Melody Willis-Williams is in the business of love. To be more exact, in the business of getting those that are in love, married. As the executive director of Vegas Weddings, Willis-Williams and her team are “committed to giving an excellent, beautiful, brilliant experience to every couple we meet,” she says.
Just how did this Chicago native find what she calls her passion for the wedding industry? First, there were two weddings that had a profound impact on her, she says—Princess Diana’s wedding and the wedding scene in Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America. “That pink dress changed my life,” she says, laughing. But it really all began when she was just a teenager, when she would watch her father officiate weddings. From there, she completely immersed herself in the business. “I just fell in love with it,” she says.
When she moved to Las Vegas 13 years ago, she turned her hobby into a career, working at various wedding venues on the Strip. Six years ago, she joined Vegas Weddings. “I’ve literally been doing nothing but weddings since I landed here,” Willis-Williams says.
At Vegas Weddings, Willis-Williams oversees all the sales and operations for the company’s 10 venues, as well as leading a team of nearly 50—from coordinators, photographers and limo drivers to stylists, planners and officiants. “We have a team of some serious wedding professionals,” she says. “We focus really hard on service here. We want to make sure everyone feels we’re here to exceed their expectations.”
I had to ask: When it came to her own wedding? “Oh, an intimate occasion with 776 people,” Willis-Williams says with a laugh. “It was epic.”
The Majestic Package
Majestic Package
When you book a wedding with Vegas Weddings you can choose from 10 different venues to say your I do’s. The main office, located downtown, holds six of the venues, including the Premier Venue, which is downtown’s largest free-standing chapel. Weddings start at $199, and that gives you five staff members to work with. Vegas Weddings also has its own tux and gown shop and Vegas’ only walk-up wedding window. Introduced last year, and a fan favorite ever since, The Majestic Package was inspired by Meghan Markle’s marriage to Prince Harry. The package is a royal experience with a photography session, a Lady Diana-inspired bouquet, a six-pence, hair and makeup, venue of your choice, two limos and all the décor you want.
