Wedding Planning

Making Your Big Day Match Your Dreams!

Summer typically is the most popular time of the year for weddings, especially in Nebraska, where nature’s beauty makes outdoor ceremonies a natural fit. Nothing has been typical about the summer of 2020, though. While there haven’t been as many weddings as usual this summer, there’s actually been even more wedding planning going on than ever before. That has included a lot of shifting of plans, which is booking up wedding venues in late summer, fall, and even a year or two out. Many of the weddings that happened in Omaha this summer were smaller than originally planned, though a slew of brides and grooms planned alternative ceremonies to get hitched on schedule. Others didn’t want to give up their dreams of an extravagant wedding with all their friends and family attending, and they postponed to a year or even two out.

Regardless of the unique situation that wedding parties and planners find themselves in this year, there are plenty of local businesses in Omaha that are highly experienced and skillful at putting their version of magic into your wedding plans and associated events. We asked a few local business owners what they offer to enhance wedding plans in the area, and we found companies that provide everything from catering to ceremony and reception venues, desserts, hair design, and accommodations for out-of-town guests—and yes, even luxury restroom rentals!

With everything that goes into wedding planning, it’s easy to make restrooms an afterthought, but when you invest so much into a day, getting the details right matters. That’s where Grant Stahla and Stahla Rentals come in. Among other services, Stahla is in the potties-for-parties business, you might say—and we’re not talking about stinky, dark, overheated, run-of-the-mill port-a-potties. Stahla rents luxury restrooms that will have your wedding guests thinking they’re in a modern, affluent home bathroom. They are equipped with everything from air conditioning to Bluetooth sound systems, upscale amenities, and handicap access—and some even have showers and multiple stalls and can serve as a bridal suite for the wedding party to get ready.

“We offer wedding parties and their guests dignity and peace of mind,” Grant said. “We all have to use the restroom, so having a private, enclosed space that’s air-conditioned and not smelly is a really big deal. Once you’ve selected the trailer you want on our website, including the number of stalls, and paid your deposit, we do all the rest and we deliver it all and hook things up exactly where you want them. All you have to do it turn it on before the wedding. They’re really perfect for those Nebraska weddings that are on the family’s acreage or out in a field in the middle of nowhere.”

Their seventh year in business, the summer of 2020 has been quite different for Stahla Rentals, when it comes to their wedding business.

“Our business changed dramatically due to COVID-19, as far as what we do for weddings,” Grant said. “Typically, we serve weddings averaging about 175 guests, and this year that average is closer to 40. All is not lost, though, as they’re already looking at double the average number of weddings they’ll be doing in 2021, as weddings postponed this summer are moving to next.

Elegant, Neo-Classic Accommodations

As you’re planning for your big day, you’ll want to get a block of guests rooms reserved for your wedding party and your out-of-town guests. That’s where The Kindler Hotel comes in—and these folks will treat you all like royalty, from the elegant accommodations to top-shelf customer service and designer rooms in a neo-classical building conceived and designed by the award-winning Ross Vincent Design.

“The Kindler Hotel offers our guests a very personal experience, exceptionally high-level amenities, in a modern deco-designed and relaxed atmosphere,” said Kindler Sales Director Cheryl Deiro. “The Kindler Hotel will assist with special wedding-guestroom block rates for you and your guests. We have beautiful bridal suites and special wedding-night packages to make your special day extra special.”

Of course, the wedding scene has not been like most other years for The Kindler Hotel. While it has still hosted some wedding parties and guests, most of them have been far smaller groups and many rescheduled to later dates when they can have the big wedding and guest list of their dreams.

“We are experiencing brides and grooms with smaller, more intimate weddings,” Cheryl said. “They are also gravitating to more private and guest-experience-oriented hotels with the highest sanitation and social-distancing standards like The Kindler Hotel. Keep in mind that your guests will remember and appreciate the accommodations you arrange for them, especially those coming from out of town. Choosing a property with the highest level of cleanliness, sanitation, and social-distancing standards will help ease their reluctance to travel again. These standards and providing the highest level of hospitality are top priorities of The Kinder Hotel.”

What’s more, the lavishly appointed Boitano’s Lounge and newly opened patio will allow you to gather with your guests to enjoy uniquely crafted cocktails and a seasonal dining menu develop by world-renowned Olympic medalist and Food Network star Brian Boitano. Put the cherry on top of your wedding plans and include The Kindler Hotel in them!

Looking Good!

Hairdos, perfect nails and the right makeup for the bride and her bridesmaids are essential parts of any wedding plans, and Creative Hair Design Salon and Spa has the experience and expertise to meet any beauty challenge you can throw their way. What’s more, they offer relaxing spa services and waxing to perfect the picture. They also offer a handy schedule of events to help you plan your services with the proper amount of advance notice so they go exactly as planned.

“Creative Hair Design is your one-stop shop for ultimate pampering,” said Owner and President John Mangiameli. “We have a nurturing environment and love the challenges of creating the perfect wedding styles and helping the bride and bridesmaids relax and feel beautiful and comfortable for the big day. We have you work with a bridal coordinator to personalize your Creative Hair Design experience to fit your needs perfectly.”

Ultimately, Creative Hair Design suggests that you schedule your wedding party visit, your trial hair and makeup day, and your nail services about six months prior to your wedding. Three months prior to the big day, they confirm your appointments and make any necessary changes, also scheduling your spa services and waxing. One month prior to your wedding date, they asked that you bring in your veil and any pictures you want to share for your trial-run appointment. When the big day arrives, all you have to do is relax and let the talented stylists at Creative Hair Design take care of you so you’re ready to shine on your special day!

Time for Dessert

While many brides and grooms choose traditional, layered wedding cakes decked out in flowers or other decorations for their receptions, others choose trendy cupcakes, decadent brownies, or even cheesecakes for their celebrations. Any way you choose to go, The Omaha Bakery can make it special. Their reputation, experience, and techniques enable them to create the perfect wedding-cake design that makes a statement about your personality and sense of style or fun. They specialize in the latest techniques in cake creations, including rolled fondant, which gives you the smooth porcelain-like finish that is so popular today. Of course, you’ll probably want to do a lot of tasting to make sure the flavor is just right, too!

“The most important thing about a wedding is the memories,” said The Omaha Bakery Cake Designer Dave Barry. “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.’”

Because Omaha Bakery is a specialty bakery, they can also duplicate any cake you might see in a magazine or at another function and then customize it for you. You may choose a sophisticated elegant look or show your playfulness and sense of humor with a more whimsical style. It should also fit well with your wedding location, decorations, and the ambiance you are creating for your reception. One thing you can definitely bet on is that when you see the finished product, it will reflect you and your good taste. Have fun and let your imagination run wild!

Have Some Fun

If you’re planning several days of events for friends and family during your wedding week, the House of Conundrum offers the perfect opportunity for you to gather, have some fun and a little competition, and bond over mysteries. You and your group will be placed in a themed room of your choice for one hour, during which you must find hidden clues, decode messages, solve puzzles, and more to escape—and you can’t do it without coordinated teamwork. It’s a great way to bring your friends and family closer, build relationships, and learn about everyone’s hidden talents. You can choose from rooms including The Final Frontier, Zombie Apocalypse, Knight in the Museum, The Bat Cave Conundrum, The Sherlock Solution, Rescuing the Revolution, Saving Lincoln, Tomb of Doom, and 20,000 Leaks Under the Sea.

Rent It

If you’re having an outdoor wedding or holding your reception in a backyard or rented tent or community center, you can still have all the accouterments of a professionally appointed celebration by renting what you need from Honeyman Rent-All. They offer everything from arches to candelabras, columns, decorative touches, china, tables and chairs, karaoke and sound systems, lighting, glassware, canopies, beverage servers, gorgeous wedding centerpieces, and vases for flowers or other decorations. The list goes on. You’ll find everything you need to throw the wedding of the century, at reasonable prices for high-end presentation.

Certainly, the summer of 2020 has been anything but normal. When it comes to planning your wedding, though, Omaha offers every possible amenity you could need. As you plan—or reschedule—your big day, remember to support local businesses that will treat you, your wedding party, and your wedding guests like family!