Las Vegas is the Gretna of the US: the point that couples migrate to for their wedding. Where Gretna was made famous by Pride and Prejudice for being the place where scandalous disapproved weddings would take place, Las Vegas is the place to be to inject a bit of fun into your wedding. A Las Vegas wedding is held in party central of the country, so it comes with an attitude of not taking things too seriously. An Elvis officiating your wedding, getting married in jeans, or heading straight to a casino table after the ‘I do’ – Las Vegas can do whatever you want to do.
A Vegas wedding indicates a fun couple, who want to incorporate as much fun as possible into their big day. But if it isn’t such a hasty affair, and you have time to plan, you should look at our guide to making it the best day ever.
Pick your guests
Oddly enough, having your wedding in Vegas may simplify this process. Where other weddings have to negotiate whether or not to invite great aunty Jan at the insistence of your mom, and cousin Marcus and his 20-odd toddlers running around, the choice in Vegas usually starts with: is this a private affair featuring us and a witness, or a bigger wedding with all the family flying out to the desert?
Small, intimate affairs and larger, encompassing ones both have their positives and their negatives.
Have the City of Sin host your bachelor/bachelorette party, wedding, and honeymoon, all in the one city. Grab a few close friends and family members, anyone who is looking for a good time, and head to the desert for a few nights for a party-filled ceremony.
Pick the right venue
Picking your venue really depends on your taste. You must also, obviously, factor in the practicalities of your day, in terms of the number of guests, theme, and activities. Nonetheless, Las Vegas is a city that can cater to all your desires. You can go down the Elvis route or you can have a sophisticated, 5-star day.
Or maybe you’re looking for the Bond treatment? Penguin suits, crystal martini glasses from which to drink your shaken, not stirred drinks, elegant gowns, and a few games of roulette for the aristocratic experience and all the glamour that comes with it. You’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away to a Vegas reality show.
Pick the right photographer
No matter what you do with your wedding, you will want it captured better than Britney in her 55-hour marriage. Make sure you have a professional nearby to capture everything in a quality better than a blurry polaroid.
The best wedding photographers will know how to make sure that all the elements you love about your Vegas wedding aren’t portrayed as tacky. They’re not after all. The neon lights, the celebrity officiate, all of it. They’re charming and should be seen as such when you look back at your wedding album. Take a look at your photographer’s portfolio to make sure they can take an alternative wedding concept and make it as beautiful as you see it.
