Omaha couple’s wedding was all there in black and white | Nebraska

Kristen Koley wanted a classic, romantic but modern look for her marriage to Michael Emodi.

So she wore white and her bridesmaids each purchased their own floor-length black gowns.

The decorations were black and white, too. Roses, orchids, ranunculus, hydrangea and bleached ferns were mostly white with touches of pink and green for a splash of color.

Koley said the black and white combination is classic.

“It’s bold and trendy, yet simple and sophisticated and works for any season,” she said.

The vibe of the wedding was one of their biggest expenses. Around 300 of the 400 people on their guest list attended.

They held their rehearsal dinner at TD Ameritrade, where they spent a lot of time while Michael was playing baseball for Creighton University.



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Recently married couple Kristen and Michael Emodi started dating as juniors at Creighton.



FAMILY TIME

After they started dating as juniors at Creighton, Michael surprised Kristen with his proposal on Anna Maria Island off Florida’s Gulf Coast.

“He flew in my family so they could be a part of the celebration,” Kristen said.

After being drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2018, Michael is now playing catcher in the minor leagues for the Quad Cities River Bandits. They are living in Scottsdale, Arizona.



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Kristen and Michael Emodi went with a classic black and white motif for their October wedding.



IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The funniest moment of the day came when Kristen’s father got on the DJ stand and started dancing.

“The crowd started chanting, ‘Pat, Pat, Pat.’ He was loving every minute of it,” Kristen said.

Michael said he didn’t realize how much his bride’s family loved to dance; she didn’t realize how good his family was at speeches. Karly Jurgenson sang for their first dance, making it even more special.

“I also loved when the church doors at St. John’s opened and I could just see Michael at the end of the aisle,” Kristen said.



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Kristen and Michael Emodi were married Oct. 23 at St. John’s Church at Creighton.



SPECIAL GIFTS

Michael gave Kristen a diamond necklace because he wanted her to have something special to wear during the wedding. Kristen gave Michael a picture book of all the memories they have made during their five years of dating. Their favorite wedding gift was new kitchen pots and pans.

“It was so nice being able to throw away our old kitchen supplies and replace with new,” Kristen said.

BETTER EVERY DAY

Michael is the most hardworking and loyal person she knows, Kristen said.

“He always makes me laugh and makes every day even better,” she said.

Michael, who is getting used to wearing a wedding ring, said Kristen is beautiful and loving.

“She is very caring and compassionate,” he said.

The couple had hand-made signs pointing out where the food and guest book were located. Some of their table runners were curtains they bought at the Goodwill that they cut in half and sewed together.

The couple wanted an evening of vintage glamour and the Orpheum Theater was a dream come true: abundant florals, gold candelabras and a sea of champagne.

The décor for Ryan and Shelby Kieselhorst’s wedding included wicker chairs and benches, vintage rugs, houseplants and dried grasses, and candles. They also had several macramé elements.

The bride said don’t let what you think you are supposed to do get in the way of the story that you want to tell. “Make your wedding personal.”

Cody proposed at his birthday dinner to make sure Perri wasn’t expecting it. They decided to marry in October because they both love the transition of seasons and the cool fall air.

Katherine’s mom’s side of the family has a tradition where all the men stand on one side of the dance floor and the women on the other. Then they sing Meat Loaf’s “Paradise By the Dashboard Light.” 

After dating for four years, Omahan Nic Peterson proposed to his girlfriend Claire Beshaler on the day after Thanksgiving at her family home in Arnold, Nebraska.

Autumne and Samuel Hovde had to stop at a bank between their ceremony and reception when they realized that their wedding license wasn’t notarized.