Las Vegas Weddings

To get married in Las Vegas:

• You must present some identification and proof of your age. (A valid passport is acceptable)
• You must be over 18 years old. (You can be married if you are 16 or 17 years old only if you are accompanied by at least one of your parents or if you have an official document verifying your parent's permission.)
• If you were previously married and divorced, you must have a copy of your final divorce decree that clearly indicates the date and place that the final decree is registered.
• Both the bride and groom must appear in person at the Marriage License Bureau at 200 South Third Street downtown. The office is open from 8AM until midnight on weekdays and from 8AM Friday until midnight Sunday every weekend. They are also open 24 hours on all holidays. A marriage license cost $30.
• Once you have the license, any person authorized by the state of Nevada can perform the marriage ceremony. One witness must be present at the ceremony. Most wedding chapels will supply the witness if you have none. Some chapels will even supply an imitation Elvis Presley as your witness.

Here are the pages of the Las Vegas Marriage License Bureau. (in English, German, French, Japanese and Italian) www.co.clark.nv.us/clerk/marriage_information.htm

Marriage Bureau - 200 S. Third St.	Marriage Commissioner - 309 S. Third St.

To officially register your marriage in your home country:

• When you return home, you will need a copy of your Nevada marriage certificate as proof of your marriage. It can be purchased at the Clark County Recorder's office for $7.
• Some countries require a certified copy of your marriage certificate and an Apostilles. Check with the marriage officials in your own country! Both documents will be available from the Clark County Recorders office for a modest fee.

Places to get Married in Las Vegas:

There are many places to get married in Las Vegas and many types of wedding ceremonies. You can have anything from a short simple civil ceremony to an elaborate, romantic wedding. You can have a themed wedding, an outdoor wedding even a helicopter wedding.

Marriage Commissioner - Civil Marriage Office

A civil ceremony

Wedding Chapels

The famous wedding chapels are part of the legend of Las Vegas. Years ago, many couples journeyed to Las Vegas to take advantage of the lenient divorce and marriage laws in Nevada. They usually came for a speedy divorce and often for a swift marriage soon afterward. A small industry developed around quick weddings. The more enterprising businesses built small quaint-looking chapels to attract their romantic customers.

Drive Thru Weddings

Today, some of the old-style wedding chapels still thrive in Las Vegas. You can even find a few of these quaint church-like chapels surrounded by picturesque rose gardens along the Las Vegas strip amongst the casinos, bars and poker palaces.

For a modest price, usually between $200 and $500, you can purchase a wedding package that includes use of the chapel, a wedding ceremony, flowers, music and photography. The more expensive packages include more "extras" like a ride from your hotel in a stretch limo or Elvis Presley as a witness.

A list of wedding chapels from Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide http://www.lvol.com/lvoleg/other/wed/chapels.html

The Casino Wedding Chapels

Most of the Grand Casinos of Las Vegas contain at least one wedding chapel. Many of them have a selection of several different chapels in various styles and sizes. Some are very elegant and much more elaborate than the small independent wedding chapels.

Wedding Chapel

The casino wedding packages cost anywhere from $350 up to $3500 and beyond. The packages usually include one or more nights in a "honeymoon suite" at the hotel. They can include photographs, flowers, music, entertainment and even a complete beauty makeover at their spa.

Special Weddings

For a memorable wedding, you can try one of the special wedding services that are offered by wedding consultants in Las Vegas. You can be married in the nearby Red Rocks Park at sunset. You can fly to the Grand Canyon for a wedding on the rim of the canyon or even in the plane as it flies above the canyon. The wedding can even be held in a helicopter as it hovers high above the Las Vegas Strip.

Written by: Mike Leco