Shaun and I were married in a church and had a big reception with three hundred guests. We “did” the traditional wedding thing. Heck, it was traditional all the way down to being whisked off to the airport for our honeymoon-red-eye flight as the drunk reception goers stood in the banquet hall’s parking lot and bid us farewell.
It was the best day. However, it was also the most expensive day we or our parents have ever funded. My dad always jokes we should have run away to Las Vegas and just took the cash to start our lives.
Las Vegas is the most popular destination wedding location in the world, with over 100,000 wedding ceremonies performed each year. And this isn’t a fluke. Getting married in Vegas is fast and easy to do. Brittany Spears, anyone? But outside of getting wasted, blowing your life savings on a craps table, and accidentally marrying your best friend from high school… there is also a very romantic side to Las Vegas. And that romance can come at a fairly affordable price.
To get married via drive thru window, it costs roughly $180 at Vegas’ famous Little White Chapel. The ceremony even comes with a limo, flowers, a garter, someone to deliver the sermon, and photos.
I think my dad was right. Maybe we should have run away, and saved all the money it cost for that one day of wedded bliss.
Maybe the people who have destination weddings are really onto something.
Meet Nick & Michelle: They Have It All Figured Out
Nick and Michelle have been dating since 2009 and were engaged March, 2011. They plan to marry in April, 2012.
Planning a big wedding wasn’t going well for this cute couple, and it was causing a lot of friction. Michelle didn’t want to fight over the details anymore, and finally washed her hands of the whole traditional wedding idea. After all, traditional weddings aren’t just expensive, they require a lot of attention and work.
We began stressing out and arguing over so many little things that the process was no longer fun or exciting. I decided that I wanted our whole wedding experience to be a pleasant one.
Michelle, wanting to cut out the stress of planning a massive wedding, pitched the idea to Nick. Nick was not sold at first.
I wanted to have a wedding at home and be surrounded by family and friends… We were actually sitting in the living room fresh from a wedding planning feud and it was sort of light bulb turning on. Why fight over all this when we can just go to Vegas?
Vegas has every kind of wedding you can imagine, and all you have to do is order it. It’s about as simple as ordering a pizza. Vegas also has Elvis, and who doesn’t love Elvis?
The destination was picked, and all the stress melted away.
The Wedding Plans Are Well Under Way
1. They have already sent out “Save the Dates” even though the wedding is still about a year away so guests have plenty of time to save and make travel arrangements.
2. They are inviting 65 people, and they expect 25 – 35 to actually show up.
3. They are not paying for anyone’s travel, and they have made it very clear to the guests that they do not want or expect them to “break the bank” to be a part of their day.
4. They have looked at all the marriage license rules.
5. They have booked a hotel with a discounted group rate for any guests that are joining them (most hotels offer this service).
6. They will have a dinners and nights out on the town with everyone (it’s basically going to be one big party weekend to celebrate their love with a wedding thrown in one of the days).
7. They have picked a chapel to perform the ceremony in Las Vegas. The chapel provides flowers, a limo, etc.
8. They may have a small backyard barbecue when they come home for those who couldn’t attend.
9. Michelle is carrying her dress on the plane, and Nick will have a tuxedo rental ready to pick up in Las Vegas for the big day.
10. They are providing guests with a list of fun things to do and packing suggestions (for example, the guys are taking golf clubs).
Will They Regret Their Decision?
Nick is sure his mom is upset that he isn’t getting married in a traditional church setting, but he could care less. After all, a happy wife equals a happy life. Michelle is happy to be doing something different. She has attended twelve weddings in two years (as all of her friends are starting their families) and all twelve of them were very much the same.
I am looking forward to a memorable and unique experience for everyone, and that’s why we chose a Las Vegas destination wedding.
As for this couple, they are happily engaged, not stressing out, and blissfully waiting for their flight to Las Vegas to say, “I do.”
We were going to do this. The only reason we didn’t was because Scott’s parents only have two kids and they wanted a wedding. I was all for Elvis and drive-thru.
I was married at the Bellagio on a private balcony overlooking the fountains. We were allowed 40 people in addition to our wedding parties and it was perfect. The hotel took care of everything, planning, flowers, pastor, photographer/videographer and we even received a group rate on the rooms and a huge discount on the penthouse suite we used for a small reception. Also by the time we left we received our DVD and proofs of our wedding photos.
Our only compromise was to allow my parents to throw us a formal reception when we returned to MD for 250 guests. That party was fun too, but it did not come near the intimacy or the elegance of our ceremony.
For our 10 year in 2016 we are going back and doing the drive thru renewal so when everyone asks us if we were married by Elvis we can finally say YES.
We were married at the Bellagio, too! The chapel was beautiful, the food was amazing, the suite was just right for the 40 people who came, and the photos can’t be beat. Between the floral atrium, the fountains, and the Eiffel Tower of the Paris hotel in the background, it was well worth the package. The only thing we had to plan was the date, pick the food, and the color of the floral arrangements.
It was really romantic, very memorable, and really affordable for our guests. Plus, people didn’t feel the obligation to come just because, everyone wanted to be there, which made it very special.
Vegas all the way!!
Wedding #1 was done to please my parents; all of their friends were in attendance, only a few of our friends could make it. I was bored out of my mind at my own reception – consider the fact that my parents were in their early 60′s at that time, my father’s band of retired musicians played the reception and it was over and done with by 4pm…. don’t want anyone staying up too late you know! That set the tone for the next 25 years of my life!
I’ve moved on to better things for me, and wedding #2, when it happens, will most likely be in Vegas; or possibly Tahoe (it’s closer to us and prettier). We’ll do the same, send out announcements, let us know if you can make it and we’ll go from there. Or maybe, we’ll just elope!
My boyfriend & I have already decided that when we get married, we’re pseudo-eloping in San Antonio, Texas. My parents eloped there, and I want to get married in the same church. We’ll only invite immediate family, and we’ll each have one attendant. Then we’ll throw a reception in both our home states for all our friends & family. A wedding should be what the bride & groom want (and what they plus their parents can afford). I don’t want to plan a big wedding, and we both prefer to spend the money on a house. So our plan is perfect.
Las Vegas would be fun, though…
I am getting married to my best friend and lover this Aug 4th, 2012 in Vegas. My second marriage his too we are planning little by little but I am hoping for a lot of pictures. My son will be there like my first marriage. I am so blessed we been together one year and known him since we were children next door neigbors.
i like it
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