Wedding Planning in Lincoln – August 2023

Being in the heart of what many consider to be “wedding season,” we can’t help but get swept up in all aspects of weddings. From dreaming of our perfect wedding to planning and attending weddings of family and friends, they are definitely something to talk about.

When it comes to our own weddings, we hope that everyone talks positively about the big day and the days leading up to it. It is important to remember that though it is nice to have others gush about the big day, the most important thing is that the married couple looks back on their wedding with a smile on their faces.

One of the most well-known aspects of weddings is all of the stress that comes with. We panic about the guest list, caterers, vendors, photographers and all of the little details that tie the wedding together. Not only is there a desire for a perfect day for the happy couple, but a desire for the guests to gush over how amazing the wedding was. With a desire for the perfect wedding comes the stress of realizing that you can’t make a dream a reality without help. Though it isn’t the easiest thing for some of us to ask others for help, there are countless professionals in Lincoln that’ll be there for you every step of the way if you let them.

Handling everything from the venue and music to the food, flowers, jewelry and more, you can’t go wrong when working with the professionals of Lincoln. They will build relationships with you so they can tailor your wedding to your personality and vision. It’s your wedding, not theirs, and they want it to be as close to what you want it to be as they can make it. They won’t rest until you are happy with their service.

Weddings don’t have to be so stressful that you don’t get to enjoy starting your life with the person you love. Want proof? Check out some of the amazing resources in Lincoln that are waiting to help create your dream wedding. They will leave no stone unturned for the wedding party or guests.

Rehearsal Dinners and Engagement Parties

When planning a wedding, the venue that first comes to mind is the one where you will have your ceremony and reception. But, it is also important to consider where you will have your engagement party, and then later on, your rehearsal dinner.

Ironhorse Bar & Event Room (ironhorseroom.com) is a fabulous venue choice for rehearsal dinners and engagement parties. They will also host small wedding ceremonies and enjoy seeing how guests transform a room with unique wedding decor. With a variety of seating ranging from loungers to high-tops, everyone can find a comfy spot to enjoy the event. A group of 50 doesn’t feel cramped, yet a group of 20 doesnt feel lost in the space. Some guests have even commented that the comfy, cozy feel at Ironhorse is similar to if they were in their own homes. This dose of relaxation is just what many wedding parties need before the big day.

The unique venue is conveniently located in the historic Haymarket district and is filled with original details including large built-in wooden bookcases filled with hardcover books that have interesting covers and spines, giving the event space a very special ambiance. If you’re looking for a venue with character, they don’t get much more unique than Ironhorse Bar & Event Room.

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) 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.

Eye-Catching Jewelry

Weddings pose the opportunity to get dressed up, have your hair, makeup and nails done and wear your finest jewelry. The right accessories can turn any good look into an amazing one. If you’re looking for eye-catching jewelry to either wear to a wedding or gift, we recommend visiting Sartor Hamann (sartorhamann.com).

For the soon-to-be married couples, they offer a wide variety of wedding bands. From alternative metals for men to beautiful stackable rings in an array of styles for the ladies, Sartor Hamann is sure to have something you’ll love. They are also prepared to solder and polish your rings so they shine on the special day.

For guests, their vast selection of amazing colored gems and diamonds makes it easy to find breathtaking rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings you can’t live without. You have your choice of earth-grown or lab-grown diamonds. And, for the men, Sartor Hamann has quite the selection of watches that can be engraved if you are wanting to make a gesture or give it extra meaning. They’ll even gift wrap the jewelry for you, giving it the final touch!
Sartor Hamann has fine jewelry for all occassions and every budget. Their knowledgeable staff will help you select the perfect pieces. They know that jewelry can be a big purchase, so they do everything they can to make sure you are buying only the best. Sartor Hamann encourages you to buy local not only to support the community, but so that you look at what you are buying in person as well.

Why Not Celebrate Before and After?

Getting married is a great reason to throw a party. While your wedding itself is a celebration, that doesn’t mean you can’t throw a party before and after – or several. If you want to start the party off with a bang, we recommend booking a party bus with Tailored Dreams Party Buses (tailoreddreamslimousines.com). True to their name, they provide a dream experience.

Tailored Dreams is known for their friendly drivers and for creating an experience tailored to your particular group. Their dependable, luxury fleet of party buses can accommodate 26-45 passengers. Buses include the Mirage, a 35 passenger pink party bus; the Oasis Party Bus, which holds 26 passengers; the Odyssey, a 28 passenger party bus; the Fantasy, a 35 passenger black party bus; the Disco, a 35 passenger gray party bus and the Executive, a 45 passenger party bus. All 35 passenger party buses are wheelchair accessible. It isn’t hard to find the perfect party bus with their available variety of options.

“All of our buses have a Bluetooth sound system, loud speakers, heating and A/C and fun LED lights,” shared Owner DeeDee Loomis. “We know how to throw a party!”

With available dates filling up a year in advance, Tailored Dreams Party Buses encourages you to reserve your dream bus as soon as possible.

Glowing with Beauty

Ladies, if there’s anything we truly care about when it comes to going out in public, it’s our skin. We try countless skincare routines in the hopes of finding the perfect one. But, reality is, great skin takes time. At Skin Experts (skinexperts.com), they know how important it is to feel beautiful and confident on your wedding day. To help you feel like the gorgeous girl you already are, they will work with you three months, six months or even a year prior to your wedding day, implementing a strategy for glowing skin. Having the ability to accommodate large groups, they are also happy to work with your entire bridal party. Guests, they will work with you too.

Depending on your skin goals, they work with you to create the best suited facial schedule. Skin Experts recommends that you start your skin-care plan early to avoid any potential irritations or flare-ups. The final month before the wedding is focused on maintaining the results already achieved by a monthly or bi-weekly facial plan. One week before the wedding is an ideal time to receive your final facial. For the final facial, they recommend a gentle maintenance facial focused on keeping the skin hydrated and healthy.

Self-care is an essential part of wedding planning. Whether planning your wedding, helping with someone else’s wedding or planning to attend one, Skin Experts is waiting to introduce you to their luxury experience.

A Gorgeous Venue

Whether you are planning a big or small wedding, you will likely need to book a venue for the ceremony and reception. Wouldn’t it be great to have both of them in the same place so guests don’t have to travel? At James Arthur Vineyards (jamesarthurvineyards.com), you can book space for everything for the day of your wedding and more. They offer a wonderful venue for bachelor/bachelorette parties, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners as well. It’s also a great place to “pop” the question and celebrate your engagement.

“If you choose James Arthur Vineyards to tie the knot, just know you’re going to feel like you’re in paradise,” said Owner Jim Ballard. “From providing seating, setting up, tearing down and a private room for the bridal party to get ready, to toasting the newly married couple at the end of the ceremony with wine, we handle everything.”

James Arthur Vineyards does all of their weddings outside because the setting is beautiful. They offer the option of having the ceremony at the winery in front of the waterfall – talk about a gorgeous, intimate backdrop. The setting can accommodate up to 70 people. For larger weddings, they have a park area just to the south of the winery near the vineyards that can accommodate up to 200 people. Both locations are amazing, with the vineyard staff working closely with the bride and groom to organize all the details to create a perfect day. And for those brides and grooms to be, James Arthur Vineyards is a fantastic host for rehearsal dinners and bachelor/bachelorette parties.

A Unique Gift

Wedding planning is stressful, but finding a gift for the couple doesn’t have to be. The team at Lincoln Coin & Bullion (lincolncoinandbullion.com) can help you choose something out of the ordinary – something unforgettable that stands the test of time and helps to invest in their future.
Lincoln Coin & Bullion is a locally owned and operated dealer that buys and sells gold, silver, platinum, palladium and historic U.S. currency. Buying a gift from Lincoln Coin & Bullion for the soon-to-be-married couple guarantees you’ll leave a lasting impression. You’ll likely be giving one of the most unique gifts to celebrate the occasion!

Fun for the Guests

Nobody enjoys going to a boring wedding. Long, drug out ceremonies and receptions with little to do are hard to fully enjoy. To entertain guests of all ages, we recommend looking into the packages Lincoln Inflatables offers. Toddlers and young adults will be entertained all night long, and you’d be surprised just how much fun the adults will have too.

“Our lineup includes activities for individuals of all ages,” shared Owner Jason Gayed. “We strive to make sure everyone has a great time.”

Bringing anything from inflatable bounce house units, slip and slides, waterslides and obstacle courses to combo units, Lincoln Inflatables is happy to provide anything you want. If you want it and they can do it, it’s yours.

Known for having prompt communication and excellent customer service, Lincoln Inflatables won’t add any extra stress to an already stressful day. We’ve all seen and felt bad for couples so busy entertaining guests and cleaning up messes on their wedding day that they hardly get to enjoy it. Though Lincoln Inflatables can’t relieve all of the stress of a wedding day, they will take care of entertaining your guests so you can focus a little more on enjoying your wedding!

A Rustic Venue

Finding a wedding venue that matches your theme and personality seems easy with so many wedding venues available, but is much harder than it appears. Not only do venues book up quickly, but many lack the natural charm that might be just what you need to perfect your vision.

If rustic-urban charm is in your wedding vision, you’ll want to check out Talon Room (talonroom.com) – a beautiful event venue that can help you host the entire wedding weekend. From the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony and reception, Talon Room is equipped to accommodate up to 250 people. Their outstanding catering service will serve your guests gourmet appetizers and entrees with options that can meet any budget and setting – 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 amazing drinks. They consistently offer only the best, so you won’t have to worry about sub-par wedding food or drinks.

With the goal of making your wedding go as smoothly as possible, Talon Room helps out as much as they can. They want everyone to have a great time and will go the extra mile to ensure that you have an unforgettable wedding. According to Owner Matthew Rogge, “We set it up, you make it a party!”

Make the Day a Little Sweeter

Sometimes the dessert table at a wedding is so full of sweets that it gives you a toothache just looking at it. Other times, the dessert table is so scarce that your craving for sweets grows stronger rather than going away. If you’re looking for a unique dessert table to appeal to everyone, though most importantly the soon-to-be married couple, local Sweet Things by Marcy (sweetthingsbymarcy.com) can help you find the perfect combination of sweets. Sweet Things by Marcy is a locally owned bakery in Lincoln that has a vibrant menu of sweet treats.

“I have a wide variety of flavors and cake options to choose from, many of which aren’t the most common,” shared Owner Marcy Haas. “If you want to stray from the traditional cake, I am more than happy to bake up something that will be on your guests’ minds for weeks!”

Sweet Things by Marcy makes all of their desserts from scratch, loading each and every one of them up with love. Marcy has a passion for baking and enjoys sharing it with others. She hopes that you enjoy her sweets as much as she enjoys baking them.

Getting to and from the Wedding

Though most people don’t think of the transportation involved in a wedding, it is something important to consider. The soon-to-be married couple, as well as the wedding party and immediate family members, need convenient transportation to and from the ceremony and reception. They are the stars of the wedding, after all, and can’t be late.

At Eastside Transportation LLC (eastsidetransportation.com), they understand that transportation plays a vital role in the course of a wedding day as well as the days leading up to the wedding. That’s why they work hard to ensure that their vehicles are always well-maintained, clean and equipped with the latest technology to ensure your safety and convenience.

Whether needing efficient transportation, wanting to roll up in style or both, Eastside Transportation strives to make your experience a great one. There’s nothing worse than having something go wrong on your wedding day, but having bad customer service or a nervous breakdown about getting to the venue on time is almost just as bad. You should be able to enjoy everything about your wedding day – something Eastside Transportation goes the extra mile to help out with.

An Unforgettable Day

Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life. Many of us dream of our wedding years before it is even a possibility. We dream of everything from the wedding attire to the venue and music. But, when the day comes, how do we make our dream wedding a reality?

Situated on one of Nebraska’s most prestigious golf courses, Wilderness Ridge (wildernessridgegolf.com) offers an ideal setting and ambiance for a one-of-a-kind wedding that’ll live up to your expectations. Voted as Lincoln’s best, Wilderness Ridge is equipped with only the best wedding professionals.

The Lodge and Wedding Island have space for guests for indoor or outdoor ceremonies and for up to 300 guests in their indoor reception space, Yellowstone Ballroom. Wilderness Ridge includes tables, chairs, linens, napkins, staff, setup and teardown assistance and planning assistance from the date you book with them until the last dance. Their relationships with vendors in the area make them the primary location for many florists, DJs, photographers and more!

Wilderness Ridge provides seasoned wedding professionals. Doing everything they can to alleviate stress, Wilderness Ridge works towards a wedding day the happy couple can fully enjoy. Rather than stressing over the details, you should be able to enjoy yourselves, celebrate with family and friends and take the time to connect with your life partner as you enter a new phase in your lives together.

With weddings happening left and right, it’s hard not to imagine our own future weddings. From picturing our dream wedding attire to the venue where we want to get married, or even drooling over the cake we want to have, it’s almost as if our own wedding day can’t come soon enough. As much as we want it, though, we know better than to rush into marriage. We have the rest of our lives, so why not just focus on enjoying the moment?

Whether you are preparing for a wedding, waiting for a proposal or searching for your life partner, don’t stress about the details yet. The engagement, rehearsal dinner, wedding and all the celebrations before and after will work out. If you haven’t gotten engaged and/or married yet, keep these local professionals in mind for when the time comes. They are more than happy to help make sure the entire process goes as smoothly as it can. But, remember, it’s okay to laugh along the way when things don’t go quite as you planned. The professionals of Lincoln will make sure you never forget your wedding day for all the right reasons.