vegas wedding costs?

[tvon]

out of couriosity, what would a wedding package cost at major strip resorts? ps, im not getting married anytime soon.. just wondering!!

[vegasbound]

It varies greatly. Not only between properties, but also by the packages offered. Ultimately, it depends on what you want. Most hotel websites list package prices. For a full intro to wedding world of Vegas pick up Ken's book, Neon Nuptials (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0929712803/102-3950989-2482529?v=glance&n=283155). It gives all kinds of insight to the hundreds of ways to tie the knot in Vegas. I wish Ken had written it sooner, it would've helped me tremendously when I planned my wedding.

We were married at Mandalay Bay. I splurged on the platinum skies package (top of the line at the time), it was about $1800 plus an additional $500 for use of both chapels. The package included everything including a hotel stay, dinner and breakfast, and other extras. I just had to make decisions: what color, what song, what to eat, etc. It was wonderful and hassle-free.

Compared to other packages offered at other hotels it was kinda of pricey, but I felt I got the most for my money and it included items that were important to us. For that, it was worth it. Additionally, compared to Bellagio's packages (initially my first choice, since it's where the proposal happened) I saved a bundle. Said and done, Mandalay Bay did a great job. We enjoyed every minute of it and we had no regrets.

[Sonya]

I second the recomendation for Ken's book. It's full of all kinds of great info.

We ended up not getting married in Vegas, but we did a lot of looking. It seemed like you could get the ceremony and the basics (some video, pictures, flowers, etc) for around $500-2000. Obviously the nicer hotels had more expensive packages. Bellagio was the most expensive. Mandalay Bay was the nicest for the money. We also liked several smaller chapels like Paris and Aladdin.

If you're on a budget, you can get packages at non-casino chapels for about $150 that include quite a few little extras.

If I had it to do over again, and were going to have people at the wedding, we'd have it in Vegas for sure. It would probably have been at Mandalay Bay with a reception dinner at China Grill after the ceremony and pictures. Whole thing would have cost about $2500 not including hotel, gambling, airfare, etc.

[ken2v]

Grazie, gals. Grazie.

tvon, the range is extreme. Depending on what you mean by "major" it can go from several hundred bucks to as much as you want to spend. But in all but rare cases -- Four Seasons with dinner for 500, say -- it's always a lot less than back home.

[mrsvjw]

A third for Ken's book.... boy I wish I woulda had it with me when we got married (although much laughs are now had over (the desciprtion "The chapel's immediate neighbors in its two-story office-commercial building are a place that makes cash loan, a sandwich shop, and a document service company" brings many laughs.... and kudos to your editor, BTW). And... total wedding cost was $350 including the "pictures on CD" fee they tacked out, and including my emergency Ebay wedding dress, lol (and even more lol... was covered by some good gambling wins that weekend!)

And as much as we looked at Vegas wedding packages, for laughs, before we went.... I highly suggest planning and research. Even if you suspect it may happen.... casino chapels tend to book up and unless it is your thing, the cheesey no-frills wedding may not be your style.

[ken2v]

Wendy's a great editor, and not just because she left my manuscript alone. We worked very well and quickly together. She won't be on the team for the next book and I'll miss her. We still see each other often so I'll pass along your professional compliment.

Thanks.

[tarasgoodwin]

What about if your out one night and you just decide to get married. How much does that usually cost and what do you do for a marriage license?

[vegasbound]

You can get a marriage license for $55 from 8am-12am and 24 hours on holidays. Some of the little chapels near the courthouse will perform the ceremony for as little as $50 plus gratuity. I'm sure Ken can fill in the specifics.

[ken2v]

... I'm sure Ken can fill in the specifics.

Yes, he can (http://www.shoplva.com/ProductDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=1393). LOL

The license bureau is downtown, and it's also open 24 hours on weekends. The dumpiest, seediest chapels near the county building offer weddings as low as 25 or 40 bucks, rental plastic bouquet no extra charge.

[HoyaHeel]

You can avoid "seedy" and go "judicial" if you want--my mom was married in the magistrate's office (which is across the street from where you get the license) but I can't remember what that cost--I want to say around $75....

[ken2v]

50 bucks. Exact change required. No checks or credit cards.

[HoyaHeel]

I remember the cash part:haha:

[tarasgoodwin]

The license bureau is downtown, and it's also open 24 hours on weekends. The dumpiest, seediest chapels near the county building offer weddings as low as 25 or 40 bucks, rental plastic bouquet no extra charge.[/QUOTE]


LOL not that we're planning on it but if it ever happened on a vegas trip i do believe I would find a chapel in between teh resort price and the seediest chaples. I had always wondered mostly about the license since here it takes like two days to get one.

[jefferson66]

The wife and I looked at lots of different spots, and settled on Silverstone Golf club (about 15-20 min up 75). Gorgeous place, and they did an unbelievable job. We were there first wedding and you wouldn't have known it. Great food (even a white chocolate fountain!!!!).

We also had our rehearsal dinner at RumJungle at Mandalay, and I cannot gush about this place enough. Food, drinks, service, hospitality, ambience.....all perfection.

DO NOT: Rent a limo from Las Vegas Limousines - THE LIMO NEVER SHOWED UP!!! And the bus drivers had to ask the guests for directions!!!

DO NOT: Fall for the "Red Rock Wedding" fiasco. If you want to see horrible pictures of where the ceremony (5 minutes!!) takes place, we have pics of it, and lots of our wedding at Silverstone, on our website www.clayhawk.com
THANK GOD we went out a few months before, and checked it out. Gross.

I also did the invitations for our wedding myself (web designer) and there are pics on our site - super cheap, and personalized, if you're interested.

Jeff

[KC_LowRoller]

You can get married by Elvis like I did a couple of weeks ago at the viva las vegas wedding chapel. It cost a few hundred dollars and includes pictures, dvd, a ceremony performed by Elvis which includes a couple of songs, and it can all be broadcast over the internet so your friends and family can watch from home. I think for all of the above plus the license and minister fee it ran about $400.

[vegasbride2003]

we had a great time and got married at the garden of love in 2003 and we got the cheapest package that only had like 10 pictures but they took over 100 for not extra cost!! and they put it on a disc so now we have all of them

[ken2v]

That Las Vegas Garden of Love is no longer. They went and moved to a nice, new, clean facility just northerly of the Strat.

[lasvegas_limo_driver]

if you are interested in wedding at a certain hotel, you should hit their website and then see about wedding in the chapel. My wife and i got married in the bell tower at bellagio, just basically 7 of us up there and quick ceremony for 545. if you want to go extreme, you can get married in between water shows at bellagio, for a hefty fee. about 1500. So pick a casino, your looking at starting price of about 350 going to 100's of thousands.

[budh]

We asked at Bellagio if we could get married in the gardens or outside, and the person we talked to replied: Chapels only. The only decent gardens type we found was at the Flamingo... gardens or "paradise falls".

Think I can talk "the Mrs" into the MM3 1st Annual Poker Tourney the next morning?!!

[ken2v]

The Flamingo Garden Chapel does it right. As with all the popular chapels it can be frenetic but they handle it well.

Bellagio offers an outdoor ceremony that takes place on the balcony above Prime and Picasso. It's a relatively expensive add on but it's so cool.

[DavidB]

:nworthy:
This past Saturday I interviewed Ken by phone for my newspaper column, which this week, in advance of Valentine's Day, will be about Neon Nuptials.

Ken was a joy to talk with, and the hour went by entirely too fast.

Once the column appears on Thursday, I'll post it here in a new thread.

As I told Ken via e-mail this evening, the tough part about writing the column was all the good stuff I had to leave out due to space limitations.

[ken2v]

Actually, David, the props go to you. I interview a lot of people and am interviewed myself quite often, and you were unbelievably well prepared. You're a real pro. Enjoyed our time on the phone. Thanks for your time, sir.

[Karenlea]

I got married at Caesar's Palace and our ceremony package was 5000.00. However, we also had our reception at Caesar's in one of the ball rooms. We ended up spending over twenty thousand at Caesars and that did not include our hotel stay. I figured that with all of the other wedding incidentals our wedding total was closer to thirty thousand. That being said, you really can spend as much or as little as you want on a Vegas wedding. The options are endless!!!