Colorful, Personal, and Completely Unrepeatable: A Wedding at the Joslyn Art Museum
A 100-Foot Ceiling, Custom Cat Linens, and an Amuse-Bouche in a Silver Pleated Coupe at the Joslyn Art Museum
Sally dreamed of getting married at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha long before she was even engaged. When Charlie proposed on their one-year anniversary at their apartment in Chicago, followed by not one but two surprise parties, the venue was already decided. The Joslyn had just completed a major renovation, and theirs would be only the second wedding ever held in the new wing. Lisa Ziesing of Abby Jiu Photography documented the weekend. Concept, design, planning, florals and production by Elle Seals Events. Branding and illustration by Cheree Berry Paper and Design.
A weekend that started with a Taste of Omaha
The rehearsal dinner at Au Courant Regional Kitchen was intimate by design, just 24 people, close family only. Sally handmade a card for each guest with a personal note and a photo of herself or Charlie with that person. The welcome party the following night at The Dock at Millwork Commons opened up to the full guest list with a Taste of Omaha theme, since many guests had never visited the city. Local vendors came together to serve woodfire pizza from Dolomiti, oysters and appetizers from Heirloom Fine Foods, and ice cream from Coneflower Creamery, one of the best ice cream shops in the country. The evening ran through a bold red floral scheme that would become the visual thread of the entire weekend. Siblings from both sides gave toasts, and since Sally and Charlie are both middle children, one of three girls and one of three boys, the speeches offered guests a window into both of them at once.
A ceremony inside a pink marble gallery with a Chihuly overhead
The ceremony took place in a narrow gallery within the Joslyn, a space defined by 45-foot ceilings and pink marble walls overlooking the atrium and the Chihuly sculpture suspended dramatically above. Rather than compete with the setting, Elle Seals leaned into it. A custom pink carpet and platform echoed the tones of the marble. Florals drew from the vibrant hues of the Chihuly itself, delphinium and orchids and anthurium and peonies and roses arranged to frame the sculpture and make it a central visual element. The effect was a blooming meadow inside one of the most beautiful museum spaces in the country.
The wedding party, made up entirely of family members, entered to cheers and applause from the full guest list of 280. Sally walked in after them with her parents, then continued the rest of the aisle alone. The processional was performed live by musicians from Elan Artists. They recessed to Chance the Rapper.
Cat linens, a golden serpentine table, and an amuse-bouche nobody forgot
The reception design was rooted in the couple's shared love of art, architecture, and their cats. Working closely with Cheree Berry Paper and Design, Elle Seals developed custom graphics, bold patterns inspired by art and the couple's beloved cats, that appeared on the save the dates, invitations, and linens, creating a layered visual identity that ran through the entire weekend. The floor plan mixed rectangle tables, rounds, and rounds arranged in a line with soft seating and varied chair styles, encouraging movement and creating a dynamic flow that suited the museum's architecture.
At each place setting, red-rimmed ceramic plates paired with green flatware and silver pleated coupes for the amuse-bouche. The amuse-bouche itself was a cauliflower flan with truffled scallop ceviche, charred spring onion oil, fried leeks, and confit of piquillo peppers. Bread rolls came with parmesan thyme whipped butter served in an oyster shell, a nod to the bride's lifelong obsession with oysters. Dinner options included airline chicken with black garlic and popcorn capers over farro risotto, harissa roasted salmon with tomato quinoa, and rosemary grilled beef tenderloin with roasted fingerling potatoes. Guests had pre-selected their meal and dinner drink on their RSVP, and custom coasters marked each place setting with the cocktail waiting for them, a cosmo, old fashioned, French 75, or mocktail.
The cake was a bombe-shaped Princess torte designed to echo the hanging Chihuly sculpture above. Guests also chose from a dessert spread that included a golden coconut bliss tartelette, a noir hazelnut caramel entremet, pistachio choux blossom, sea salt brown butter cookies, lemon berry pavlova, and a royal Princess torte. Band Northstar 9 via Elan Artists performed through the night. The hora was a highlight. The father-daughter dance started with This Land is Your Land and transitioned into The Twist, with the whole room invited onto the floor. The first dance was to Tom Waits, performed in the style of Sarah Jarosz.
On what Lisa Ziesing brings to a wedding like this
A room this visually layered, custom linens, mixed table shapes, antique ceramics alongside modern architecture, all inside one of the most architecturally significant museums in the country, demands a photographer who can read a space and understand how all the elements connect. Lisa Ziesing approaches every wedding by understanding the couple and their vision first, then moving through the day without disrupting it. The result is a gallery where the design, the emotion, and the energy of the room are all present in every frame.
Planning, Design and Floral: Elle Seals Events | Photography: Abby Jiu Photography | Venue: Millwork Commons | Catering: Heirloom Fine Foods, Pizza Dolomiti, Sweet Magnolias Bake Shop, Coneflower Creamery | Rentals and Decor: Catalyst Event Rentals | Lighting: 402 Events | Stationery: Cheree Berry Paper | Entertainment: DJ Jabo | Videography: K. Lafleur Films