Traveling for a wedding gives me this certain amount of joy that is hard to explain. I see it as a new adventure, basically. When it comes to destination weddings, I am ALL for traveling to some far-off land or even just the next state over to capture your love. For Katy and Doug, their love story takes us all the way to Omaha, Nebraska where all of the magic on their wedding day took place. So much time and attention to detail went into the planning of this beautiful chic destination wedding in Omaha and I feel more than honored to have documented this beautiful day for K+D.
The Magnolia Hotel – Omaha, Nebraska
The Magnolia Hotel is a gorgeous wedding venue based in Omaha, Nebraska. This 1923 building that homes The Magnolia Hotel brings to life those classic 1920’s vibes with a modern touch. The Magnolia Hotel also provides a unique and hands-on experience for any couple looking to have their wedding here. They also provide some of those top-tier amenities. Some of those include:
- Five hours of reception time
- Complimentary white or black linens
- Complimentary overnight accommodations for the couple on the evening of the reception
- Complimentary dance floor
- and more
You can read more about The Magnolia Hotel’s amenities right here!
Chic Destination Wedding in Omaha
For Katy and Doug, what mattered most on their wedding day was celebrating with friends and family—documenting every tear, every smile, and giving them memories to look back on forever. Knowing this, I made my game plan, and before you know it was walking through the airport on my way to capture Katy and Doug.
Getting Ready & Wedding Details
One thing that is super important even before the wedding day is making sure you have a SOLID wedding timeline. Basically the bread and butter of your wedding day. The thing that makes sure we are on track and won time for all of the festivities planned for the day. Especially when you plan on having a destination wedding, like Katy and Doug, making sure you have a solidified wedding timeline is an absolute must. Learn more about what a wedding timeline is and how to make one.
Lucky enough for us, we made sure to have all of the final details for their wedding squared away prior to the big day. This helped us A TON, especially on the morning of their wedding. It all started at The Magnolia Hotel where everyone was getting ready. We started the day with some beautiful detail shots while Emma and her bridesmaids finished getting ready. Detail photos are those perfectly curated flat lays with items like your invitation suite, shoes, jewelry, or family heirlooms/gifts from your soon-to-be spouse that help tell your love story. Think of it as your love story told through physical items. Detail photos are some of my favorites to take so spending a good deal of time curating these flat lays was an absolute must.
First Look(s)
Once everyone had finalized their wedding look, it was time for the first looks! Let me just say this… I love first looks. First looks are the perfect opportunity for you to have some alone time with your boo and also add a bit more intentionality to your wedding day.
Katy first did a first look with her dad which of course, had me feeling all the emotions. Shortly after, Katy cascaded down the stairs to meet her husband-to-be, Doug. This part of this day has got me tearing up a bit, give me a moment. *Brief pause* Okay… I’m back.
Outdoor Ceremony
After some time taking family formals and portraits with the whole wedding party, it was time for the ceremony! Time flies on your wedding day, seriously so soak it ALL up. Can we also take a moment to appreciate how STUNNING the ceremony space is?! This beautiful outdoor ceremony space was the perfect romantic setting for Katy and Doug. They tied together their beautiful emerald and jewel-tone florals to finalize decorating their ceremony space.
Reception
Katy and Doug’s reception was filled with just as much laughter, joy, and love as the rest of their wedding day. Katy and Doug did their grand entrance followed along with their choreographed first dance. This was definitely a crowd-pleaser and I LOVE when couples get to do something fun like this on their wedding day. I am all for it. It was a night filled with a delicious strawberry cake, emotional and touching speeches, and a dance floor worthy of DWTS.
Forever honored to have been there to capture Katy and Doug’s chic destination wedding in Omaha — cheers to a lifetime of happiness!!
Full vendor list at the bottom
Vendors:
Photography: Emma Petersen Photography
Venue: Magnolia Omaha Hotel
Hair & Makeup: The Makeup Room
Florist: Piccolo’s Flowers
DJ: Complete Weddings & Events
Cake: Wheatfields Eatery & Bakery
Dress: David’s Bridal
Suit: Men’s Wearhouse
Bridesmaids Dresses: Tulle & Chantilly
Jewelry: James Allen
Quarter: Mahr Quartet
