Couple eloping in Vegas at Red Rock Overlook

Tying the knot usually takes far more work than just saying yes.  Usually, it involves a lot of family and friends, faces familiar and less so, and a logistical behemoth which takes months to put together. If you plan to get married in Vegas and dread the thought of a large ceremony, spending a fortune, and moonlighting through your special day, you might want to elope in Vegas as an alternate consideration. People routinely underestimate the beauty of simplicity and tie themselves with all kinds of social expectations. If you are familiar with what I’m saying, and understand the burlesque of an expensive ceremony all too intimately, this article might come handy rather soon. And regardless of whether or not you’ve made up your mind about eloping in Vegas, some things you do have to be reminded of. We’ve seen far too many people going over the same mistakes time and again, so our goal is to pave the road even more and give you valuable advice to elope to Vegas. Here is where you should pay attention.

One: Not leaving enough time for hair and makeup

Having a Vegas wedding doesn’t mean you get to forget about stress altogether. Planning the logistics of location, the transportation, and the coordination, all follow a strict schedule. The groom might allow himself a laid back attitude before the wedding, but in our experience the bride needs allow a lot more time to have the make up session, especially if her bridal party is also receiving services. As a general rule, it will take approximately two hours to have hair and make up services rendered.  So remember, it’s best to schedule your glam team at least two hours prior to the ceremony per person receiving services. This is a much needed opportunity to be pampered, relax, drink a mimosa, and actually enjoy the preparation while savoring the moment. In Las Vegas the makeup artists will come to you and provide services in your hotel room. Just remember, no matter how simple you prefer your wedding, hair and makeup will always require extra time. If you need more advice on how much estimated time,  you are well advised to ask your wedding planner. 

For suggested Vegas hair and makeup resources, visit this link to see our recommended vendors.

Two: Not capturing your memories in photos

There are so many options for eloping in Vegas and some ideas include photos and others don’t. But when you look back on your wedding day you might regret it if you don’t capture your wedding day memories. Hiring a Vegas wedding photographer can go a long way, since you’ll have amazing pictures to show, and even a video of the ceremony to stream online. Vegas photographers and videographers are always updating their expertise to showcase their work and there are plenty to choose from.  Since we have been wedding planners with tenure in the industry, we collaborate with the finest Vegas has to offer.  We have many packages to choose from that include photographers. Their work is showcased on our wedding photo gallery page. We also have many other galleries showcasing many experiences we have planned for our clients. Many of our favorite photo and video vendors are beginning to edit elopements into a reel for you and your new spouse to share with your wedding guests!

Extremely popular, nowadays, is the Las Vegas wedding photo tour as an option to elope in Vegas and also capture memories for a lifetime. Why not add on more limousine time and include  a scenic wedding photo tour? This can be planned for you affordably and  include an unforgettable scenic trip to places you don’t normally get to see when you are typical tourist in Las Vegas.  This can all be easily planned and coordinated for you by a professional Las Vegas wedding planner. 

Three: Not considering the first look

Frank & Elizabeth Eloped at Red Rock Overlook

The ceremony itself is the the focus of the entire event and capturing poses of the exchange of rings, vows and special moments is essential.  Be sure to hire a professional photographer to record those special moments in time with the regrets of having sub par photos. Excellent photographers will be able to provide creative shots that family members most likely will not be able to duplicate.  You will have memories etched in time to remember.  The first look the groom has of the bride as she walks down the aisle is a precious moment and you only have the opportunity once. You may want to stretch out the photo session beyond the group photos and take in a scenic photo tour to add more to the moment.  This is a great idea for spending more private time after the ceremony you can cherish as newlyweds and savor the moment without having to rush in to the reception right away. 

Four: Not being prepared for the formalities

A Vegas wedding by law requires you to obtain a wedding license. These are issued hustle free, even to non-residents of the US, but you’ll still have to provide a proof of identification. Birth certificates are not mandatory, and any type of official government photo ID will suffice. But there are also specific details you want to know about that are different in Las Vegas. Be prepared by looking ahead and making the necessary arrangements. Click here to find out what you need to know about marriage licensing  to help you prepare for getting married in Vegas. Remember, also, that holidays are a peak season, when it’s harder to find, schedule and orchestrate a Vegas wedding with all of the details included –especially if you are doing it by yourself.

Five: Scheduling the celebration dinner too soon

Restaurant overlooking the Bellagio Fountains 

Though not exactly busy like New York or Los Angeles, traveling through the city of Vegas still takes longer than expected to travel from location to location. Getting from the wedding location to the wedding reception can easily become super stressful if you forget to schedule the celebration and leave enough time to account for traffic congestion and other unplanned incidents. This is where a wedding planner who will create an itinerary for you becomes invaluable asset to have. During a wedding, almost anything can happen and often the unexpected does happen which may circumvent a well planned itinerary. In these circumstances last minute revisions will need to be made. One problem I have experienced happening at events is delays with the limo or the Las Vegas wedding venue you are using. God knows what else can and will happen. If you are brave enough to plan it yourself, it’s best to leave enough room in your schedule to make last minute improvising to keep your celebration timeline on track. It is well worth your time and money to reduce the stress of the occasion to hire a simple wedding coordinator to plan your wedding in Vegas ahead of time.

Six: Not using the complimentary hotel concierge services

A helping hand can easily turn what seems to be Herculean effort into a solution only one phone call away. Note that prices can vary greatly depending on which hotel you are staying, but even the small services a hotel concierge provides for free can be a life saver. Some of the planning assistance they may offer, depending on the hotel are some of the essential referrals you may need such as dress and tux, salon and spa services and more. Also, use the valuable services of a concierge to help you when setting up reminders for appointments. As you get closer to your event the stress usually becomes higher in intensity. Then it may be harder to remain as calm and coordinated as you would like to be. You may always ask the concierge service to help you with reminders and notify you about important deliveries.  We at Custom Las Vegas Weddings also offer an all in one day of planning service to our couples.  So whether you go with the concierge at your hotel or decide to avail yourselves of an all in one solution like ours, it is a service you might not want to overlook.

Seven: Not having enough limousine time

With traffic being such a frustration, you’ll need more time to travel from one point to another. More than likely since you don’t know the city well you would be smart to leave it to a professional planning company to make a day of timeline.  A professional will be able to estimate more accurately how much time you will need for the limousine. This is invaluable service and will help avoid the pitfalls of being late to the wedding, restaurant reservations or shows.  But that’s one side of the coin. The other is more about having fun, enjoying Vegas for what it is, and allowing the experience of the ceremony to sink in before continuing with your special evening. Be careful not to over-drink though. It is easy to forget about limits altogether when you are driving through Vegas, at night, experiencing the hidden rhythm with all of those lights shining. If you do happen to drink too much, however, here is a great Vegas resource for recovering from your Vegas hangover.  This company is mobile and will come to your location in Vegas.

Eight: Elope in Vegas Jitters – avoid partying too much and lack of sleep, dehydration

A wedding day, complex or less so, would still require lots of energy. And the magic of Vegas and the partying or gambling it offers is more alluring than any other when it comes to keeping you awake. Nothing can zap your energy more than these top three things:

• Drinking too much:  Save the drinking for the night of or the night after the wedding.
• Not getting enough sleep: Get the needed amount of sleep the night before the wedding and be clear the day of.
• Not drinking enough water: Whenever you travel, you need to keep hydrated. Any travel and climate change will require more water intake.

If you want a memorable and enjoyable wedding day, take this advice – you must pay heed to these cautions. No matter what! There is always time for late night partying after the wedding.

Nine: Not having a planner help you coordinate your wedding day

If you are in Vegas for the first time, try to make the calculations up front, and see whether or not you’ll fare better with a Vegas wedding planner. They can handle the wedding day coordination down to detail, and even pass you discounts for coordinating vendors, saving you money in the long run, making your experience eloping in Vegas stress free.

If you are in Vegas for the first time, try to make the calculations up front, and see whether or not you’ll fare better with a Vegas wedding planner. They can handle the wedding day coordination down to detail, and even pass you discounts for coordinating vendors, as well as local knowledge of the good and bad side of Vegas. The city is constantly changing and we are known as one of the largest “scam cities” in the world. Unfortunately, that title comes with most major tourism sites. Hiring a Vegas planner is like taking the hand of a friend who has lived through it all. Your planner will give you invaluable advice to steer away from the dark side of the city and into those dazzling lights that you really came to see! For example, beware of texts or phone calls following your ceremony from the “Marriage License Bureau” requesting that you send them additional money to validate your marriage license for an additional cost! This is a recent scam that has plagued a few traveling couples. Having a planner as your ally will help in saving you money in the long run even in ways you could never think of, making your experience eloping in Vegas stress free.

Check out our Cost of eloping in Vegas budget calculator here to get an idea what you want to set for your budget.

Vendors have an easier time collaborating with wedding planners, arranging dozens of discounts for transportation, flowers, or a garden variety of small perks and time savers. This will take the burden off your shoulder and help you relax and save money in the long run. A Vegas wedding planner can help you plan to elope in Vegas or plan whatever you have in mind within a reasonable budget. They will take your wedding event and provide it with the extended treatment it deserves and it won’t cost a fortune to use their services if you choose the right company. Be specific about what you want and don’t want with your wedding planning assistant.  Share your preferences with your planner. They know how to plan a simple Vegas wedding.

We at Custom Las Vegas weddings love to provide our couples with scenic Vegas wedding packages, Vegas strip elopement photo tour wedding packages or just simple Vegas elopement package at your resort.

Click here to view some simple Vegas elopement wedding ideas.

The wedding planner you choose should let you share your vision, and offer lots of different places to elope in Vegas, as well as exciting Las Vegas elopement packages for two, including transportation, photo shoots and logistical solutions to every step of the way. Contact Julie here to help you plan your Las Vegas wedding.