|
|
| |
 |
|
| | | Las Vegas may be best known for its casinos and showgirls, but it is also the wedding capital of the world. According to Visit Las Vegas, the official website of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, there are more than 122,000 marriage licenses issued each year. | | |
| Typical costs: | - A bare-bones ceremony, which typically entails use of a chapel (usually away from the Strip), runs from $40 at Las Vegas Garden of Love to $75 at Always & Forever Weddings. Some will also include a small all bouquet for the bride to carry.
- Basic wedding packages run from $179 - $245, and include the chapel, officiant, recorded music, a small bouquet, boutonniere, 6-24 pictures, and a limo to/from the chapel. Basic Elvis weddings, like those offered by Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, are naturally very popular in Las Vegas. These involve an impersonator walking the bride down the aisle and performing 1-3 songs. These packages cost from $249 - $379.
- Deluxe packages typically cost $249 - $699, and include everything in the basic package, additional photos, an upgraded bouquet (cascade bouquet), a soloist (usually a pianist, organist or vocalist), and a video of the ceremony.
- Wedding packages at hotels on the strip are much pricier. A bare-bones ceremony, including the chapel, minister fee, music, bouquet and boutonniere, can run from $395 at the Excalibur, to $1,100 at Mandalay Bay. Many larger hotels offer bare-bones packages only on Monday-Thursday.
- Basic packages at strip hotels cost between $600 at Treasure Island to $2,000 at Caesars Palace. Basic packages at hotels include everything in the bare bones package plus champagne, a VHS tape or DVD of the ceremony, and up to 15 photos.
- A deluxe package at Treasure Island costs $800, compared to a similar package at Caesars Palace for $4,000. Deluxe packages include the basic plus limousine service, 20-30 pictures on a photo CD and a soloist or champagne flutes. Premium wedding packages run from $3,000 at Mandalay Bay to $6,500 at Caesars Palace. High-end hotels like the Bellagio and Caesars Palace also offer luxury packages that run from $15,000 - $20,000.
|
| |
| Additional costs: | - Since most chapels don't allow you to bring in an outside minister or other official to perform the ceremony, and the cost of a chapel-provided minister runs between $50 - $60 if it is not included in a package.
- Tux rentals cost between $90 -$170; gown rentals vary based on design but generally run between $120 -$200.
- If not included, videotapes or DVDs of the wedding ceremony cost about $50 -$75.
- Limousines are often included in packages, but the driver tip may not be covered. Tips for limo drivers usually start at $35.
- Many chapels charge premium fees on certain holidays, with some doubling their costs on popular wedding holidays like New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day.
- Because many hotels and chapels schedule back-to-back weddings, many also charge late fees, anywhere from $50 - $150 for couples who do not arrive for their ceremony on time.
|
| Discounts: | - A majority of the weddings in Las Vegas take place on Fridays and Saturdays, so many chapels offer discounts Sunday-Thursday.
- According to Vegas.com, Las Vegas temperatures often top the 100-degree mark during the summer months, and many chapels and hotels offer discounts from June to August.
|
| Shopping for a las vegas wedding: | |
| |
Article updated July 2007 |
|
|
Digg this
del.icio.us
E-mail
Post