Guides & tools
Plan it well. Here's everything we know.
Free guides and tools from the team at Lilac Hill: checklists, honest local pricing, and the advice we give on every tour. No email gates, no fluff.
The short version
- • Planning any event? Start with the checklist, then run your budget through the cost calculator.
- • Planning a wedding? Read the venue-choosing guide and the budget guide first; they shape every other decision.
- • Every guide is written from what we see hosting real events here, not recycled national advice.
- • Stuck on something a guide doesn't cover? Ask us on a tour, that's what it's for.
Start here
For any event
Three tools that work for weddings, corporate events, reunions, and parties alike.
Event planning checklist
The step-by-step list we give every host, organized by when to do it. Check items off as you go; your progress saves.
Event cost calculator
Pick your guest count, food, bar, and entertainment and get a realistic budget range built on Omaha-area pricing.
Venue fit quiz
Indoor hall, outdoor lawn, or both? Four questions and you'll know what kind of space to look for.
Wedding planning
Guides for couples
Written for Omaha and eastern Nebraska specifically. Seasons, pricing, and venues here work differently than the national blogs assume.
How to choose a wedding venue near Omaha
What actually separates venues once they all look pretty in photos.
Wedding budget guide
Where wedding money really goes around Omaha, and where to spend versus save.
Questions to ask before booking
The tour questions that surface hidden fees and fine print before you sign.
Best seasons for a Nebraska wedding
Month by month: weather odds, light, and pricing across the year.
Outdoor wedding backup plans
How to plan an outdoor ceremony you won't spend the week sweating over.
Guest count by venue style
Match your real guest count to the kind of space that will feel right.
Small wedding planning guide
Planning a wedding of 30 to 80 guests without losing what makes it small.
Micro wedding checklist
A simple, in-order checklist for weddings of 30 guests or fewer.
Photo moments to plan for
The shots couples treasure later, and how to leave room for them in the timeline.
Omaha-area planning resources
Local resources worth knowing when you're planning in eastern Nebraska.
Beyond the guides
Some questions are easier in person.
Come walk the property, ask everything, and leave with real numbers for your date. Tours are free and pressure-free.