Your plans for a huge wedding may have been put on hold, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still tie the knot. Despite COVID rearing its ugly head—the shutdown interrupted Las Vegas’s busy wedding schedule, and Clark County Clerk Lynn Marie Goya says the county was issuing about 20 percent more licenses than the previous year—here in Las Vegas there are a ton of options for brides and grooms.
In Clark County, you’ll need to go online and apply for your marriage license no more than 90 days before the event. “As far as I can find we’re still the No. 1 destination location in the world,” said Goya. “And so we wanted to make sure that we made life easier for everyone, including those who might be in a radically different time zone.” However, you must show up at the bureau with legal identification to pick up the actual license and sign the paperwork.
Chapel in the Sky
You’ll need to arrange for an officiant for the ceremony, and at least one witness (both who are often provided by the venue). As to where to hold the ceremony and reception, there are many elegant and even exciting options here. Nearly all the resorts in Vegas have chapels and wedding services, but there is much more available. “We have a lot of gorgeous outdoor locations for either the photography or the ceremony, as well as the stand-alone chapels and other facilities like the golf courses, you know, typical places like that that people go to have a big wedding, but that ability to have a very inexpensive wedding, still in a beautiful setting, is pretty unique to Las Vegas.”
One thing you’ll find at many places is being able to live stream your ceremony, and share the happy day with family and friends who may not be able to be with you. Although this was an option before the pandemic kicked in, it’s widely offered now.
“Pre-COVID, people had a lot of their family and friends around for that public declaration. Now, the weddings are much smaller. But Las Vegas is uniquely prepared to still allow couples to have that bigger wedding through streaming video and social media—some of the things that we’ve already set up before COVID, but that are really useful now so that we can include people who can’t necessarily travel anymore,” said Goya. Other changes may include limited occupancy and wearing of masks.
Here are just a few unique places to think about while planning your Vegas wedding, and keep in mind they are also excellent for vow renewals.
At The STRAT’s Chapel in the Clouds, get married high in the sky with multiple chapels, indoor and outdoor sites on four floors, plus thrill ride weddings. 800.789.9436
If you want to get all those ups and downs of marriage out of the way before your wedded bliss starts, maybe you should consider a roller coaster wedding at New York-New York. 702.740.6616
For a “quickie” ceremony and a beautiful experience, check out the High Roller at The Linq Promenade (options start at only $395). Take a spin on the world’s largest observation wheel, and when you are done half an hour later, you’ll be married. Ta-da! 702.322.0537
Other options include chapels such as The Little Church of the West, the oldest building on the Strip; drive-thru weddings; Elvis weddings; and nature weddings such as at Red Rock Canyon.
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