Just got back from a scouting trip to Vegas last week-- here are the (lengthy) reviews.
I have pictures AND walkthrough videos for almost all of these places, so if you want to check out a video or something, just PM me and I'd be happy to send you a link to my personal Shutterfly page where I posted them.
CEREMONY SPOTS//
Wynn: Met with coordinator Becky Salvo, who was a complete doll. Really sweet and knowledgable, gave us a walkthrough of the space (we were considering the Primrose Court outdoor garden thing) and showed us a ton of albums from recent weddings. FI and I both got a really good vibe from her. The wedding salon area is beautiful, and the Primrose Court is completely private. My only concern was that, even though they said it could hold 100 people (we're expecting anywhere from 75-90ish), I think it would be super cramped out there if we had that many guests. Other things I wasn't a huge fan of: a $750 outside photographer fee and the restriction on no outside floral at all (and their floral prices are through the roof). They do have reasonable web-hosting packages, though, so if your guests can't make it you can webcast your ceremony for up to 60 days.
Caesars: Was less than impressed (no knock to Caesar's brides, though-- I've seen your ceremonies online and they're gorgeous!) with customer service. My coordinator that I had emailed told me I didn't need to make an appointment to come by-- that I could just drop in and someone would show me around. FI go up to the wedding center and walk in, there's a guy sitting at the reception desk who says, "Yes?" (in a tone as if we're bothering him) and doesn't even look up from his computer to address us. I ask him if my coordinator is in, he says she's not. I said, "oh, okay-- well, can you tell us how to get to the Venus/Juno gardens?" Good customer service would have been to get his butt outta the seat and walk me over there to show me around (Caesar's is HUGE and confusing), but he gave me mediocre directions and said, "They MIGHT be open today. They might be closed."
Really? You're going to send me all the way over there, by myself, and not even call someone to make sure I can actually see the place? Pass. That, and the grass in both gardens is actually Astroturf (not a huge deal to me, but FI didn't like it) and it's not completely private as pool guests can kind of "see through" the ivy walls and watch you. Again, not a big deal to me, but FI is a private kinda person and doesn't want to get peered at while he says his vows.
Mandalay Bay Valley of the Falls: My coordinator, Richelle, wasn't in but another girl named Jamie was really nice and walked us all the way over to VoTF so we could get a good sense of the space. Fortunately, they had the chairs set up so I could see what it would really look like, and the space is really pretty and feels big-- 100 people could easily fit and it wouldn't feel cramped. The only issue was that the falls are LOUD, but Jamie explanied that the minister is mic'd and they have a 4-speaker sound system set up. That, and the falls actually mask the sound of traffic on the strip, which is nice. Also a plus: the VoTF ceremony package includes ceremony decor like an aisle runner, rose petals, silk swag on the guard rails, and silk pomander thingies on the aisle seats. And Richelle (my original coordinator) has been fantastic via email so far, so we're planning to go with VoTF.
Cili Restaurant at Bali Hai Golf Club: Not a lot of brides have seen this one-- it's a country club adjacent to Mandalay Bay (literally a 3 minute drive from the MB parking lot, and it's right next to the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign). This place is GORGEOUS, and they do both ceremonies and receptions here that are both beautiful and really reasonable. Seriously-- if you're interested at all, I can send you a video or pics, it's super pretty. There is a ton of stuff included in their wedding package (DJ, food/beverage, linens, centerpieces, etc are all included!) and it seems to me like the best value I've seen so far for a group of our size. My only issue here was that it's not "Vegas-y" enough for me-- it could be a beautiful county club in New York, Florida, or any other part of the US, but it doesn't scream Vegas. Might be of interest to local brides or destination brides looking to escape the stereotypical Strip experience for a few hours for their wedding.
Next up, Part 2: Reception spots and miscellaneous vendors!