Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Beyond the convenience and low cost of weddings in Vegas, it's that reaction
that's the lure. Getting married here injects a hint of rebellion, of nose thumbing,
of raw unadulterated sexiness into what can be a stodgy old ritual. “After 25 years
of happily living together with my girlfriend we decided to get married,” wrote a
California man on the PBS website about Las Vegas. “We had always felt our love
never needed the approval of church or state, so we went to Las Vegas, where nei-
ther church nor state seem obviously apparent . . . Reverend Betty, who officiated,
was at least 70 years old, with a voice like Lauren Bacall and a face as dry and
craggy as the desert itself. When we put our rings on the middle finger, she told
us 'that's the wrong finger.' But in our unconventional way, we had decided that
was what we wanted to do, so my new bride simply said, 'No, it's not.' Betty
shrugged and said, 'It's Vegas. Do what you want.'”
PLANNING THE BIG DAY
It's stupefying how easy it is to plan a wedding in Vegas, even a big one, and even
if you have to do it over the phone. That's because, unlike your neighborhood
church or temple, wedding chapels here are in business only to perform marriages.
They each are, in effect, mini-Wal-Marts of wedding services; once you choose
your chapel, you'll use it to plan all of the other elements in the wedding. Actually,
you'll have no choice: The chapels are highly proprietary about couples using serv-
ices from outside vendors; don't try it, or you could get booted from your own
wedding!
The following services are standard at all of the chapels we'll be discussing:
Photography & Videography: Unless you buy pictures and videos from the
chapels, you won't have them. Personal cameras are always banned, so this may be
the one case where it's the better part of wisdom to spring for the more expensive
package (you want something to show your grandkids, right?). Costs for these
services will vary widely from chapel to chapel and are actually a bit hard to fig-
ure out, as they're usually mixed in with bouquets, boutonnieres, and commem-
orative poker chips (you get the drill); but from surfing through the catalogues,
I'd say the least you're going to spend is $50 extra, which will buy you 9 to 12
prints. While that sounds high, there's the age-old question: How often do you
get married (don't answer that one if your name is Charo)? More elaborate pack-
ages, for three-camera video shoots, numerous prints, framed photos, and so
forth, will be pricier.
Most chapels will also stream video of the ceremony on the Internet, either live
or within 24 hours, for friends and family who weren't able to make it . . . but also
for any schmo who likes to watch weddings of strangers (so there is some argu-
ment for turning down this service).
Bouquets & Boutonnieres: Every chapel can get you something to carry in your
hands or pin in your lapel, with a number of chapels featuring on-site florists. If
you're happy with a standard dozen roses, those can usually be picked out on the
spot (average cost: $50), but more elaborate hand-tied bouquets almost always
must be ordered in advance; how far in advance will vary by chapel—it can be a
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