For years, Las Vegas and the
quickie wedding have been
a match made in heaven.
ceremonies in Venice, paris, new
york city, camelot, in the chapel
in the clouds (atop the stratosphere),
on a pirate ship or aboard the starship
enterprise have been just a few of the
potential backdrops over the years, as
themed casinos and weddings have always
been a part of the city’s intrigue.
though drive-through weddings and
whirlwind celebrity annulments still exist
(not to mention circus circus clownofficiated
midway weddings and nuptials
in front of the “welcome to Las Vegas”
sign, among other spur-of-the-moment
ceremonies), Las Vegas has made great
leaps in changing its overall image to one
of luxury.
“Initially, you mention a Vegas wedding and the first
thought that comes to mind is a bad elvis impersonator,
a cheesy chapel and some fake flowers,” says andrea
eppolito, director of catering and special events at boa
steakhouse and sushi roku in the caesars Forum shops.
“but more and more, that image is changing.”
with no blood test and no waiting period required
for marriage licenses (which cost $55 cash), plus license
bureaus open until midnight and enough chapels that
they almost compete with slot machines, Las Vegas
has long offered visitors an opportunity to gamble on
happiness, whether for a weekend or a lifetime.
Celebrities from Frank sinatra and Judy Garland
to angelina Jolie and bruce willis have taken vows
within the city limits—and many others have followed.
indeed, recent data shows that almost 150,000 people
get married in Vegas annually (which equals almost six
percent of the nation’s nuptials).
but couples who want to tie the knot in the Las Vegas
of the new millennium
are thinking beyond
a quickie ceremony
to a marriage of
sensibilities—and a
number of refined
spaces and four- and
five-star restaurants
are allowing for plush
frills rather than
cheap thrills.
“The entire
vision of Las Vegas
as a destination
has changed
tremendously,
especially over the
last 10 years,” says
eppolito, a 13-year
veteran of event
planning. “the
opening of the
bellagio [in 1998]
forced the world to
sit up and take notice of the city as a luxury location.
marble flooring, world-renowned artwork, award-winning
chefs, imported linens... the public began to realize that
you could come to Las Vegas for much more than penny
slots, and that spilled over into the world of weddings.”
indeed, if you want your wedding to be seen in the right
light, showcasing glitz rather than chintz, the honeyed
hues radiating from the bellagio lobby’s hand-blown
chihuly glass ceiling would certainly set the appropriate
scene. From the musical fountain show and Grand
terraces to a chapel of silks, damask fabrics and perfumed
air (not to mention unobtrusive two-way mirrors and realtime
editing of the filming of the ceremony), the bellagio
ushered in the era where attention to detail went way
beyond the choice of a red or white bouquet.
Steve wynn, developer of the bellagio, continued his
tradition of meticulously dedicated services when he
opened the $2.7 billion wynn Las Vegas in 2005. since
then, Jacqueline montoya, the wynn’s executive director of weddings, has coordinated everything from intimate
services in suites to those overlooking the 18th hole to
an event featuring more than $70,000 in custom floral
décor that was filmed for the travel channel.
“Las Vegas has everything all within a five-mile radius…
dancing to restaurants from every corner of the world to
broadway,” says montoya. “more importantly, as wynn Las
Vegas functions almost as its own ‘city,’ the guests really
do not need to leave the resort for anything. my team will
book the appointments and all they need to do is enjoy.”
For example, you can go cuckoo for coco and get
your makeup done at the chanel boutique. or, do the
bridesmaid shopping at manolo blahnik and roberto
cavalli. (shop for yourself, too; the short cocktail dress
is the new wedding gown; traditional isn’t out, but
nontraditional is in.) brides can register at numerous
stores, such as the Las Vegas-based internet retailer
unica home, says melinda sheckells, editor at Las Vegas
Home & Design and an advocate for design-forward
planning. the bridal
party can partake of
any spa treatment
imaginable and
then have a slumber
party, while guys
can have a golf day.
there’s a venue for
anything—bachelor/
bachelorette party,
rehearsal dinner
and ceremony.
Eppolito has
helped realize
fantasies of all sorts:
a couple renewed
their wedding
vows surrounded
by gondolas,
underneath
handcrafted
willow canopies
on the rose pedalstrewn
canal in the
Venetian; another couple favored the balcony at boa,
which was made soho-sleek with black linens and inky
ostrich feathers for a new york couple. more and more,
parties are taking advantage of the Las Vegas dining
scene and personalizing the menu both for the meal
and entertainment. From full dinners to designer hors
d’oeuvres, any price point can be met by established
or up-and-coming talent, whether the desire is buffet,
brasserie or beaucoup bucks. receptions can be
customized around rare wines, import sports cars or
cirque du soleil performers. there are packages from
below $1,000 to more than $100,000.
plenty of couples want to avoid the incessant clang
of slot machines (easily possible in the secluded Four
seasons, the 50-acre Jw marriott in summerlin or the
ritz-carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 17 miles from the strip).
but for every one such couple, there’s a pair that wants
to shout their love out loud (or maybe just shout over
some music).
