They pride themselves on being able to rent to all events regardless of size. Honeyman provides convenient delivery and set up, so you don’t have to worry yourself about any of the small details on your big day.

While the style and details for your big day may follow a very particular line and theme, perhaps more formal and traditional, it can be a relief to step back from coordinating flowers and colors and cake flavors. A day at House of Conundrum can not only help you take a break, it can also provide the perfect opportunity for ice-breakers and team-building for bachelor/bachelorette parties or between two sides of the family that are about to come together—especially if they’ve never met before!

“No matter if there’s two or 15 people in the party, everyone can contribute to getting out in time,” Owner John Comstock told us. “For bachelorette or bachelor parties, we normally reserve the banquet room for them to bring in or cater food and drink before their escape room.  We usually see them do either Zombie Apocalypse or the Sherlock Solution room since they can accommodate for larger groups. We also have video technology that could be incorporated into wedding videos for a laugh. Our rooms will surely create a memorable experience for the whole party.”

House of Conundrum provides a variety of rooms that vary in difficulty. Less than 10 minutes away from downtown, these escape rooms are the perfect mental pre-game before the big day.

Focus on the Big Picture

The nature of planning a wedding with all its details can be stressful and overwhelming. It may be difficult at times to stay focused on what really matters, but Dave Barry, cake designer at The Omaha Bakery, offered his wit and wisdom to help couples do just this.

“Whether in life or in cakes, don’t panic,” he said.

For Dave, planning and creating your cake without causing you stress is simply what he does.

“Regardless of your timeline and the pressures associated with wedding planning, don’t panic,” Dave told us again. “Choose reputable vendors who have the experience and the tools to tackle any demand your event may present. It all starts with a private consultation and tasting wherein my clients and I can really hone a design and plan the perfect desserts for their big day. Along with that, we operate a fully-custom cake shop, so no matter what the request, we can exceed expectations.”

The Omaha Bakery is dedicated to creating your picture-perfect cake within your budget and time constraints. They meet with you one-on-one to narrow down your choices efficiently while also giving you the time necessary to create your dream cake. They want everything to be just the way you want it, and they work with you until you’re satisfied because they understand that your wedding cake will be something you remember, even years and years down the road.

“The most important thing about a wedding is the memories,” Dave said. “A wedding day comes and goes. The only thing we take with us are the memories, the stories, and the joys we experience. I say all the time, ‘I make cakes, sure, but what I’m really making are memories.’”

Let Omaha’s excellent vendors help you craft the wedding you’ve always dreamed of, and remember to take a deep breath to remind yourself what a wedding is really about—and don’t forget to stop and smell the roses!