Getting Married in Las Vegas
Most weddings take months of planning, preparation and perspiration. After all, everyone wants their wedding day to go as smoothly as possible and be as perfect as it can be. Floral arrangements, entree choices, musical selection and even the stitching on the napkins have to be just right or else wedding planners are faced with a wrath of an angry bride or a groom. In other words, a wedding is, by no means, a one night, one hour affair. Or is it?
For those of us wanting to take an alternative route to a traditional white wedding, there is the fabulous city of Las Vegas, where the booze never stops flowing and a fat Elvis has the authority to place a stamp of approval on a marriage certificate. This is where the passion can be taken to another level with an enamoured couple taking the vows of commitment at three o'clock in the morning, where the rest of the city is in the midst of partying and sinning. So why, of all places, is Las Vegas such a famous destination for tying the knot and saying no to a single life?
Alcohol aside, some of us actually do plan on getting married in Las Vegas when they are sober and in a right state of mind. Perhaps it is because of the fear of planning for months and months and spending an exuberant amount of money to be blown on one day of bliss. Sure, the memories are great - but having a sufficient amount of money left over after a wedding to buy a car or a house may seem more appealing to some of us. With weddings costing an enormous amount of money, some of us may not be able to afford to splurge on a DJ and a band, on wedding invitations and flower arrangements, on food and drinks (open bar, anyone?). The desire to save money, ultimately, becomes a big factor in deciding to relocate a wedding to Las Vegas - for as little as fifty dollars per ceremony, a Vegas wedding can still be a memorable affair. In this case, the after-party, not the main event itself, becomes the focal point of the couple - Las Vegas can still offer a memorable time for a relatively small amount of money, as compared to a cost of a traditional wedding.
How well a wedding has been planned is often what determines its success or a failure. To please the guests, it is imperative to have every detail planned out, and many of us just do not want to deal with the stress and haste of planning an event as big as a wedding. In addition, hiring caterers, waiters and a wedding planner can run up a bill well into thousands of dollars - a traditional wedding costs $22,000 on average, according to honeymoons.about.com. This is where Las Vegas comes in again as a viable location for a wedding ceremony - a few hundred dollars can rent out a chapel and a bottle of champagne. That way a bride and a groom will still have some money left over to spend on whatever their hearts desire.
Older couples and young couples who want to get married without, necessarily, having the approval of their parents want to do what the more traditional wedding proponents want to do as well, and that is to have fun on their wedding day. To spare the drama, the commotion, the planning, perhaps even the anger and the hurt feelings of the loved ones, many of us will choose to get married in Vegas because we want to feel at ease and not worry about anything or anyone. Presumably, a wedding ceremony is, above all, about the two people involved - the rest can cry and pout, but cannot change anyone's decisions about love.
After exchanging the wedding vows, there is a breadth of activities to do in the fabulous Las Vegas - many of us are intrigued by such a variety of choices and will go to Las Vegas to experience the nightlife in a most unique way possible - as newlyweds. The town is one big amusement park for adults. Whether purchasing a Great Romance package in advance, which includes an outdoor gondola ride and dinner for two at one of the casinos, or going to one of the fabulous shows on the Vegas Strip, there is always something to do for every married couple. From romantic to wild to exciting and new, Las Vegas can cater to every newlywed's whim. The money, of course, can only sweeten the pot of how lavish the after-wedding party can get.
With over 120,000 weddings performed in Las Vegas every year, the city's reputation as the most popular destination in the country to get married is well deserved. Despite Las Vegas being the ultimate party city, it has plenty of romantic destinations and activities that can make a Vegas wedding seem like an exclusive affair. Whether with or without a lot of money to spend, a Las Vegas wedding no longer holds the reputation of being a poor man's thrill and many couples who decide to get married in the City of Sin end up having an absolute blast!
