Emma + Garrett: Keeping the Wedding Intimate, Even With 350 Guests

Emma Carlson was intrigued by Garrett Teel before they even met at Nebraska Wesleyan. “I knew him before he knew of me, because he was on the track team,” Emma says. When she heard he had an internship in Omaha, Emma’s hometown, she offered to show him around the city; the two became inseparable that summer. Garrett’s proposal came in December. He was celebrating the end of his first semester of dental school and Emma had just finished finals and was about to graduate. The two went for a walk to look at Christmas lights when he asked her to be his wife. “I was so shocked,” Emma says. “I honestly loved that we didn’t have any photos of the proposal, because that way it was just the two of us.” They opted for a winter wedding, a season Emma loves: “I think it’s a more intimate time of the year. It’s so cold out, it makes people want to get closer to each other. It’s more about family.” At first, they thought they'd have a small wedding, but it turned out to be a joyous celebration with some 350 guests. Emma and Garrett opted for a twist and served breakfast at their wedding reception, with French toast, cheesy hash browns and doughnuts on the menu. As the new couple made their grand exit, guests waved sparklers. “It was so cool,” says Emma. “The photos can’t even describe how it feels to have everybody you love surrounding you and cheering you on into this next stage of life.”