Guide To Las Vegas Weddings Slideshow
The Traditional Couple
If you and your loved one look down on Vegas as only good for weekends of debauchery and regrets, book your wedding at the Bellagio Hotel. Host the rehearsal dinner at the Wynn Hotel's Bartolotta with their famed lasagnette, a duck liver mousse, and a whole branzino on the menu, enjoy lunch al fresco at Yellowtail at the Bellagio, and sip mojitos by the pool.
Leave gambling and poolside ogling for the sin worshippers while you partake in helicopter tours and a round of golf. There is even a country club, if that's what you're looking for. Grab drinks with your wedding party at the lobby bar of the Venetian. Velvet booths and great people watching should start a night off right.
The Luxe Couple
If you love to splurge on big ticket items and indulgences, a Vegas wedding is for you. This city will happily take your money at every turn — even if you're not gambling. Book your nuptials at one of the Wynn Hotel's lavish settings and let them plan while you laze at the Canyon Ranch Spa at the Venetian. Your rehearsal dinner, from the truffle tart to the lemon mascarpone mousse, will be in the right hands at Joël Robuchon's Restaurant.
Check out the Liberace Museum (now he knew luxury), pile shopping bags on your arms as you peruse at the new CityCenter, take in Le Rêve, or race each other at the Las Vegas Speedway before you and your wedding guests imbibe and dance the night away at Tryst in the Wynn Hotel.
The Couple with a Sense of Humor
Weddings are only serious matters to some, so if you feel like letting your hair down and having a little fun with your planning, there are plenty of options. Do you wish you were cast in Pirates of the Caribbean? Get married on the pirate ship at Treasure Island. Do you and yours love all things French? Plan your wedding at Paris Hotel's Eiffel Tower.
Your guests will appreciate your whimsical and bright rehearsal dinner at Diego's whether they order ceviche, chile rellenos, sweet corn tamales, or the cinnamon flan. Laugh with your wedding party (or at them) as they float in zero gravity, face their fears at indoor skydiving, and howl at Joan Rivers' live show.
The Classic Vegas Couple
If you miss the rat pack days of Vegas, reserve the Hollywood Glamour wedding package at the MGM Grand. Plan your rehearsal dinner off the Strip at Battista's Hole in the Wall. With dishes like sausage cacciatore, chicken parmigiana, and steak Caruso, Battista's is one of the few remaining establishments from the Rat Pack era.
To hark back to Vegas in the 70s, head to the Peppermill Fireside Lounge where you can imbibe classic cocktails by the "romantic flaming pool." During the day, your guests can learn poker the Vegas way, check out the Pinball Hall of Fame, or laze by the pool at Flamingo Las Vegas. At the end of your long day spent reminiscing about Vegas in the good ol' days, take in the colorful, feathered showgirls at Jubilee! at Ballys.
The Elvis Fanatics
If you have always had a soft spot for the hip-shaking King, book your Vegas wedding at the Viva Las Vegas chapel, where the options for Elvis' role in your wedding are many. From picking you up in a limo to walking the bride down the aisle and from officiating the ceremony to serenading the happy newlyweds, Elvis can be a major part of your nuptials.
During the day, check out The King's Ransom, which holds the world's most extensive collection of Elvis memorabilia. The King spent years living at the Las Vegas Hilton, where you can book your stay and laze poolside. His own wedding to Priscilla Presley was held at the Aladdin's wedding chapel, which is now Planet Hollywood. For dinner, slide into a booth at Planet Hollywood's Strip House and for drinks, head to the Gold Club and Lounge at Aria Resort.
The 'Jersey Shore' Couple
If you love all three parts of the GTL trifecta, getting married in Las Vegas should provide a seamless transition from singledom into married life. Say your vows to each other under palm trees and classic Roman architecture at the Juno Garden at Caesar's Palace. Your rehearsal dinner would be well planned at STK at the Cosmopolitan, where tiger prawns, sliders, king crab, and a Porterhouse steak should whet your wedding party's appetite.
Spend the day tanning at the Hard Rock's pool where Sundays are known as the Rehab Pool Party and if your guests require further entertaining, book tickets to classic Vegas shows like the Thunder from Down Under or Crazy Horse Paris before heading for a nightcap, Vegas-style, at Pure.
The Last-Minute Elopers
As the saying goes, when you know, you know. If you'd rather indulge your spontaneous side and elope to Vegas, do it at the famed Little Church of the West or the equally notable Church of the Bells. Dine a deux at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill or Sushi Roku, both located at Caesar's Palace, before you shop for the memorable outfit you'll wear as you say "I do."
Before you tie the knot, spend the day poolside at the Mandalay Bay soaking up the sun or try your hand at gambling (on the cheap) at Terrible's Casino. Make sure to stop by Bouchon Bakery in the Venetian to toast to your future happiness with a box of macarons.
The Spa-Loving Couple
If you and your betrothed could spend hours on end being pampered, exfoliated, moisturized, and massaged, book your wedding at the Venetian. They'll do most of the planning work for you while you enjoy your own private services at the spa at the Wynn Hotel — take a dip in the plunge pools, stop in the steam room, and book a Radiance Facial or a Couples Retreat.
Before you head to your private cabana at the pool at the Aria Resort for your Cold Stone Massages, book your rehearsal dinner at Morel's French Steakhouse and Bistro at the Palazzo. Prince Edward Island mussels, Caesar salad, and seafood fettucine will all maintain that zen-like vibe you will have attained. Make sure you stop at the spa at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel — book a spa suite or a "thermal experience" package before you take advantage of their beautifully designed hammam.