Experiencing a fall in Nebraska is magical. There is nothing like it. Nebraska fall has the perfect combination of crisp air and leaves changing colors, making the state feel like something out of a book, but nothing beats Nebraska fall like the excitement of Husker football. For most people throughout the state, University of Nebraska game day isn’t just a singular day - it’s an entire weekend event.

If you’re planning to celebrate your wedding day during Husker football season, why not make it an entire weekend ending the only way you know how - watching your beloved Husker team. Put football and a wedding together, and you’ll have the most unforgettable weekend. What’s even better is that you can do it while still having all of the attention on you.

Toasts and Tailgates: Celebrating Your Wedding in Husker Country - Big Red Style

If you and your guests are proud fans of the University of Nebraska and bleed Husker red, here are a few tips on how to plan the perfect wedding weekend in Omaha that lets you celebrate your dream day and still cheer on your Huskers - the perfect Omaha weekend, in our opinion.

1. The Winning Game Plan - Friday: Wedding, Saturday: Game Day

The key to the perfect wedding and football combination weekend: say “I do” first. By having your wedding on Friday, you and your guests won’t have to miss a second of the football game. Having a Friday wedding ensures that your guests aren’t distracted during your wedding by watching the game instead of celebrating your big day, making sure all the focus is on you. Leaving Saturday wide open for Husker tailgating and football.

You can still enjoy the best of both worlds:

You can celebrate before the rush of weekend traffic.
Celebrate late into the night with your friends and family without conflict or distracted attention.
Enjoy a built-in afterparty, dressed in red and white with your guests.
Most venues don’t cost as much money and tend to be more available on a Friday than on a Saturday, especially during football season.

2. Finding your perfect Omaha venue

Omaha is the perfect place to get married, with a variety of stunning venues that are in the ideal location for a post-wedding Husker game. At the Omaha Event Group, we offer four beautiful spaces that are perfect for each other, unique in their own style, with each offering a distinct atmosphere for your special wedding day. With all of our locations conveniently located near the heart of Omaha, you and your guests will be able to enjoy local spots and have plenty of hotel options to choose from for out-of-town guests. Having your perfect wedding weekend in Omaha, the Omaha Event Group has you covered:

The Empire Room – Located in Midtown Crossing, the Empire Room is a more modern, open concept, and sophisticated ballroom space. This is the perfect venue for a more upscale and elegant evening wedding, an upscale ballroom in the heart of Midtown Crossing, ideal for a chic evening celebration.
Omaha Design Center – Located in the heart of downtown Omaha, this sleek venue is the perfect place for a more urban, yet still sophisticated feel. The Omaha Design Center is both sleek and clean looking, which gives couples the perfect blank slate layout to fully make their own.
The Leo Ballroom – Also located in the heart of downtown Omaha, the Leo Ballroom is vintage, elegant, and timeless. Offering a grand ballroom feel, this venue is perfect for couples wanting a traditional feel with a touch of historic charm and architecture that will give your wedding day an extra touch of natural character.
The Garden Room – Also located in the heart of downtown Omaha, this bright and nature-inspired venue will bring a touch of the outdoors into your space. The Garden Room is full of natural light that makes the space feel airy, warm, and inviting, bringing an organic touch with its extra details of greenery to our contemporary space.

3. The Ultimate Saturday: Husker Game Day

Once your wedding celebrations wrap up, Husker mode can be officially activated. Traveling to Lincoln from Omaha is just an hour drive, which will be easy for you and your guests to make, so you can experience game day excitement in person. If you don’t want to make the drive, Omaha has plenty of local sports bars that will make for the perfect watch party. Here are a few of our favorite spots that will help you make the perfect transition from “just married” to “go big red!”:

Good Life Sports Bar & Grill - an Omaha sports fan staple, you can always find a lively crowd at one of the city’s go-to Husker watch spots.
Big Red Restaurant & Sports Bar - your classic sports-bar atmosphere with beer, games, and screens covering every inch to catch some Husker football
DJ’s Dugout – Long-time local favorite, you can’t ever go wrong with an Omaha classic that is perfect for the die-hard Husker fan.
Let It Fly Sports Bar – More of an upscale bar atmosphere, this newer addition to Omaha’s bar scene is perfect for groups, like wedding parties and wedding guests.
Addy’s Sports Bar & Grill – Another local favorite spot with the perfect combination of good food and an energetic football crowd local favorite with great food and a game-day vibe.

4. Red, White & Perfect Wedding Vibes

For many in Omaha, Nebraska, Husker pride runs deep - it’s who they are at their core. If you’re planning the perfect wedding weekend, there are ways you can bring that Husker spirit to your wedding celebration without it being tasteless. Here are a few ways to make your wedding scream Husker pride without turning it into a tailgate party gone wrong:

Bring in red accents into your centerpieces and smaller décor details.
Create Husker-themed cocktails like “The Big Red” or “Cornhusker Cooler” to bring an extra touch of something unique to your celebration without sacrificing elegance.
Bring in tailgate-like snacks like mini stadium pretzels with a twist or an upscale Runza.

5. A Weekend to Remember

If you want to plan your wedding around Nebraska football, go out with a bang, but it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your vision for your dream wedding day. Adding extra touches to bring Husker pride into your space can be done in an elegant way that will make your Nebraska wedding more memorable for your guests and for you. Having a Friday wedding and a Saturday game day, you can give your guests the best weekend Omaha has to offer:

You get to have your dream wedding in one of Omaha’s top-rated wedding venues.
A curated weekend of football and fun with the people you love the most.
The perfect and most unique way to begin married life - starting with a bang in classic Husker style.

Start Planning Your Husker Wedding Weekend

Are you ready to plan the perfect Husker wedding weekend celebration in Omaha? At the Omaha Event Group, we are so excited for you to start your married journey. We’d love to help plan your perfect Friday wedding celebration to best help kick off Saturday Husker football. Our team at the Omaha Event Group will help you choose the perfect venue that best fits you and your vision for your wedding day to help create an unforgettable experience for you and your guests.

Contact us today to schedule a tour of our venue locations - the Empire Room, the Leo Ballroom, the Garden Room, or the Omaha Design Center - to start planning your perfect Husker wedding weekend in Omaha, Nebraska. Congratulations from all of us at the Omaha Event Group and Go Big Red!

Omaha Event Group

From Midtown to Downtown, Omaha Event Group brings unforgettable experiences to life at our premier event and wedding venues: Leo Ballroom, Empire Room, The Garden Room, and Omaha Design Center. Whether you’re planning a wedding, corporate gathering, or social celebration, our team provides the perfect backdrop and seamless coordination to make your event truly memorable.

Four Iconic Omaha Venues | Weddings • Corporate Events • Special Celebrations

Visit our venue sites to schedule a tour - Leo Ballroom - Empire Room - The Garden Room - Omaha Design Center

Toasts and Tailgates: Celebrating Your Big Day in Husker Country - Big Red Style