9 Mistakes to Avoid if You Plan to elope in Vegas

Say yes to the idea of an elopement in Vegas!  Many people underestimate simplicity and tie themselves with all sorts expectations. But if you’re familiar with what I’m saying, then maybe this will sound like a good option for your big day instead-especially since it’s less expensive than most weddings (and can be done quicker).

Tying the knot is usually more work than just saying yes.  It typically involves a lot of family and friends, faces familiar or less so; it can be overwhelming to elope in Vegas for your big event when you don’t know what will make everything go smoothly on such an important day!

But if you’re feeling overwhelmed with all these expectations–an elopement in Las Vegas might offer some relief from tradition-driven weddings (and expensive ceremony costs) by letting two people who love each other have their own small celebration without any fuss at all.

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 to 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 services will always require extra time and often more time that you planned.  If you need more advice on how much estimated time,  you are well-advised to ask your wedding planner. 

Two: Not capturing your memories in photos

There are so many options to Elope 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. Having a Vegas wedding photographer can go a long way for many reasons.

• First of all, if you are having an elopement, it will just be the two of you but in Nevada a witness is required.  The photographer will step in and be the witness for your legalities.
• Secondly, it may be a mistake that you may regret to not have photos as a keepsake of your experience.  Think about it, choosing to have a photographer will give you amazing pictures to share with family and friends. And even better, you may choose some special photos to hang on your wall at home so you can remember your event often as you walk around your house.  You may even decide to go upscale and hire a videographer to make the experience even more cherished and capture it live for posterity. 

Be sure your photographer has a camera that will make a backup of the photos they are taking however. Mistakes can happen and photos can get lost by camera malfunctions. If the photographer is a professional, they will have cameras that provide that function. 

The ceremony itself is the focus of the entire event and capturing poses of the exchange of rings, vows and special moments is essential.  Once again, this is where the photographer will shine in capturing the special moments for you; but 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.

Three: Not considering the first look

           

The first look is a tradition where the bride and groom see each other for the first time before a wedding takes place. In these modern times it’s sometimes done privately and many couples choose to have it done in their wedding suite or in a photo session before the elopement takes place.  But first looks also often take place during the processional when the bride walks down the aisle. 

This is a precious moment and you only have the opportunity once. Having the first look when the bride walks down the aisle can often times be a bit tricky though.  It will require great timing and logistical planning to make sure the guests and the groom don’t see the bride at all before the ceremony. 

It would be a mistake for the bride to not have separate transportation to the wedding location. It would also be a mistake to not have another additional coordinator or personal friend be on point as an assistant to time the arrival of the bride to walk in at the right moment.

For the first look, the bride needs to be seen by the groom at an inappropriate time so the expression of the both the bride and groom can be captured as they see each other for the first time on their wedding day.

Grooms get excited to see their beautiful brides dressed up to the nines and have been often known to take a peak too early.  They need to be reminded to look away, otherwise they can mistakenly look too soon and ruin the moment. 

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 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. For instance, in December we have a flood of cowboys come in for the yearly rodeo here.  You need to book your hotel reservations well in advance or try to avoid having the event during that time of December or your hotel rates will be sky high.  

It’s also important to be prepared for seasonal weather fluctuations.  Not knowing specifics about what you will face with the weather could put a huge damper on your event.  For instance, when the weather changes from the cold season (which doesn’t last long) to the warmer weather, we experience tremendous winds in Las Vegas.

If you want some more important tips on the times various conventions are held in Las Vegas, click the link below to visit my blog post that covers that information and provides valuable links to convention information. 

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 will be invaluable asset to you because they create an itinerary for you to keep your event on track. When you are eloping, 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 lifesaver. 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 an 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: Elopement Las 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 upfront, 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 to elope in Vegas stress-free.

If you are in Vegas for the first time, try to make the calculations upfront, 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.

Utilize our eloping in Vegas budget calculator to get an idea what you want to set for your budget.

 

Read This Helpful Advice

How planning a Vegas Wedding Budget Checklist Can Keep You From Losing in Vegas

Vendors have a more relaxed experience when collaborating with wedding planners, who can provide dozens of discounts for transportation and other small perks. This saves you money in the long run while also putting your mind at ease by taking care everything from start to finish – all within an affordable price tag! A Vegas elopement planner will take what’s needed out there; they’ll make sure it falls within budget too so don’t worry about overspending on this special occasion as much because their services include extended treatment plans just like any high-end chef would do during food preparation time: making every detail count–and staying true no matter how many obstacles come along (“What could go wrong?”).

If you want to make eloping in Vegas easier, consider going through a professional elopement wedding planner. They can help you plan every detail of your special day, including finding vendors, venues, photographers, transportation, etc., They take care of the logistics too, like creating and overseeing your itinerary and making sure everything runs smoothly . Plus, they can save you money by negotiating lower rates with vendors and offering discounts to couples.

We at Custom Las Vegas weddings love to provide our couples with scenic Vegas wedding packages or just a simple Vegas elopement experiences.

Click here to view some simple Vegas elopement wedding ideas.

The elopement 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, photoshoots, and logistical solutions to every step of the way. Contact Julie here to help you plan your Las Vegas wedding.