Wedding Planning in Lincoln – February 2023

Planning your wedding may be one of the most exciting events you prepare for in your lifetime. The Lincoln area has so many options to suit the varying tastes of each couple that will meet at the altar that it’s often overwhelming to decide where and how to start. From picking a venue to finding the perfect dress or suit to choosing what’s for dinner, it’s a daunting task to plan a wedding. Don’t fret – we spoke to several local businesses and experts that are happy to offer their services to you and help you create your dream day!

Get a Special Glow

Skin Experts (skinexperts.com/skin-experts-lincoln) is there for the bride every step of her beautiful wedding journey. From engagement parties to bridal showers, and all the way up to the big day, their revolutionary facials will be sure to make you and your wedding party glow!

Whether the bride is seeking a quick hydrating facial the day before an engagement party, a private event for all of her bridesmaids to celebrate, or a long-term routine to get her skin ready for her big day, Skin Experts can be of assistance. All of their facials can be customizable for any skin type, from combination to sensitive skin. Their space can accommodate a large group, or you can even book the entire space for a special, self-care focused bridal party or pre-wedding event!

“Here at Skin Experts, we know how important it is to feel beautiful and confident on your wedding day, which is why it’s so important to have a pre-wedding skin care plan,” said Regina Read, owner. “Setting goals for yourself, whether that’s reducing the appearance of acne; increasing collagen production; or simply desiring glowing, hydrated skin, will allow you to select the correct regimen that makes the most sense for you and on track for radiant skin for your wedding day.”

Skin Experts can work with the bride-to-be three months, six months, or even a year prior to their wedding to implement a strategy for glowing skin. Depending on your skin goals, Skin Experts can work with you to create the best suited facial schedule. They recommend the bride start her skin-care plan early to avoid any potential irritations or flare-ups, so to assure the final month before your wedding is focused on maintaining the results already achieved by a monthly or bi-weekly facial plan. One week before your wedding is an ideal time to receive your final facial. For the final facial, Skin Experts recommends a gentle maintenance facial focused on keeping the skin hydrated and healthy and avoiding any peels. The Oxygen Therapy Facial and LED Light therapy from Skin Experts are perfect modalities to ensure your skin looks beautiful and glowing a week from the big day.

“Self-care is such an essential part of wedding planning, and we are here for the bride and the entire bridal party to achieve renewal, relaxation, and routine prior to the wedding day,” Regina said. “We offer luxury experiences at an affordable price to make that big day even more special!”

Best Dressed

Finding the perfect wedding dress is something most young girls dream about. We’ve watched countless friends, family members, and random movie couples get married for decades, and when it’s finally your turn, the choices may feel overwhelming.

With the help of the friendly, knowledgeable staff at Blush Bridal Boutique (blushbridalne.com), finding the dress of your dreams becomes an easy, joyful process. Now, more brides can get the Blush Bridal experience at Refined Bridal Co., in Hickman.

“We expanded to a sister store in 2022 to better serve more brides in the Midwest. Blush Bridal Boutique is perfect for those brides looking for a traditional wedding shopping experience with friends and family. We work with brides to custom create their perfect wedding day looks,” said Emmy Gorman, owner. “We host a variety of trending designs in our Lincoln showroom. In our ten years, we have served nearly 6,000 Midwest brides. Refined Bridal Co. is our store that hosts nearly 200 wedding dresses in sizes 4-30 that are ready to take home with you the same day, no waiting or ordering! You’ve waited for true love; don’t wait for your dress.”

Can’t make a decision? No problem! More and more often these days, brides are choosing a traditional look for the ceremony, and then changing into a more fun party dress with fun accessories for the reception or after party. You won’t have to worry about a less than ideal try-on experience, either. Blush Bridal makes sure that you leave their boutique with the fondest memories and biggest smile.

“Our Blush Brides love our upgraded appointment experience, the Beloved appointment! They can celebrate their shopping with up to eight guests, some champagne, and an adorable swag bag full of gifts just for the bride,” Emmy explained. “This month we also launched Bespoke by Blush. This service includes custom embroidery on your dress or veil to commemorate your wedding date, your initials, or new last name!”

Although she has a keen interest in all things wedding fashion, Emmy also gave us some advice for those currently planning a wedding.

“Stay true to you and your partner’s wishes. Wedding planning comes with many expectations, emotions, and pressure from friends and family. Be sure to allow your wishes as a couple to help you make decisions down to every last detail,” advised Emmy. “Yes, you are preparing for your wedding day, but the most important part is the foundation you are paving for your life ahead as life partners. Enjoy the day and all that it brings; celebrate the new life you are embarking on together.”

Your Day Made Just for You

Whether you’re dreaming about a Grace Kelly-inspired bridal look, planning an intimate destination wedding, or organizing a speakeasy-inspired after party, this year’s hottest wedding trend is making the day special for you.

Helping you curate your dream day is just what Lulubee Artisanal Chocolates (lulubeechocolates.com) can do. Simply pick out your favorite bonbon flavors, chocolate bars, or other chocolate treats, and then consider some of these creative options to make your guests blissfully happy.

Save the Date: A custom-made chocolate bar wrapped in a belly band with your wedding date is sure to make a memorable (and tasty) announcement to your guests.

Will You Be My Bridesmaid? They’re your BFFs, so make them feel extra special with a customized gift box filled with chocolate that’s bound to keep them energized until the big day!

Dessert Bar: Whether pairing chocolate bonbons with your favorite dessert wines or simply serving a decadent pick-your-own spread, a chocolate dessert bar will make your wedding dreams come true.

Wedding Favors: Let us add a monogram, wedding date, or other message of gratitude on customized boxes of handcrafted bonbons.

“To ensure that your big day reflects you and your partner, we’ll need ample time to get customized items ready, so chat with us early on in the planning process,” explains Gaylene Steinbach, owner and chocolatier of Lulubee Artisanal Chocolates. “Once we’ve worked out the details, we’ll manage the project so you can take care of those other countless details!”

From customized save-the-dates or thank-yous, Lulubee Artisanal Chocolates can make those moments extra special.

A Place to Stay

Weddings are a great reason for friends and family from around the world to gather together and celebrate love. Making sure everyone has an affordable, comfortable place to stay is something to make a priority. In Lincoln, there’s no better place than Courtyard by Marriott Lincoln Downtown / Haymarket (marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lnkcy-courtyard-lincoln-downtown-haymarket).

“We take away the added stress of making arrangements for your guests! With one phone call, we can have your wedding block set up, a link for you to send out to your guests, as well as wedding suite reserved in your name. If you have goodie bags, we’ll happily hand those out to your guests as they check in,” said Melanie Maynard, director of sales. “On top of that, we’ll check in with you every few months, giving you updates. Then we’ll send you reminders and updates a week before your cutoff date as well as on the cutoff date.”

Getting a place to stay isn’t just a priority for you, Courtyard by Marriott has made sure that you and your guests are a priority for them, as well.

“We pride ourselves on timeliness. If you reach out to us, you don’t have to wait a week or a few days to get a response. Our standard is same business day, never more than 24 hours. We understand you can’t move forward with your plans until you hear from us,” Melanie shared. “We also prioritize constant communication. We don’t want you to worry about you and your guests not having a place to stay, and we also want to answer your questions before you even realize you have them!”

While your guests may be thankful for a convenient stay for your wedding weekend, the newlyweds may want an added wow factor for their first night as a married couple.

“A trend I have seen recently is couples wanting to have a wedding suite on their wedding night. Couples want to make their wedding night special, and we love making their stay extra special with our wedding special. Being a part of someone’s biggest day of their life is huge! If we can help make that process easier and special…THAT is what our job is,” said Melanie. “If a couple were to book their room block with us, we offer different incentives such as upgraded bridal suites, chocolate-covered strawberries, and champagne in their room on their wedding night.”

The Haymarket is an especially booming part of town on the weekends, and planning ahead can only guarantee that no big event will fill up the hotels and venues before you can book them. With Pinnacle Arena just around the corner, you never know what concert will be announced, and popular weekends book up fast. Marriott is already getting room block requests for 2024 as well.

Where’s Dessert?

The classic wedding cake is a staple for anyone thinking about weddings, but taking a nonconventional approach to the dessert table may give your wedding an extra pop to stand out against the crowd.

“Nothing Bundt Cakes (nothingbundtcakes.com/bakery/0085-lincoln-ne) has four sizes of delicious cakes to choose from. Our smallest cake, the Bundtini works perfect for engagement parties, bridal showers, and receptions. They are easy to serve and can be purchased by the dozen in a combination of any of our ten flavors,” said Sharon Hansen, co-owner. “Our Bundtlet size is perfect for gifting to out-of-town guests as a nice welcome surprise as well as a delicious gift option at a bridal shower. Our larger 8” and 10” cakes can be decorated and placed on a table that can serve as a centerpiece as well as dessert.”

Nothing Bundt Cakes come in a variety of flavors, ranging from chocolate to fruit to everything in between. With these size and flavor options, you can cater to all of your guests with small portions of multiple cakes. Sharon has noticed a lot more creativity and uniqueness going into the look of the cakes, and her team is happy to assist in creating a special look. Tastings and the selection process is an enjoyable process with Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Sharon looks forward to helping you decide what will be perfect for your celebration.

“If you are interested in getting pricing for a few options or would like to discuss your event in more detail, give us a call. We offer delivery and set-up, and we can coordinate timing and location with the venue or planner,” Sharon explained.

Décor and More

If you are attending an upcoming wedding and want to bring a unique, special gift, take a trip to Paisley Lynn Boutique (paisleylynnboutique.com). At Paisley Lynn, Heather Chloupek and Cherie Anderson took their love for decor, staging, and ambiance to create a unique shopping experience. They offer eye-catching home décor and gifts that will help the newlyweds design a life together.

Cherie has 15 years of experience coordinating events and working with clients all over Nebraska. She brings her expertise and experience to the table and is able to process the pros and cons of particular purchases for a wedding or bridal shower with her clients.

“In addition to finding unique, rare, and affordable pieces, our favorite activity is hosting private parties,” Cherie said. “You get to invite five or more guests for a private party, and we provide lite appetizers and drinks. The host receives anywhere from 10-30% off their entire purchase and guests of the host receive 10% off, along with other perks. It’s a fun, unique outing to eat, drink and shop with your friends. This would be a great option for any bridal parties looking for a fun night out. ”

Cherie and Heather love working with clients one-on-one, figuring out their vision, and creating a variety of affordable options centered on their client’s needs. They have access to vendors across the country, so if Paisley Lynn does not have what you need for that special occasion on site, they can easily order and make it available. You can either visit one of their pop up hours during the month or better yet, schedule a complimentary private appointment for a tour and discussion of how they can assist your wedding or shower needs.

If rustic-urban charm is in your wedding vision, we highly recommend reaching out to Talon Room (talonroom.com). The former Spaghetti Works was transformed into what is now Talon Room, a beautiful event venue that can help you host the entire weekend – that’s right, the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception, all in one location!

“There’s already enough on your plate when planning your wedding, so we help out where we can,” said Owner Matthew Rogge. “We make decorating easy and provide select decorations for a small fee – we are also always adding new items to our arsenal. In addition, Talon Room offers in-house catering and bar service, as well as private tastings beforehand.”

Whether you want an intimate gathering or are looking for space for up to 250 people, Talon Room can accommodate. Their outstanding catering service will serve your guests gourmet appetizers and entrees with options that can meet any budget and time of day – even if your reception is at a separate location. Bar services can also be brought to your party, and Talon Room has a full-service in-house bar that can mix together delicious drinks for your guests. Furthermore, Talon Room has partnerships with a variety of local vendors, so they can plan and execute any event you can imagine.

“I recommend finding venues now because they book fast and it will make the decision process much easier,” said Matthew. “It’s a good idea to take tours of any options you come across, because you’ll never know what you’ll like best!”

This Takes the Cake!

Let’s face it, cake can make or break a wedding. Choosing the perfect dessert that encapsulates the sweetness of the love you and your betrothed share is a huge task to take on. If you’re looking for a local, unique confection for your special day, look no further than Sweet Things by Marcy (sweetthingsbymarcy.com)!

Sweet Things by Marcy is a local bakery in Lincoln owned by Marcy Haas that has a vibrant menu of sweet treats that can highlight any holiday event.

Marcy can help you find the exact combination of flavors that’ll make your guests’ mouths water. She puts in all of her love for baking, joy for helping others, and masterful technique into anything she bakes.

“Baking is one of my passions, so I decided to turn it into a full-time business,” said Marcy. “I hope that you have a chance to enjoy a cake or two (or many) as much as I enjoy baking them.”

Wedding planning certainly brings on some stress, but the experience and passion provided by these experts makes the planning process a breeze! We recommend contacting these local businesses to help you create your perfect wedding day.