Annah & Brandi bring all the knowledge when it comes to booking an elopement in Las Vegas. On this episode of Vegas is for Lovers, they go through the step by step process to make planning easy and stress free.
- Choose your date
Plenty of factors go into choosing the best date to elope. Aside from your busy schedules, Vegas has a lot of factors to consider as well.
Busy season in Vegas is Spring and Fall, meaning dates and locations will book up faster during these times. June, July, and August are the hottest months of the year so plan accordingly, especially if your plans include the outdoors. Winter months can get pretty cold, so again, plan accordingly.
In addition to weather, research all the happenings in Vegas for the time you are looking. Music festivals, sporting events, and large conventions could affect cost and availability. This can carry over into costs of flights, rental cars, hotel rooms, food pricing, and more.
- Get your marriage license
Your marriage license has to be in hand before your wedding ceremony. The best way to get this done is to fill out the Clark County Marriage Bureau’s online form ahead of time, then pay for and pick up the license at the marriage license office. This can be completed at any time before the wedding day. During busier times, like Valentine’s Day, the marriage office has pop up facilities at places like the airport.
They will give you an envelope of information that includes your marriage license. That envelope needs to go with you to your ceremony in order for the officiant to legally marry you.
- Create an inspiration board
It might be a simple celebration but creating an inspiration board can help steer the direction of your outfits, photographer style, location, and overall vibe of the day. Remember to look at all aspects when planning out your elopement. For example, big ballgowns don’t fare well on downtown streets or in the desert. Similarly, a delicate floral bouquet won’t withstand the Vegas heat for very long.
Feel free to share your inspiration board early and often with all vendors so they can be on board with your vision from the start.
- Choose your vendors
It’s best to book your desired vendors 6-12 months in advance to secure the people that you really want to work with. Don’t worry! If you’re a last minute couple, there are plenty of vendors that could be available sooner out. Vegas vendors are used to spur of the moment marriages.
Make sure that your vendors have the proper permits or accessibility for your elopement location. Parks like Valley of Fire & Red Rock require vendor permits and often those people are vetted well in advance. Many chapels are specific on who is allowed in during the ceremony.
Have an idea of your budget. Budgets vary so much, it is helpful to have an idea ahead of time of how much you are willing or wanting to spend.
Read reviews, rely on preferred vendor lists, and do your due diligence before booking vendors.
- Book travel
One of the most frequently asked questions is how to travel with a wedding dress. There are airlines who will help transport your dress but you’ll want to try to make those accommodations ahead of time. When you get to Vegas, consider hiring a company to steam your dress or invest in a portable steamer. No matter how delicately you travel with your outfits, they will get wrinkled by the wedding day.
There is no shortage of hotels in Las Vegas. Both the Strip & Downtown have plenty of options at varying price points. Look into using reward points or shop holiday sales for the best rates.
Making a plan and booking in advance could save you hundreds of dollars on your trip.
For more tips and to hear a deep dive into the elopement planning steps, check out Vegas Wedding Planning – How to Book your Vegas Elopement on the Vegas is for Lovers podcast.
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/episode/189E0EWowdT3i5hj0ieuFE?si=af47f6785b554a52
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