PLANNING | Alternative Weddings: Las Vegas | Pretty Pear Bride

PLANNING | Alternative Weddings: Las Vegas

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When you get engaged, the wedding planning process starts almost immediately. After all, you’re so excited about the big day that you’re going to want to start drawing some ideas together. Now, many of us will want a traditional day – the local church or a fancy hotel, a horse drawn carriage or a luxury automobile to take you there, a three tier cake, and maybe some fireworks at the end. However, others of us want something different. We want something that will really stand out from the crowd and make the best memories possible for both bride and groom as well as any guests. So what options remain for people in this group? Well, perhaps one of the most popular alternative wedding destinations is Las Vegas. So, let’s take a moment to consider this as a fun and viable wedding option!

Heading to Vegas

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Now, when you’re heading to Vegas there are some bare basics that you need to take along. You need to ensure to have all of these things sorted before heading along to enjoy the Sin City experience!

What to Take Along

So, let’s start with the basics of what to take along to Las Vegas if you’re hosting any part of your wedding process in the city. If you are not a US citizen are heading in from overseas, you are going to need your basic travel documents, as you would for any trip abroad, and inhabitants of certain countries will require a VISA (which they will need to enter the USA in the first place). Certain countries, such as New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Australia have a visa waiver that allows nationals to enter the USA for ninety days without applying for a VISA. If you or any other member of the bachelorette party are of another nationality, ensure that any VISA requirements are fulfilled well in advance of leaving. You will also need to take exchange cash into US dollars, so you have a means of paying while you are here! Whether you are an overseas resident or a US citizen, you are also going to have to bear in mind that you are quite literally heading to the middle of a desert when you are packing. You will need clothes that accommodate hot weather, as well as sunscreen and aftersun. While mosquitos aren’t as common as they may be in some countries,

Weddings

Las Vegas is well known for its weddings. In fact, around 100,000 couples get married in the city on an annual basis and various high-profile weddings have taken place here – from Elvis Presley himself to Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. Historically, there are reasons for this. Nevada has always had relaxed licensing laws – with no waiting lists, no need for blood tests to be carried out before the ceremony – so has been the perfect destination for shotgun weddings. However, this has made it an iconic destination and even now when you head to the city, you’ll find that there’s a bride on almost every block. Wherever you go, there will be a woman in white with a bridal party in tow. From the hotels where you’ll hear the pop of champagne as brides get into their beautiful gowns to the strip on the night, where you’ll find brides and grooms celebrating their romance. So, if you fancy joining a long tradition of love and nuptials in Sin City, here’s everything you need to know!

Times

The Clark County Marriage Licence Bureau is open seven days a week from eight in the morning until midnight year-round, including holidays. This is where you gain your marriage licence, which will last for one year after purchase. If you want to save time when you get to the office (where there may be queues), you can pre-book online and enter the express queue when you arrive at the office.

Pre-Requisites

You can be married in Las Vegas as long as you are over eighteen years old. Rightfully, same sex marriage was legalised in Nevada in 2014, so same sex couples can be married in the state too! Both individuals intending to be married will need to be present when requesting the licence, both must be single, and both must provide photo ID. You will also need to take along $77 to purchase the licence (the number 7 is considered lucky).

Wedding Packages

When you have a wedding in Vegas, you want everything to run as smoothly as possible. This means pre-planning. You don’t want to turn up without a clue where to go. There are so many different venues and things to do when you arrive that if you don’t have a set plan you can end up feeling overwhelmed, getting lost, and opting for the first place you stumble across. So take a look at Wedding Packages. These take care of all of the details on your behalf. You can choose packages that include the ceremony only, the reception only, the ceremony and reception, or everything including added extras. So, there should be something that meets your needs perfectly.

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Bachelorette Parties

Now, if you don’t want to go all out and have your entire wedding in Las Vegas, you could still incorporate it into the scheme of things. You could host your bachelorette party here! There are so many things to see and do that it can serve as the perfect location for the perfect send off from all of your best girls! Here are a few ideas to get your planning started!

The Strip

One place that you absolutely need to visit when having a bachelorette party in Vegas is the world-famous strip. This strip is well known for its mass of fun hotels and casinos. If possible, try to book a room on the strip, so you really are at the centre of the party! Then try your hand at some of the casinos, which reminded us of some of the Bitcoin casinos for Canadian players that we experienced on a trip to Toronto. There are plenty of different games and even if you’re unsure how to play, staff will lend you a helping hand and explain everything to you. Just remember to bet responsibly. Use small sums of cash that you can afford to lose to keep things light hearted and fun.

Grand Canyon Tour

If you have a small bachelorette party, you might want to consider taking to the skies and booking a tour of the Grand Canyon by helicopter. Little will make your trip as memorable as soaring above one of the world’s most famous natural sites with your closest friends! Luxury bundles also include a limousine pick up from the Las Vegas Strip and champagne, to add a touch of glamour to the occasion.

The High Roller at the LINQ

The high roller is perhaps Las Vegas’ newest attraction. This ultra size ferris wheel puts your standard fairground ferris wheel to shame, and has plenty of room for you all to sit down with a glass of your favourite drinks and take in some of the best views of Vegas. While daytime rides are great, we’d suggest a night time ride for your bachelorette party. It’s a great way to kick off your night and everything looks even better when the scenery is lit up with bright lights.

As you can see, Vegas could well and truly form a pivotal part of your marriage – whether you actually get married there or host your bachelorette party in the big city. So, start looking at deals and book up well in advance! The experience will be something to remember!

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Shafonne Myers is a certified wedding and event planner who longed for bridal inspiration that looked like her. She has created a website and magazine that brings bridal inspiration to plus size brides. She does speaking engagements educating the world about plus size brides and self confidence.
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