There’s a reason Vegas is one of the most popular wedding destinations in the United States, and that’s because VEGAS spells F-U-N. If a wedding on the Strip is calling to you, we’ve got some great tips, culled from Mindy Weiss’s newly updated nuptial bible The Wedding Book.
THE DRESS: If you’re spending the extra money on a destination wedding, you may want to save a bit on the dress. Department stores offer excellent and varied options for less than a traditional bridal salon, and many also offer on-site fittings and alterations. Along with the personal attention, a selection of accessories will also come with the territory. Another bonus: If your bridal party is small enough to allow you to shop for bridesmaids dresses off the rack, you can make it a one-stop shop.
THE FLOWERS: The best all-around wedding flower, roses are showy, romantic, hardy, and come in so many colors that they can be worked into any color scheme. An ancient symbol of love and passion, roses are available year-round. They’re easy to ship, which makes them a smart choice when you’re planning a wedding in a place with limited flower choices. They’ll last outdoors in the desert heat, and they’re well priced for such a high-impact bloom. I love a full-blown garden rose, which lets you get by with fewer flowers. Yves Piaget, Dolce Vita, and French Anna roses are some of my favorites. For a vintage, tea-dyed look, try Sahara and Message roses.
THE FOOD: Vegas has some of the best restaurants and chefs in the country, so food should be a big priority for this fête. And you can get just about anything shipped in fresh to Vegas, so the sky’s the limit when it comes to your menu. Ask the chef to re-create a dish that’s part of your love story. Maybe it’s an appetizer you ate on your first date, or a side dish from the night you got engaged. Does the groom always order the same dish at your favorite restaurant? The chef may be willing to share the recipe for the occasion.
For service, what better way to evoke the spirit of Fabulous Las Vegas than recreating one of the upscale buffets it’s famous for? To keep the lines moving, exert a measure of portion control, and help guests negotiate the buffet, spend a bit more and hire a server at each chafing dish. To avoid long lines, have the maître d’ call a few tables up at a time, and try to have at least two identical buffet lines.
THE FAVORS: Let’s be honest—the less you have to travel with, the better. For this destination wedding, try hiring an extra photographer for an hour to take portraits of guests against a clean backdrop (a “seamless”) when they come in. Most people don’t get the chance to get dressed up and photographed by a professional very often, so these make wonderful keepsakes. Send them out after the wedding in pretty frames. For fun, campy portraits, rent an amusement-park-style photo booth and have guests go to town.
THE MUSIC: Check out our Vegas Wedding Playlist, full of songs that evoke the joy of your big day.
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