Getting married in Las Vegas

by Brad Eldridge

If you have ever thought about running away and getting married or just simply renewing your vows and wanted to do something slightly different, then go no further than Las Vegas.  Not only is Vegas well known for it’s magnificent hotels, gambling and nightlife, it is also famous for being the home of the wedding chapel and drive through marriage.  But before you start dreaming of Elvis serenading you during you ceremony, there are a few things you will need to know.

Will our marriage be legal?

In a nutshell, yes it will.  Even if you’re from out of town or from another country, your marriage will usually be legit if you are married in Las Vegas.  General rule of thumb, if the marriage is legal in the country you get married in, then it will most probably be legal back home too.  Providing you abide by the Clark County rules and regulations, you will be right to get married.  It might pay though to check with your State or Country of residence as to what they require to legalise your overseas marriage.

What do I need to do?

All forms that you require to register your marriage can be located on the Clark County website:
www.clarkcountynv.gov. 

You can register online to make the process quicker and easier, but then both the Bride and Groom must go in person to the Marriage Bureau at the Clark County Clerk’s Office to apply for the marriage license.  Their office is open 24 hours a day and my wife and I went in around midnight the evening prior to our marriage to collect our license.
After receiving your Marriage License, your ceremony must be performed by a marriage official.  A Marriage License is good for one year.

Which Chapel?

There are many, many, many marriage chapels in Las Vegas to choose from.  All chapels offer a variety of wedding packages that may include flowers, photographer, etc.  The cost of a wedding ceremony will depend upon the chapel and the package you select.

My wife and I were married a couple of years ago and we looked at quite a few different chapels.  We finally decided on the world famous Little White Wedding Chapel.  Of course this is one of the most talked about chapels and many celebrities have been married there over the years.  Britney Spears, Michael Jordon, Joan Collins and even the King himself graced the isles of this chapel - it also appeared on an episode of Friends. 
We decided not to go with the Elvis package, where Elvis marries you in a drive through Cadillac ceremony and instead had a minister perform our wedding. 

The outside of the chapel looked absolutely gorgeous with lights and fake plants galore.  The chapel supplied a photographer and we purchased the photos and a DVD of our ceremony as part of our package.  They can also provide live internet streaming of your wedding for all your loved ones to watch on the web anywhere around the world.

Each chapel’s packages will state that they supply the minister and it is included in the package price, BUT be warned you will be required to donate some money to the minister, as they are not paid by the church or chapel, but through tips only.  They will ask for between $50 and $100 - Elvis may be more.  We were extremely happy with the overall service and ceremony and we even went back the following year for our anniversary, with the staff more than happy to take photographs of us all over the chapel.

Most of the hotels and attractions around Las Vegas also offer wedding packages and have their own chapels.  Many people have been known to get married on the New York New York roller coaster, on a helicopter flight over the city or even in front of the famous ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ sign.

How do I get to the Chapel?

Most chapels can provide a limousine to pick you up and drop you off at your hotel.  These can be included in your package or added for an extra cost.  Just check with you chapel, but make sure you ask as if you don’t you may miss out, as they probably won’t offer it to you.  They may even provide different types of vehicles.

So if you’re planning a wedding why not do something out of the ordinary and get married in Las Vegas, we did and we loved it.  You will find that it will probably be the most fun you’ve ever had.

The Little White Wedding Chapel can be found at the following link:
www.alittlewhitechapel.com
Compare all Las Vegas wedding chapels here:
www.lasvegasweddings.com

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