So you’re getting married in Vegas! First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS! Weddings are awesome and—from what I hear—being married is even better. The following tips and suggestions are for both locals and out-of-towners. Over the last few years, I have photographed countless Las Vegas weddings and have acquired information that will hopefully help you plan your ideal wedding. Some of the following ideas are photography-based (marked by *), but most are general and beneficial to everyone. Remember, you’re basically planning a big—or not so big—party. Planning should be fun—don’t even consider stressing out.

Okay let’s begin!

If you and your fiancé are like most couples, you’ll probably figure out the date and the venue first.

DATE When it comes to weather, April, May, September, and October are generally beautiful in Las Vegas. March and November can be pleasant as well, but they are still “wildcard” months—some days are perfect as paradise, others are brisk and windy. Speaking of wind, Las Vegas has a lot of it. In fact, it is blowing hard as I type this right now. Wind isn’t going to make or break your big day, though, so don’t worry. I just want to give you a heads up on what Las Vegas is capable of—and for those of you who are allergy-prone, don’t forget the Claritin. Although wind can be a bit annoying, it’s not half as bad as rain. Since it rarely rains in Las Vegas, the chance of having a bright sun and clear skies on your wedding day is VERY good—HOORAY! June, July and August are scorching hot, but you probably knew that already. If you are planning a summer wedding, plan it accordingly. For example, don’t schedule a one-hour ceremony on the un-shaded golf course at noon—trust me, it’s no fun for anyone. (And if your family is anything like mine, they’ll never let you live it down).

Late November through February is considered the “off season” for weddings. If you plan on getting married during these months, keep in mind that you may qualify for a discounted rate from the vendors you hire (i.e. reception hall, photographer, dj, etc). In addition, getting married on a weekday (Monday through Thursday) may qualify you for another discount. Since most weddings are generally on the weekend, most vendors are willing to offer a discount during these days since the demand is much lower. My business offers 20% off any weekday wedding and I know other wedding vendors who do the same. Just ask and see what he or she can do for you. You may be surprised at the deal that is in store for you!

VENUE There are four types of venues to choose from:
Wedding Chapel
Church
Country Club/Reception Hall
Private Residence

WEDDING CHAPEL There are various reasons why couples choose to get married in a Las Vegas wedding chapel: it’s cheaper, it’s quicker, it’s smaller, it’s “Vegas” and Elvis might make an appearance. There may be additional reasons, but those are the main ones. Depending on the wedding you want to plan, this may be the perfect option for you. In and out! Those are the three best words to describe a typical Las Vegas wedding chapel. The ceremony is 10 minutes maximum, the following wedding is 5 minutes after yours, and there is no time to dillydally. After vows are exchanged, the staff photographer takes you and your new spouse to a few set locations, snaps some photos, and moves on to the next couple. Lingering is not encouraged and some chapels will repeatedly remind you that your package was 20 minutes—not 23 minutes—so please make room for the next wedding since there is limited parking and no one wants to meter park. If you want quick, inexpensive, and informal, getting married in a wedding chapel is the way to go.

* If photos are important to you, hire an outside photographer. Wedding chapels generally include photography in their wedding packages, but the photos tend to be so-so quality, cheesy poses, and overpriced. The staff photographers at wedding chapels only photograph on property and have set poses. If you want a photo tour on the Strip or more photographs at other locations, hire a photographer to pick up where the staff photographer leaves off. This way, you’ll get a much wider range of backdrops and poses. To sum it up, pay for the wedding package with the least amount of photos and use the extra money to hire a professional for a couple hours. This is assuming photos are important to you; if they aren’t, make life easier by ordering the package you want and just ask Uncle Bob to snap a few extra for Facebook. 

CHURCH A church is clearly the most traditional venue. Most churches do not have the urgent time constraints of wedding chapels, but they will be more expensive to rent. One benefit to getting married in a church is that you will probably already know the officiant and church event planner. Because of this, you can communicate your needs with them directly and ahead of time.

* Some churches have photographers they work with and it is a good idea to consider them since they have experience with the property and know “the rules” (yes, churches have rules when it comes to photography—keep reading). Churches, unlike some reception halls, do not force you to hire one of their preferred photographers and there is no additional fee for bringing in an outside photographer. Depending on the church, flash photography may not be allowed. In addition, some churches have certain areas that photographers and videographers cannot enter. Neither of these restrictions should be a problem if your photographer has the necessary equipment to work under these conditions. Just make sure to find out the specific rules from the event planner and communicate them to your photographer and videographer. It’s nice when everyone is on the same page!

COUNTRY CLUB/RECEPTION HALL These two venues are in the same category since my experiences with them have been identical. The main reason people choose to get married at a country club or reception hall is because it is all-inclusive. This means that you can do everything in one place—get dressed, exchange vows, dance the night away, etc. This is especially advantageous if you and/or your guests are from out of town and directions aren’t your strong suit. Having everything in one place assures you that Aunt Doris from Daytona won’t end up at the Hoover Dam visitors’ center when she is supposed to be in the front row at your Red Rock Canyon ceremony.      

PRIVATE RESIDENCE I have photographed a few weddings at private residences and I think it is a wonderful idea. Renting out a nice house, especially in this economy, is not as expensive as you may think. It also gives you maximum control of your wedding day. You can hire any vendor you want, rearrange the details to your liking, set up days before, and establish the exact times you want. You want a sunset ceremony? Done. You want to crash 50 feet from the spot where you got married? No problem. You don’t always have the luxury of so many options at reception halls and wedding chapels. Do keep in mind that you will have neighbors and some of them will take advantage of the opportunity to get all riled up and call the police two seconds into “The Cha Cha Slide” (this happened at a wedding I shot last year). One remedy to this situation is to forewarn the nearby residents that you’re getting married and they’ll probably forgive you if your reception is rowdy and they lose sleep.   

I’ll keep adding tips as time goes on, but these will hopefully get you started on the right path and give you an idea of what to expect when you get married in FABULOUS Las Vegas! Everything written above is based on my experiences and/or opinions from the last few years of photographing Las Vegas weddings.

If you have questions about your upcoming wedding or Las Vegas in general, feel free to email me directly or call me at 702.606.7542.

**For more information on Las Vegas weddings, I recommend reading Neon Nuptials by Ken Van Vechten. Although his book focuses mainly on wedding chapels, he offers general advice and tips on getting married and honeymooning in Las Vegas.

Free Advice on Finding the Right Wedding Photographer

When searching for the person who will take your wedding photos, take as much time as you need. Your photos will be one of the few things you have to remember your wedding day. In addition, consultations are free so you have nothing to lose. If possible, schedule an in-person consultation. If you are from out of town or too busy to meet, schedule a time to have one over the phone. Email works too, but you can get a better feel for the person via telephone or face-to-face contact. 

Think of a couple whose wedding photos you adore. Ask them who their photographer was and what their experience was like. If they were only partially satisfied with their photographer, go find another. Las Vegas will never have a shortage of good wedding photographers. If it was favorable, call up that photographer immediately and set up a consultation!

Word of mouth is very important. If you don’t have anyone in mind, ask friends and coworkers for suggestions. If they were satisfied with their wedding photographer, good news for you! You can be assured that your experience will be similar.

Ask your potential wedding photographer for references and/or testimonials. Some photographers have testimonials on their website, so look there first. Speaking of websites, don’t consider any photographer who doesn’t have a website. All serious wedding photographers have a website, not just a Flickr account.

A great way to find out if you click with this person is to have a trial run. Schedule an engagement session and go from there. If you liked your experience and the final product, go ahead and book him or her to shoot your wedding.

Just because your best friend loved her wedding photos, doesn’t mean you should hire her photographer. Her style may be different from yours. Toward which style do you gravitate? Traditional? Contemporary? Photojournalistic? Ask yourself this question and find the one whose style suits you and your fiancé.

If you like their sample work, you’re in business. You can expect photographs equally as wonderful.

If it appears that there are hidden costs and fees, there probably are. You don’t want to receive a huge surprise bill in the mail a month after getting married. Remember, these costs add up. You still have to pay all of the other wedding vendors.

Las Vegas is a transient city. This being said, there are also transient photographers who do not know the best places to take your photos. Find someone who is acquainted with the city.

Does he or she seem interested and excited about your wedding day? If not, adios! Move on.

Did the wedding photographer show up late for the consultation? If so, don’t expect punctuality on your wedding day.

When booking your photographer, make sure you receive a contract. The contract protects both the client and the photographer. The contract assures the client that she will receive specific photographic services for a certain amount of money. It simultaneously assures the photographer that the client will pay a certain amount of money in full for the services the contract promises. A contract is an important and necessary part of any business transaction. Without a contract, there is no guarantee that the photographer will show up; there is also no guarantee that the client will pay. A verbal agreement is not a contract—don’t even consider it.   

In addition to a contract, you will need to pay a deposit. This is normal. This is so the photographer can reserve the day for you and not book another wedding on the same date. Ask the photographer if he or she is the one who will be photographing your wedding. If so, that should be stated in the contract. If not, request to meet personally with the photographer who will be shooting your wedding.

Good luck and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

If you have additional questions about your upcoming wedding, feel free to email me directly or call me at 702.606.7542.

*Most of these tips can be applied to portrait photography as well.