1. Real Weddings

Emily & Will: A Summer Wedding in Omaha, NE

After a long weekend in San Diego in the summer of 2004, Will called the airline the morning he and Emily were to return home to double-check their re

After a long weekend in San Diego in the summer of 2004, Will called the airline the morning he and Emily were to return home to double-check their reservation and confirm the flight time. Will said, 'Oops, I entered the wrong return date online! We aren't scheduled to return to Omaha until Monday!' Emily remembers. She was frustrated at first, but soon realized that the mix-up meant another day of vacation. They drove to a secluded beach where Will told her they'd been invited to a bonfire and stumbled upon a circle of candles and rose petals. I told everyone to watch where they were stepping, because we might be ruining someone's moment, Emily says. Little did I know what was really going on…Will grabbed my hand, turned me around, and told me that it was our moment. Sneaky Will had never intended to return home that Sunday and even had friends with cameras and champagne on hand to record the momentous event. The Bride Emily Turner, 25, systems manager The Groom William Andres, 25, law student The Date July 30 Thanks to a Martini Slide and a cowbell, Emily and Will discovered their wedding day was an occasion they'd never forget.

Emily and Will held their ceremony in Emily's childhood church and requested that their pastor read an Apache poem that had been used in several weddings on Will's side of the family. Emily says a highlight of the ceremony was when her father walked her down the aisle. He was so attached to his digital camera that we stopped walking halfway, and he held out his camera to take a picture of us! Once people realized what we were doing, they all began laughing.
The groom's cake was chocolate and covered with tuxedo strawberries.
Emily's seven bridesmaids wore magenta-colored strapless tea-length dresses with an organza overlay and a tie around the waist.
Emily and Will got things started with their first dance to Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. As the party went on, the band was having so much fun that they took only one break, and even Will got in on the act. In an homage to the infamous Saturday Night Live skit where Will Ferrell plays the cowbell, the groom jumped on stage to play his own cowbell (a wedding present from a friend) with the band. A friend of the groom's family kept guests entertained with his band, The Wise Guys.
When guests arrived at their tables, they found a poem Emily got from a fellow Knottie titled, …thoughts on kissing…. In rhyming verse, the poem explained that guests would have to do more than clink their glasses to see the newlyweds kiss -- they would have to sing a song. Knowing we would have a rambunctious crowd, this idea was perfect, Emily laughs. We had people singing to us all night!
The Couple
The Bridal Bouquet
The bride's cousin made the wedding cake based on a picture Emily found.
When I first began looking for dresses, I tried one that was 'just for fun,' because it looked so different, Emily says. Every dress I tried on after that was compared to my 'just for fun' dress, so that's when I knew it was the dress for me! The celebratory gown was designed by Mon Cheri and featured a bow around the waist and a full skirt with ruffles and beading. Emily completed her look with a double-layered fingertip-length veil and several pieces of sentimental jewelry: Her aunt lent her a pair of diamond earrings and a necklace made from diamonds that Emily's grandfather had given to her grandmother. She also wore a special bracelet given to her by her other grandmother.
The main hall at the Hilton Omaha was equipped with round tables for eight, a head table for seventeen, two bars, a stage for the band, and a huge dance floor to ensure a great time would be had by all.