Vegas Wedding Article: Any suggestions?

I wanted to do a little write-up for this site about Vegas Weddings. I recently got married at the Trop, and had the time of my life. The wizard offered to share some of his experience as part of the article as well.

I think it will be mostly a how-to guide, discussing some chapels and the industry in general, and end with a section about my wedding, reception, etc.

Anybody want to include anything or have any suggestions of sections or subsections to include?

There are already some fairly extensive threads on the subject.

In one of them, I talked at length about my visit to three independent North Strip / Downtown chapels. The tour was the evening activity for a convention of wedding professionals I attended two years ago.

I'll look for it....

How about the availability, or lack thereof, of bridal/formal wear shops in and around Vegas? Anything at the outlet malls?

Also what's the experience for guests, if any. Are there really many drunken, spur-of-the-moment weddings as the movies and TV would have us believe? How do Vegas weddings comapre to toher "destination" weddings, such as on beaches, the Caribbean, on cruise ships, etc?

Of course, I may be suggesting something mroe apropriate to a bridal magazine...

Nareed:

I probably will touch on that. Being from South Florida, a beach wedding was a very real option for us, as well a cruise ship, so I could certainly briefly touch on that.

DJ: I remember that thread, I couldn't find it earlier. Thanks!

I found it.

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/off-topic/3048-vegas-weddings/

The long post I mentioned above, is half-way down the first page.

Quote: Nareed

Are there really many drunken, spur-of-the-moment weddings as the movies and TV would have us believe?

No. (This was asked on the chapel tour I took.)

The first step is to get the license at the county clerk's office. Then you go to a chapel for the ceremony. If either the clerk or chapel thinks you're drunk, they won't allow it. Of course, a chapel is more motivated by money, so if you can act sober for the clerk, you're likely to be able to get married anyway.

Although many chapels are open 24/7/365, the clerk's office is not. They're open 8am to midnight, 365 days. This makes for less of a chance of a drunken, impulse marriage.

Also, the closest chapel is about 3 blocks away from the clerk's office. That gives at least a few minutes to think about it.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

No. (This was asked on the chapel tour I took.)

I thought as much. As a rule I don't believe TV/movie cliches, but sometimes I'm surprised.

Quote:

Of course, a chapel is more motivated by money, so if you can act sober for the clerk, you're likely to be able to get married anyway.

Acting sober is something most drunks think they can do, when they're drunk enough at least :)

Quote: dlevinelaw

I probably will touch on that. Being from South Florida, a beach wedding was a very real option for us, as well a cruise ship, so I could certainly briefly touch on that.

Cool!

I do wonder about bridal/formal wear shops. Every major city has plenty of options, and a wedding meccah, one would think, should have them too. On the other hand, most people who choose a Vegas wedding are from out of town and would come prepared.

Alright. I'm reviving this. I started thinking about my wedding again today and putting together our story, but also about wedding options in vegas more generally.

I got married in Vegas 4 or 5 times. They tend to blend in after a while. went to a Great chapel on Ogden for the last one. First time I had a minister make it seem real.

I had an Elvis impersonator at my Vegas wedding. He was very very good.

But getting married in Vegas is very easy. Get the license... find the chapel, and you're done. We planned our wedding 3 weeks in advance and got our families together for the trip, and arranged out dinner at the Stratosphere. The wedding dress came down with us. People who get married on the spot will make two stops -- one at the county court house and the next at the chapel. Bridal shops don't really work for destination weddings because it takes days for wedding dresses to be altered in time for a wedding. It's not easy to walk into a bridal shop and come out with a wedding dress that fits.

Gee, getting married to the person you loves sounds like a really really basic human right that should be taken for granted...