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A love story that began in Omaha resulted in a simple, intimate wedding in Italy—and a second one in St. Paul. Erin Hassanzadeh and Eric Nelson met when Eric was in Omaha for a Berkshire Hathaway conference that Erin, a TV news reporter, was covering. One coffee date led to three years of long-distance dating and many adventures. It culminated when the couple chose to live out their dreams by having the best of both worlds: first, a ceremony at a private villa in Narni, Italy, with their mothers, siblings and a few friends; then a month later, a larger, more traditional ceremony at the historic St. Paul College Club.
The couple’s Italian wedding was minimalist, the palette a dreamy white and cream Italian-chic haze, with floral notes, olive branches and rosemary from the property, as well as hints of blue in the décor the bride brought from home. Flowers were purchased at the local market and a blueberry lemon cake made by the bride’s sister were special touches. “The weeklong stay in Italy with those closest to us was an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Erin says.
Their wedding in St. Paul was replete with the hues reminiscent of a sunset over the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona, where the couple got engaged. Amid the palette of oranges and pinks was a significant blue addition—Erin’s grandma’s blue VW Super Beetle. With a nod to her Persian heritage, the couple incorporated a sofreh display table at the altar with symbolic displays pertaining to wishes for a beautiful life together during the ceremony, with a handout explaining the various items. Erin enthusiastically urges couples to go for the wedding they want. “It’s beautiful to bring a vision to life,” she says. “It can be simple, it can be rooted in feelings and friends and wanting closeness. Take time and make space in your own wedding planning to live out the dreams in your head.”
