Honeymoons & destination weddings

Hi ladies, i was wondering if anyone has any experience in destination weddings? We’ve decided we want to get married in Vegas – i have no idea where to start!! We will have family relatives & friends coming over so we willa slo have group bookings etc to contend with… anyone know places the specialise in this? I’ve contacted a hotel in Vegas that i liked but they never got back to me, i just got an automated response with the same info their website has. Any tips or advice, would be GREATLY appreciated!

Hi Bella

I am getting married in Vegas in September. When were you thinking of getting married? The best advice that I can give you is to jump on the knot usa and hit the vegas board (http://forums.theknot.com/default.aspx?path=http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas ) Everyone is really helpful.

I had to book most of my vendors 1 year in advance. The good value for money vendors book up fast! Most hotels have a specific wedding section. I have also done everything myself as most of the compaines that will orgainse the destination wedding to Las vegas were limited and expensive! If you can afford it might be worth it so you don’t ahve to organise everything but I didn’t find it too much hassle!

If you let me know what you are looking for (as in wedding type) and budget, expected number of people etc I might be able to point you in the right direction. I can also point you in the direct of Vegas invites.

Let me know

J

Hi J,

Thank you, that’d be great. We are looking at November next year and your right, i think it’s betetr to plan most of it ourselves though i have been speaking with a wedding planner at teh MGM grand so we are now considering there. I was looking at the Venetian but their lack of communication has put me off..

We’re wanting something modern and stylish, not too overboard (naother reason why the Venetian just wasn’t right for us). Numbers wise, i think we’d be looking at 30 guests max as we’ve asked everyone to pay for themselves so mostly just family and very close friends coming. I’m stuck about what to do for the reception too, MGM can do it but not in the ballroom (small numbers) but i’d really still like something nice & private…  any helpful tips etc would great Are you buying your dress over there?? or taking one over??

Thanks heaps!!

Hi Bella,

Have you looked at Mandalay Bay? A lot of girls use their wedding chapel and it looks lovely. Also the Juno Garden Chapel at Ceasars Palace look really nice as well. Also the shark reef at Mandalay bay looks so fantastic!

For the reception the number one place is Maggianos. They are apparently really great to work with. All the restaurants will have room minimums. This was a new concept for me. Basically you have to spend a certain amount of money to use the room. Maggiano’s will let you count other things towards your room minimum such as table flowers, dj and the cake. http://www.maggianos.com/en/Pages/home.aspx. You might also want to look at Grand lux Cafe, Trevi, mon Ami Gabi, little buddah and Joe’s seafood.

Two of the things that book up fast are photography and hair/make up artisits. If you use a hotel chapel you will be restricted to using their in house photography (normally cashman which has been hit and miss on reviews. They are also super expensive for extra time and for prints. Their release cd with all images is over $800- this can be the price for the whole thing with another photographer including prints and cd). Most hire another photographer to do the getting ready shots and then after pictures and reception. A lot of people do a strip tour after the ceremony which involves hiring a party limo bus and stoping for photos at the Vegas sign and along the strip.  The popular ones are:

Photos:

Bentley & Wilson (Todd Wilson)

Mike L

Deacon Tyler

Make Up:

Glam squad

Makeup at the 702

Francesca Lombardo

Ameila (I have forgotten her surname).

I am using Todd Wilson and Francesa Lombardo.

Also things are cheaper during the week especially accommodation. Since I assume everyone will be coming from Australia and will ahev to take holidays anyway and will probably stay for a week minimum I would try and schedule for during the week to save $$ and to make getting vendors easier (Fri, Sat & Sun book quickly).

Let me know if you have any more questions!

J

Wow! Thank you so much, i didn’t even consider looking outside the hotel for services like photography and hair & makeup… you right about Cashman, photo’s arn’t given to you on disc with any packages, it’s on top and the photo’s are average. I will look into the ones you’ve suggested, i like the look of Bentley & Wilson. We’re in different months so you mind will you? lol..

I will definately look into the suggestions you’ve given me! We are going to get married mid week, prob a tuesday or wednesday. Then probably a group dinner the night before we all depart, not that i’ve thought much into the honeymoon lol. We’re thinking of Mexico or New York. New York i’ve done and loved, fiance hasn’t but have you heard much on honeymoons and do’s/don’ts of Mexico?? I keep trying to go onto the US the Knot but it keeps redirecting me to this site lol.

Thanks again, your advice so far alone has been really helpful  I hope you don’t mind if i contact you from time to time with questions..??? I’m really starting to feel a little overwhlemed i think because i can’t organise everything here locally, in person

Hi Bella

I wouldn’t mind at all if you use the same vendors lol……Todd Wilson is brilliant so I would definately reccommend using him for photos!

To get onto the USA site when it redirects you back to the aussie site got to the top of the page where the little aussie flag is next to Australia and hover the mouse over it and a us flag should also appear. Just click on that and it will send you over to the US site. My username is the same over there as well

Ask as many questions as you want. You can either contact me on here- just post a messgae calling me out lol or on the US site you can actually send private messages to people so you might want to do that and then I can give you my email address to make asking questions easier and I will be able to send you the link to my wedding website (obviously don’t want to post that information into the cyber world in general!)

I’m excited to have another Vegas bride!

Viva LAs Vegas!

Hey

Thanks, i just added you as a friend on the USA site, i’m 50pie (long story lol) i can’t figure out how to send you a msg though lol.

I love the Manadalay but just found out you can only use their vendors So, it’s back to the drawing board as i refuse to use Cashman! The florist etc i’m ok with but photography and hair/make-up should be up to me if i want external vendors.. ah well… I’m waiting to hear back from MGM Grand re their policies on these so we’ll wait and see i guess.

Are you buying a dress here and taking it over? or buying one over there?

Thx again, talk soon

Oh and I forgot to say most girls just have cashman for the ceremony then hire someone else to pick up right after the ceremony. You may have to go out into public areas for the photos or change hotel locations (thestrip has soooo many good locations for photos). We are hiring a party bus (about $85/hr from Bells transport) to transport guests up and down the strip stopping at different places for photos. There is this neon wedding chapel sign near freemont st that I want photos at and of course the belagio fountains and Paris hotel.

Most brides just grab the photos included in the package. That said there have been some good cashman photos as well I think it just depends on the photographer (as they use lots of them).

Alternatively try one of the other hotels the girls suggested. I think the flamingo also lets you bring in your own photog for a fee. The way we have gotten around it all is to get married at the vegas sign as they can’t restrict anyone from being there as it is a public space. So we have booked Todd Wilson and he will be able to do the whole thing. I am also using pam from the palatte for my flowers as the chapel I am with could only provide red or white flowers and I want hot pink! I am going to use the 12 rose bouquet that comes with my package to do my boquet toss. I am thinking of doing it in a public area like in from of the Bellagio foundtains. I like the idea of all these strangers trying to catch it! lol

As for the good/bad side of towns I have been 3 times and have never had any problems in the area around the strip etc. I think if you go out near the university and the suburbs thing can be shadier! I have stayed in the larger hotels/casinos and that is fun but the last time I went we stayed at the Summer Bay Resort which is a block back from the strip and has kitchens so you can make toast in the morning! instead of buying a huge restaurant breakfast. Also a lot of the casinos cahrge a resort fee which is on top of the room rate. Its basically a charge to use the pool etc. Crazy I know but hey its america! A few still don’t (I think Planet Hollywood but not sure). A lot of travel agents here don’t tell you that so make sure you ask if it is included in the price.

Hey Bella2012. VEGAS wow. My sister won a holiday to vegas and decided to get married while they were there. As long as you plan to stay on the strip in vegas you should be fine.

They just emailed a little chapel in vegas before they left and booked a service there. It was quite easy and hussel free.

Much easier then the one i’m trying to plan.

Let me know if you need anymore info and i can contact my sister.

Good luck 

Hi Bella,

how is your planning coming along? Have you gotten married yet? I am going to get married in Vegas too and would love to hear about your experiences etc.

Thank you!