Family Rehearsal Party

Rehearsal Dinner

Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Our Wedding

How We Met: Our story began on New Year’s Eve 2023. Ben was out for dinner with his dad when they ran into Sarah, a friend of Melanie’s. Sarah, who knew Ben’s dad, joined them at their table and struck up a conversation with Ben. Impressed by Ben’s passion and dedication, Sarah couldn’t help but think that he and Melanie would make a great match. She insisted Ben should meet Melanie. Ben was intrigued but didn’t act on it immediately. However, fate intervened on January 6, 2023, when Melanie walked into the same bar where Ben happened to be. They connected instantly, and that serendipitous meeting led to our first date on January 24, 2023. From that point on, we met every week, and our bond grew stronger. We officially started dating on March 17, 2023, after yet another chance encounter running in to both our dads on the same night. One of our favorite travel memories is our trips to Boston, though New York will always hold a special place in our hearts. It’s where Ben proposed on December 2, 2023. Today, we share our lives with our beloved dogs, Milton and Migi, and we are excited to continue this adventure together as we celebrate our wedding.

How We Met:

Our Story

Photos

Jake Moore

Carmen Navarro

Weston LaBelle

Alexis Manly

Christian Jelinek

Laurissa Jelinek

Evan Townsend

Ashley Vaske

Hanco Germishuys

Kiana Germishuys

Daniel Volk

Sarah Reinsch

Alexis Schwarz

Wedding Party

FORMAL ATTIRE: PLEASE BRIGHTEN OUR DAY BY WEARING YOUR NICEST DRESS OR SUIT Be bold, be subtle, whatever you do, be you!

Guest Attire

Travel

Things to Do

Registry

<a href="https://www.ihg.com/kimptonhotels/hotels/us/en/find-hotels/select-roomrate?fromRedirect=true&amp;qSrt=sBR&amp;qIta=99801505&amp;icdv=99801505&amp;qSlH=OMABS&amp;qCiD=16&amp;qCiMy=042025&amp;qCoD=18&amp;qCoMy=042025&amp;qGrpCd=GWG&amp;qAAR=6CBARC&amp;qRtP=6CBARC&amp;setPMCookies=true&amp;qSHBrC=KI&amp;qDest=302%20S%2036th%20Street,%20Omaha,%20NE,%20US&amp;srb_u=1&amp;qChAge=&amp;qRmFltr=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cottonwood Hotel Room Block﻿</a> Exciting news about your stay at the Cottonwood! When you book through our link, you’ll need to reserve both Friday and Saturday nights. If you call the hotel directly, you can ask to book a room for only Saturday. Make sure to request our wedding rate. We totally understand that the Cottonwood can be a bit pricey, so if you’re considering other options, no worries at all. We just want you to have the best experience possible! One more tip: since check-in isn’t until 4 PM, arriving on Friday gives you a head start to settle in and get ready. If you have any questions or need anything at all, just give us a shout. We’re here to help!

Room Block

Guest Parking Instructions ($15/day, $35/overnight, Sunday free parking on the street) There are several surface parking lots surrounding the Cottonwood Hotel. The most popular is located just South of the hotel, on 36th&nbsp;&amp; Harney.&nbsp;

Venue Parking 

vaskes2025.wedding

Melanie & Ben

Melanie & Ben

Travel

Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel