Wedding Day

Our Wedding

THE WEDDING PARTY JESSICA HOWES sister of the brideABBY PRITCHARD sister of groomMEGHAN KUNKEL childhood friendLAUREN WITTE childhood friendPAIGE WILSON childhood friendAMANDA BECK childhood friendMADI MARINO childhood friendTESSA HOFLOCK childhood friendMACK KENNY college friendALEX DOUGHTY college friend RYAN PRITCHARD brother of groomJOHN PRITCHARD brother of groomFRED PRITCHARD brother of groomCOLE HOWES brother of brideGRAYSON HOWES brother of brideJACK MCLEAY childhood friendDOM WITT childhood friendWILL HUPP childhood friendRYAN HOVE college friendCOLE BUTLER college friend

Wedding Party

Travel & Accommodations

LODGING

We have chosen to host a room block at the Hilton Omaha to provide guests with a convenient and comfortable stay in the heart of downtown. The Hilton Omaha recently completed a large-scale renovation of its lobby, guest rooms, and suites, and is steps from both the Leo Ballroom and the best of the Old Market. Guests can unwind in the indoor saltwater pool, whirlpool, and sauna, or stay active in the fully equipped fitness center. On-site dining includes Nick's Quorum Bar &amp; Supper Club, a modern take on the classic Midwestern supper club serving prime rib carved tableside, handcrafted cocktails, and brunch seven days a week.&nbsp; Nightly Room Rates: $199, tax included Room Types: Guests may choose between rooms with one king bed or two queen beds. Check In: 3:00pmCheck Out: 11:00am How to Book:&nbsp;For convenient booking, please use this (LINK). Parking:&nbsp;Guests arriving with a car have the option to self park for $34/night or valet park for $49/night. Airport Shuttle: A complimentary shuttle service between the Hilton Omaha and OMA is complimentary for guests with a room reservation. Kindly place your reservation at your earliest convenience. Booking will close on October 16th.

Hilton Omaha

AIRPORT

OMA (Eppley Airfield) is Omaha's primary airport, served by all major domestic airlines including Delta, United, American, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines. The airport is a 10 minute drive from both the Hilton Omaha and the Leo Ballroom. The Hilton Omaha offers a complimentary airport shuttle. We recommend guests confirm their transport directly with the hotel when booking. Uber and Lyft are both available at the airport. Rideshare pickup is located on the ground floor of the South Garage in Section D3. The rental car counters are located in the Customer Service Building. All major rental car services operate through OMA.

Eppley Airfield

Getting Around

To afford you flexibility and convenience, we recommend utilizing rideshare platforms like Uber and Lyft to get around the city during our wedding weekend. For guests choosing to drive to our wedding day events, complimentary parking is available at both St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and the Leo Ballroom.

Travel

We cannot wait to welcome you to our city! Our wedding venue, The Leo Ballroom, and recommended hotel, the Hilton Omaha, are both located in Downtown Omaha and nearby the famous Old Market neighborhood. The Old Market is Omaha's most beloved historic district, a nine-block stretch of 19th-century brick warehouses turned boutiques, galleries, and lively restaurants, with street performers and twinkling lights woven throughout. The surrounding Downtown area adds world-class performing arts, nationally recognized museums, and a brand-new science center on the reimagined RiverFront. Below, you'll find a few of our top recommendations for you to explore during your visit.

Food & Drink

Morning

Housed in the historic Rail &amp; Commerce Building in Omaha's Little Italy neighborhood, this former postal railway terminal blends modern design with historic charm. This is one of the most beautiful spaces in the city for a morning coffee.

Café Postale

A husband-and-wife owned scratch kitchen working with up to 45 local farms throughout the year, serving breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch with something for every dietary preference. Known for inventive sandwiches, daily soups, and a cozy exposed-brick atmosphere that makes you want to linger.

Kitchen Table

Midday

A downtown Omaha institution serving farm-to-table street food. Known for their legendary duck confit poutine, creative sandwiches, and a rotating daily special.&nbsp;

Block 16

Scratch-made fried chicken and southern sides housed in the historic Flatiron Building. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, with a menu of sweet tea-brined birds, buttermilk biscuits, and craft cocktails. One of the best casual spots in the city.

Dirty Birds

A mezze-forward Mediterranean restaurant in the heart of the Old Market, built for sharing. Housemade hummus, grilled meats, herb-forward vegetables, and a curated wine list. Warm, intimate, and great for a long lunch or dinner.

Clio

Located inside the Joslyn Art Museum, this café sits in a glass atrium filled with natural light and serves globally inspired breakfast and lunch alongside Archetype Coffee, one of Omaha's most respected local roasters. A great stop before or after browsing the galleries.

The Durham Cafe by Clean Slate

Evening

Downtown Omaha's most talked-about new restaurant, steps from the Old Market. A sleek, dimly lit room with a menu spanning everything from a kale and farro salad with charred grapes to sushi rolls and a brûlée grapefruit parfait at brunch. Weekend brunch Saturday and Sunday, dinner nightly.

Memoir

Widely considered the best restaurant in Omaha. A weekly-changing menu built around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients with a chef's tasting menu and wine pairing that reviewers consistently describe as a Michelin-level experience.

Au Courant Regional Kitchen

A James Beard-recognized French kitchen in the heart of the Old Market with a seasonal, rotating menu and some of the best oyster happy hour in the city. Equally good for lunch, dinner, or a Saturday brunch.

Le Bouillon

A refurbished industrial space in the Old Market with a menu that changes daily based on what local growers and foragers are offering.&nbsp;

The Boiler Room

Sweets

Omaha's beloved small-batch, handmade ice cream shop with inventive seasonal flavors.&nbsp;

Ted & Wally's Ultra-Premium Ice Cream

Libations

A craft cocktail bar in the Old Market drawing inspiration from pre-Prohibition era drinks, with an experimental, culinary approach.

The Berry & Rye

A European-style wine bar and café that has been an Old Market institution since 1991. Bread baked daily using Parisian methods, a rotating chalkboard menu, and an extensive wine list you can order by the bottle at the table.

La Buvette Wine & Grocery

An Alice in Wonderland-themed speakeasy hidden behind a moving shelf inside a small liquor store. Tell the clerk you're looking for the Wicked Rabbit and the wall swings open to a candlelit cocktail bar.

Wicked Rabbit

A contemporary mid-century cocktail lounge steps from the Old Market, with an extensive wine list, late-night small plates, and some of the best Old Fashioneds in the city.

Mercury

A hidden speakeasy-inspired cocktail bar inside Hotel Indigo, focused on scratch-made cocktails, classic spirits, and a low-light intimate setting designed for conversation. Named in honor of Anna Wilson, a 19th-century Omaha philanthropist and one of the city's most fascinating historical figures. If the light on the door is green, knock and the host will greet you.

Anna's Place

Omaha's only downtown brewery and distillery, with award-winning craft beers and house-distilled spirits, tours, and a tasting room right in the Old Market.&nbsp;

Brickway Brewery & Distillery

Outings & Activities

Explore

Founded in 2018, The RiverFront combines three parks in the heart of downtown Omaha into one identity. After undergoing renovations, the three parks now connect, serving as a gathering space between the historic Old Market and vibrant north downtown Omaha.

The RiverFront

Omaha's most charming residential neighborhood located about 10 minutes from downtown. This area offers the city's highest concentration of small businesses, award-winning dining, distinctive shopping, an independent film house, and specialty services, all within walking distance of three of the city's major public parks.

Dundee Neighborhood

A scenic walk across the Missouri River connecting Omaha to Council Bluffs, with a photo op straddling the Nebraska/Iowa state line.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.

Consistently ranked one of the best zoos in the world, with an indoor rainforest, desert dome, and aquarium.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

Museums

One of the best free art museums in the country. Over 30 galleries spanning 5,000 years of art, housed across three architecturally stunning connected buildings in the heart of downtown. Free admission always, with an on-site café and shop. Open Tuesday through Sunday.

Joslyn Art Museum

Within the magnificent Union Station building, one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the Midwest is the Durham Museum. Permanent exhibits include restored 1940s storefronts, vintage train cars, and a working old-fashioned soda fountain.&nbsp;

The Durham Museum

A brand-new 82,000 square foot science center on the reimagined RiverFront with over 120 interactive exhibits. Thursday evenings are reserved for adults-only cocktails and themed programming.

Kiewit Luminarium

A free, rotating contemporary art gallery in the heart of the Old Market. This site is great for a quick cultural stop between meals.

Bemis Center For Contemporary Arts

Performing Arts

Located on the Dick &amp; Mary Holland Campus, this performing arts center is among the best in the country with its bold modern design and finely engineered acoustics. It is home to the Omaha Symphony, which happens to be at the height of its season in November. <a href="https://www.ticketomaha.com/#/Grid" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Visit www.ticketomaha.com</a> to view the show schedule around our wedding weekend.

Holland Center

A beautifully restored 1927 vaudeville house and Nebraska's home for touring Broadway productions.&nbsp;The theater hosts programs best served by a more theatrical setting, including the Omaha Performing Arts Broadway Season, presented with Broadway Across America, and Opera Omaha's season. The theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit their website to see what is playing during your visit.

Orpheum Theater

Things to Do

Our Story

Claire and Tommy met each other the weekend that two of their great friends, Taylor and Joe, got engaged. The night after the engagement party there was a celebratory get together at Sports Hall to watch the Nebraska football game. This was when Claire spotted Tommy for the first time. She noticed right away how much was he smiling and having a good time with his friends. Claire also caught Tommy’s eye this night, and he says if he wasn’t such a wimp he would have made some sort of initiative to talk to her more. Luckily the next day, Claire reached out to Taylor and mentioned that if Tommy had any interest in her, she could give him her number. Claire felt fairly confident he would text her (he did……. an hour later). They got drinks a few times after this, but Claire and Tommy both agree that their infamous “first golf date” was the moment they realized they felt differently towards one another. Although Tommy likes to say it’s because of his effortless swing and the way he was pouring in birdie putts, it was actually because they genuinely had a great time with each other and realized it was very easy to be around one another. The last three and a half years have been full of walking their Lola, happy hour cocktails at Proof, watching their favorite basketball team (Creighton), and going on trips together. They had their first big road trip together to Estes Park for Claire’s birthday. It was on this trip that Claire had her first flat tire. It was also on this trip when Tommy learned how to change a flat tire from the help of a stranger Claire flagged down off the highway. Over the past handful of years they have become each other’s best friend, provided each other with countless laughs, and forever memories. The best day of Tommy’s life was on September 19th, 2025 when Claire said “Yes” after he very romantically proposed to Claire right inside of their basement garage door.

Our Registry

Please find our wedding registries at these links: <a href="https://www.zola.com/registry/claireandtommy2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zola</a> <a href="https://www.williams-sonoma.com/registry/dnhdc5j9np/registry-list.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Williams Sonoma</a>

Claire & Tommy