Wedding Advice – Here Comes the Blog

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So you want to have a Las Vegas wedding? Whether you plan on doing a spur of the moment ceremony or want to fly in friends and family, Vegas offers an exciting backdrop for the wedding of your dreams.

Getting a License

First thing you will need is a marriage license. You will need to get that through the Nevada Marriage Licenses bureau. You can find them at:

Clark County Court House
200 South Third Street, First Floor
Las Vegas, Nevada 89115
702-455-4415

They stay open until midnight most nights, and on holidays they are open 24-hours. You’ll need to be at least 18 or have written parental consent if you’re 16 or 17. You’ll need to bring photo identifications, so call the Court House to see which documents they require to avoid disappointment. No blood tests are required. For a cash fee of $35, you’ll be granted a license you can use any time within one year from the issue date.

The Finer Points

As you might imagine, there are a host of businesses in Vegas that specialize in nothing but weddings. You’ll find more information online than you ever thought possible. Everything you need to know about a Vegas wedding can be found by searching “Vegas wedding” online. Ideas for chapels, reception venues, cakes, flowers and more abound. www.vegasweddingguide is a great source as is www.vegas.com, the official Las Vegas travel site.

Planning Logistics

Assuming you live outside the greater Las Vegas area, you’ll need to plan how you are going to get your guests into town. Allow guests enough time to make their travel arrangements. Send out Save the Date cards up to a year in advance if you can. Block out rooms at a hotel for guests and include that information with the card. Try to make everything as simple as possible for people.

Other things such as Vegas wedding favors or table centerpieces can get really creative. Play up your Las Vegas theme, and pick favors and decor that will be really fun for you and your guests. If you’re planning an elopement, keep reading.

Eloping

What an adventure to fly off to Vegas with just you and your fiancé to get married! If this is the route you are choosing, you can add little traditional elements that make the day special. There are bakeries in Las Vegas that will deliver you a miniature wedding cake for free. You and your new husband can enjoy it back at your hotel room. And speaking of hotels, there are many wonderful packages offered that include the wedding ceremony and hotel. You can find those on the internet. Often for as little as $199 you can have the ceremony and a night at a nice hotel.

There are also companies that will do your whole wedding outdoors in a garden or park including limo, flowers and champagne. Check out www.lasvegasmasterpieceweddings.com as a starting point. They’ll even include a minister for you! Other companies will provide a helicopter wedding complete with transport from your hotel to the top of a canyon for the ceremony. You can even get a violinist and special foods and beverages included. Vegas offers everything from gondola ride weddings to the original Elvis chapel. So dream big. If you can dream it, Vegas can accommodate it.

Consider…

While it may sound romantic to fly off to Vegas to get married, keep some important factors in mind.

• From May through September, temperatures can often reach a scorching one hundred degrees or hotter. A bridal gown with long sleeves or a heavy tuxedo jacket may not be the best option. Also, consider the time of year you’re going. Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve are two of the most crowded times for weddings in Vegas. You might want to plan for fall or early spring to beat the wedding chapel lines.
• You can actually rent a wedding gown in Vegas! This might be something to consider so you don’t have to invest a fortune in a dress you’ll wear once.
• Have your hair and makeup done in the hotel’s spa. It will save you having to run around looking for a stylist. And have your coiffure done right before you plan to leave for the ceremony so it doesn’t fall flat.
• If this is either party’s second marriage, you’ll need to have your divorce decree handy. You’ll need to provide the exact date and state of the divorce before you’ll be able to get a new license.

For more tips on Las Vegas weddings, try:

• Vegas Themed Wedding Cake Ideas
• Decorating for your Las Vegas Wedding
• Las Vegas Wedding Invitations
• Planning a Las Vegas Wedding

Whether you are planning an actual Las Vegas wedding or you've just eloped and are having a big party back home, this collage has lots of fun ideas for incorporating the theme into your wedding cake.   Personally I associate Vegas with fun so all of these cakes are a bit whimsical.  If you are more of a traditional bride, rest assured that you can find elegant, upscale cakes for a Vegas wedding as well.

Some fun decorations for a Vegas themed cake are the classic "Welcome To Las Vegas" sign, dice made from red or black fondant with white dots, playing cards (spade, heart, club, and diamond shapes), roulette wheels, and slot machines with lucky number 7's displayed or coins spilling down the side of the cake.  Another really fun idea for a Vegas themed cake is to use round tiers with each layer decorated as a different colored casino chip.  You can customize the "chips" with the bride and groom's names in place of the normal Casino name usually written on real gaming chips.

I always recommend finding a great local baker to make your wedding cake so if you are getting married in Vegas, but don't live in that area, contact a few popular Vegas bakeries like Freed's Bakery or do a search on google for other cake bakers in Las Vegas.  In any case, you should ask them to send you cake samples.  You should ALWAYS taste your wedding cake flavor before you purchase it so that you don't end up disappointed on your big day.  There is nothing more disappointing than having a cake that looks great, but tastes terrible.  If you are planning the reception for your own town, you should follow the same advice.  Take photos of some Vegas cake designs that you like along to your cake bakery appointment so that the designer has a good idea about your preferences.  And be sure to set up a cake tasting appointment to so that you can find the perfect cake for you and your guests.

More Vegas Wedding Ideas:

• Ante Up: Vegas Wedding Guide
• Las Vegas Wedding Invitations
• Planning a Las Vegas Wedding
• Las Vegas Themed Wedding Favors