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| Las Vegas wedding - the classy version |
Las Vegas is known for many things - gambling, neon, mega-resorts and, of course, the infamous “quickie wedding.”
Obviously not all weddings in Vegas are last-minute drunken and debauched events! In fact, almost 50% of weddings that are booked in Las Vegas are carefully planned in advance, right down to the last dance. However, that also means that the other 50% are booked within 48 hours of the ceremony date. Regardless of whether you’re a planner or a procrastinator, weddings in Vegas are just plain fun, and a great option if you want something a little different or memorable.
Las Vegas Weddings: The 08/08/08 factor
This year there’s even more of a reason to get married in Las Vegas: the popular date is almost upon us, August 8, 2008. Or more to the point: 08/08/08.
Why are triple digit wedding dates so popular?
The most obvious reason is so that the groom (never the bride, let’s be honest - it’s never the bride) has an easier time remembering anniversaries. I know my husband would be in deep trouble if he forgot an anniversary date like 08/08/08, it’s just too easy to remember.
Another reason is that so-called “triple digit” wedding dates hold special significance. Last year’s triple digit date - 07/07/07 - was a no-brainer for Vegas, with over 300 eager couples testing their luck on marriage (and probably at the tables and slots too). Similarly, this year’s number has special meaning in Chinese culture, with the number 8 thought to bring ‘prosperity’ and ‘wealth’, and 88 signifying ‘double joy’. (Perhaps 888 means ‘triple the fun’?)
And when you add in the times of the ceremonies, 8:00am or 8:00pm, you have the potential for piling even more prosperity in the pot! (A word to the wise: If you want to get that crazy with your 8s, you’ll need to plan ahead—this is one day of the year chapels are actually open 24 hours, just to try and fit the estimated 250-350 couples who plan to wed at each chapel.)
Las Vegas weddings gone wrong & gone right
If you’re a Vegas local, there are plenty of famous (and infamous) wedding stories. Of course there are the celebrities who get married in Vegas, including Bette Midler, Britney Spears, Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere, and Clayton Moore (better known as “The Lone Ranger”) who actually yelled “Hi ho silver!” as he left the chapel.
But the best stories aren’t always about the rich and famous. There is the one where the bride & groom switched outfits. And the one where the groom tried to run out of the door to escape impending wedded bliss, except the doors were locked and didn’t open as he thought they would, so he knocked himself out! The couple came back twice to try to get married, but never managed to actually say “I do!”
On a happier note, there is the wedding of the high-school sweethearts that married other partners, met up again after both partners died, and married at the ripe age of 88 and 85. But before actually saying ‘I Do’, the groom asked his bride if she really wanted to go through with the ceremony, because marriage is “for life”.
And one of the best parts about weddings in Vegas is that the possibilities are endless. While classic weddings are definitely on the menu, it’s the quirky and unique ones that get talked about. You want an Elvis wedding to get you and your guests all shook up? Sure.
Drive-through wedding? No problem. In fact, the sky’s the limit—and so is the Canyon floor—with everything from helicopter weddings to ceremonies in the bottom of the Grand Canyon! No matter what your style, from classic to cheesy, Las Vegas offers a wedding to suit every budget! (And if you’re ready to say “I Do”, we’re is ready to help you do it.)
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| Las Vegas wedding - the Grand Canyon helicopter version |
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Las Vegas tours & things to do. If you want to get married in Las Vegas, too, so much the better.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:39 am
We ran off to get married…but not that far. I wonder when the trend of Las Vegas weddings began and is it more common among west coast couples? I also wonder how closely the idea of a Las Vegas wedding is linked to the idea of travel. Do people see it as a kind of combined wedding and honeymoon?
July 28th, 2008 at 9:19 am
I am off to Vegas Thursday night for a wedding - there’s something about the place people love. Third time had better be a charm for these guys!
July 28th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Wow that picture of the happy couple at the Grand Canyon is beautiful. I love her bouquet.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
My husband (and co-writer) Terry and I got married in Vegas (many years ago). Technically, I guess, we ‘eloped’ as we hadn’t told anyone. Although we’d been living together in Sydney for years. We ‘planned’ it to the point that he’d proposed a few months earlier and we’d agreed to do it, and as we’d been backpacking around Mexico and were then doing a road trip across the US (yes, route 66), and so we squeezed it in between.
We simply rocked up to the concierge desk of our hotel ‘Circus Circus’ (it was a scream! non-stop 24 hour acrobats swinging around above your head) and said we want tickets to an impersonator’s show, we want to see some big kitschy spectacular, oh, and we want to get married. And that’s how we organized our little wedding at the Little White Chapel (where else?). A guy with a heavy Queens (or was in Brooklyn) accent and a trench coat (he was right out of the movies!) picked us up in a limo and in between sips of champagne we interrogated him about his life and he took us to the church and registry and then dropped us off at our Impersonators show afterwards, which was a scream.
It was a very memorable night. We chose not to have it video-taped as we preferred to savor our memories of the night, and, frankly, that was the best decision we ever made. From time to time, I run those through my head like a little movie. Yep, thoroughly recommend a Vegas wedding. Ideal for couples who want a life together sharing laughter.
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:45 am
Is that background of the Grand Canyon real or is it just a faux one? It is amazing looking and so are the bride and groom! Congratulations from your peeps in Vegas!
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:11 am
Real backgrounds, Cammie. Beautiful stuff!