Getting married in Las Vegas in an increasingly popular choice for modern couples. Considering the astronomical costs of a traditional wedding (over $20,000 in the United States), and the amount of obsessing over details for what amounts to a single day of your life, many brides are relieved to discover the option of a Las Vegas wedding package. Whether you are eloping or planning a destination wedding with your friends and family, this guide will give you the scoop on how to pick the wedding package that fits both your budget and your dreams.
The first step is to choose the location of your wedding. The two main options in Las Vegas are stand-alone wedding chapels and hotel wedding chapels. Wedding chapels will generally offer a wider array of package options, and are a good choice for a bare-bones wedding, which may be just what you’re looking for if it’s just the two of you. Wedding chapels range from tacky to elegant, so be sure to scout out the location in person before signing any papers or paying a deposit. Many Las Vegas wedding chapels offer virtual tours online, which is a great place to start. Hotel chapels will also offer a variety of packages, however the starting price is usually higher than similar packages at the wedding chapels. In exchange, you are paying a higher price for more service and potentially a quieter, nicer ambiance. Many hotel packages will also include several nights’ stay in the hotel at a discounted rate, or even included in the package itself. Many hotels on the Las Vegas strip have pictures and/or virtual tours of their wedding chapel available online; however, it is a good idea to check out the location in person, if you have the option. One of the most charming hotel wedding chapels on the strip is situated directly next to the hotel’s food court, which you cannot determine from the online tour. Hotel weddings are ideal if you are inviting friends and family to the wedding, and want a more elegant touch without the hefty price tag of a similar affair at home.
Once you have decided where to have your wedding, you need to decide what options are important to you. The most important thing to do is read the fine print and, if you are unsure about an aspect of your package, ask questions. Weddings are a major industry in Las Vegas, which means that a chapel will often hold dozens of weddings a day. For this reason, you are often given the chapel for a set amount of time, which may be insufficient for the ceremony and photographs afterward. Chapel time ranges from 30-60 minutes, so if you anticipate a large number of photographs of the wedding party, family and friends after the ceremony, be sure that you will have sufficient time reserved in the chapel. You also need to be clear about what is, and is not, included in your package price. Many packages include a limousine ride to obtain your wedding license; however the package does not cover gratuity for the limo driver. Similarly, the package may include rental of the chapel, flowers and music, but not the officiant fee of $50-100. If you would like to keep the photograph negatives, there may be an additional fee as well. If there is an option that is not offered but you have your heart set on, the wedding coordinator for the chapel can often help you find a way to make it happen. So, if you have always dreamed of having a live harpist at your wedding ceremony, ask the coordinator to help set this up. Although a Las Vegas wedding package may not have the number of personal touches that make a wedding at home special, you can wed knowing that you have saved yourself a great deal of money and stress while still having an elegant, memorable ceremony.
