25 minutes from Omaha
Omaha Wedding Venues That Let You Bring Your Own Caterer
Lilac Hill is an open-vendor countryside venue near Omaha. Bring the caterer you already trust, serve the food your family actually wants, and keep the price in your own hands. Come tour the grounds and leave with a real quote for your date.
- Bring your own caterer, no in-house requirement
- Open-vendor venue: your caterer, photographer, planner, and florist
- Room to serve a seated dinner or a relaxed buffet for up to 300
- All-inclusive venue rental: tables, chairs, linens, and setup included
- One wedding at a time, the whole property to yourselves
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The short version
- • Lilac Hill lets you bring your own caterer. No in-house kitchen to buy through, no short exclusive list to pick from.
- • Because you hire the caterer, you decide the menu and the per-plate spend. A barbecue buffet and a formal plated dinner are both fair game.
- • The venue rental stands on its own at $2,250 to $7,500 by season and day, with tables, chairs, linens, a site manager, security, and setup already included.
- • There is room for a seated dinner or a relaxed buffet up to 300 guests, 25 minutes out of Omaha in Louisville, Nebraska.
Open-vendor, by design
Your caterer. Your menu. Your budget.
At a lot of Omaha venues, the catering contract shows up stapled to the rental. The food runs through the venue's kitchen or a short approved list, and the per-plate number is set before you walk in. For most couples that is the biggest single cost of the wedding, and it is the one they get the least say over.
Lilac Hill does it the other way around. Your caterer comes in the same way your photographer and florist do: you pick them. That might be the barbecue spot your family has used for years, a plated three-course dinner, a taco bar, a late-night slider cart, or the caterer who already did your sister's reception. When you choose the food, the food fits your taste and your budget instead of someone else's price list.
Open catering vs in-house only
Why the open-vendor model saves you money.
Open-vendor venue
- You choose any caterer and any menu
- You compare quotes and set the food budget
- Buffet, family style, food trucks, or plated are all on the table
- Dietary needs and cultural menus are easy to honor
- No markup stacked on top of a required kitchen
In-house or exclusive-list only
- · One kitchen sets the per-plate price
- · Limited menu, limited room to negotiate
- · A food and beverage minimum you have to hit
- · Harder to accommodate a specific cuisine
- · The caterer you love may not be allowed in
How the open-vendor model works
Bringing your caterer, step by step.
- 1
Pick your caterer
Use our recommended list of trusted partners who already know the property, or bring in your own. Both are welcome.
- 2
Confirm the plan on your tour
We walk your caterer's lead through setup and teardown windows, staging space, and the serving layout so nothing is a surprise on the day.
- 3
Design the menu around your budget
Seated dinner, buffet, stations, or something casual. You decide the style and the spend, not the venue.
- 4
They serve, we handle the room
Your caterer runs the food. We provide the tables, chairs, linens, and an on-site coordinator so the space is ready and the day runs on time.
Need a starting point? Our preferred vendors list includes caterers, bar services, and cake and dessert partners who know Lilac Hill well.
What the venue costs
All-inclusive venue rental, food priced separately by your caterer.
The rate below is the full venue rental, taxes and fees included. Your catering is a separate quote from the caterer you choose, which is exactly why the open-vendor model gives you room to work with your budget.
| Season | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrimeMay 1 – Oct 31 | $6,500 | $7,500 | $4,500 |
| Mid-seasonApril & November | $5,500 | $6,500 | $3,500 |
| Off-seasonDec 1 – Mar 31 | $3,250 | $3,750 | $2,250 |
| Small Wedding PackageSunday – Thursday, year-round | from $3,500 | ||
The rental includes 16 hours of access, tables, chairs, linens, a site manager, security, our décor collection, and all taxes and fees. See the full breakdown on our pricing page, or model the whole day including catering with the event cost calculator.
What couples say
Real notes from real days.
“I cannot say enough good things about Lilac Hill. We fell in love with the property on a rainy late February day, which just goes to show you how amazing this place is! This venue shines in the spring when the garden comes alive. Our guests loved walking the beautiful gardens. The reception barn is wonderful: big open space that's beautiful on its own and absolutely stunning when decorated. What makes it even better is every member of the staff is dedicated to ensuring your day goes smoothly and exactly as you picture. Chris is a top notch venue owner. You can tell he truly cares about each couple that walks through his doors and their experience start to finish. Winter and the other staff members were incredibly patient and kind to everyone. I could talk all day about how wonderful everything was. Book this venue!!!”
“This place is like something out of a Hallmark Movie. So delightfully cute, and rustic, and clean, and classy, just a gem of a venue for any event. I went for a wedding and I hope I have an occasion to return.”
“Wonderful venue. First time there for a wedding and I really enjoyed the ambiance. The nice weather with their beautiful lawn and garden settings really made it complete.”
Verified 5-star reviews from the venue's Google Business Profile.
Quick answers
Common questions about outside catering.
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Bring your caterer to Lilac Hill
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