Just booked flights and hotel for June wedding -now the wedding to book.....!!

manchester21 · August 2013

Evening all So I have just paid for our flights to vegas next year! We are leaving on 22nd June from Manchester, got 4 nights in Wynn Tower Room and will get married on the 24th!! So excited that we have the flights booked! Now need to sort the day, on my list is; Chapel-thinking graceland chapel for an elvis wedding about 2pm Photographer-Todd Wilson for 2 or 4 hour strip shoot? HMU-glam squad or Harmony? Drinks after the shoot-thinking chandelier bar Olive in Bellagio for our wedding meal about 7pm-classic vegas and not crazy posh or expensive. Had good reviews from other VB. My dress, shoes, veil, his outfit we will bring from the UK Have I missed anything? Thanks xx

vegasgroom · August 2013

Second chapel to check out:

http://www.vivalasvegasweddings.com/

I only know of it because the officiant my wife and I used, Rev Roland August, is one of the Elvis's they use and we really enjoyed his ceremony.

Of course, if you're not committed to using a chapel, another option would be to just hire him to come marry you somewhere else, as Elvis, and bypass the money spent on the chapel and then you get the side benefit of having Todd shoot the whole day instead of just before and after, so you end up with more ceremony pics from the photographer of your choice. Rev Roland will come to you if needed, http://www.themobileminister.com

Can't go wrong with Glam Squad or Harmony; both get consistently great reviews here.

manchester21 · August 2013

Thanks vegas groom-will look at that chapel too, think we will go for a chapel, I can't handle another decision as to where to do the wedding! I was thinking 4 hour package to cover us leaving the hotel in our corvette hire car, that's a must from my FI that he has a cool car for the trip! Then yes he would have to wait the 30mins of the ceremony but could capture us outside and then driving off to the various sites, do you think this could work?

vegasgroom · August 2013

Yep typically Todd can shoot everything except inside.

chyannek · August 2013

I got married at Viva Las Vegas Weddings...at the gazebo. They were super nice there, it was perfect.

secretbride75 · September 2013

Long time lurker, first time poster. Just the 2 of us December 5th 2013, 15 years to the day we started going out! Graceland wedding chapel, then Mon Ami Gabi and then who knows. Using perfect hair and makeup who have been amazing to deal with. If you decide on Graceland, ask for Brendan Paul as your Elvis as he looks amazing! There are great videos on youtube. Congratulations to you both x

manchester21 · September 2013

Hi all - booked Graceland Chapel with Brendan - can't wait! Been all over youtube watching weddings!

Secretbride - love 15 years to the day! I am considering Mon Ami Gabi and also Olives at Bellagio for our wedding meal

secretbride75 · September 2013

So pleased you have booked Graceland, the videos are truly hilarious! I have my shoes and going into Liverpool next weekend to look at dresses. I will be a high street girl, what do people think?

manchester21 · September 2013

love your shoes - where are they from? I have seen some great ones from pink but they are quite high and open toe and would prefer closed toe like yours.

Love the simple elegant dress too, great considering the heat, it would look stunning. I have seen a short Ellis bride dress that is strapless corset then big knee length taffata- considering that but off dress shopping with my girlfriends on friday so will let you know!

I think high street is absolutely fine. We are having a party when home (las vegas themed of course!) so will get second chance to wear my dress - woo hoo! just need to find it!

secretbride75 · September 2013

Shoes were from Faith in Debenhams and they had them on ASOS too. Your dress sounds fab, very 1950s to tie in with Elvis! We are having a party when we get back, only our parents know we are getting married so we really are running away to do it! Let me know how you get on with your dress shopping.

manchester21 · September 2013

that sounds fab - I couldn't keep ours a secret - that was the plan.

I will repost after friday and let you know my dress choice - keep in touch! You can be my bridal scout as you re 5th Dec this year - woop woop!

Have you got a photographer? I am debating between Bentley and Wilson and Keith Kaplan - both been great with email comms but Keith is cheaper, has own transport so we don't need to pay for that and does pictures in more options - I will start a new thread on photographers and see what knotties think. Please do let me know if you have a photographer booked - I really want to do a strip tour for our memories.

secretbride75 · September 2013

No photographer booked, just going with the chapel package and taking our own camera to capture us getting drunk

Over the last 9 months I have seen nothing but glowing reports for Todd from Bentley and Wilson. For the strip tour we would probably go with presedential going from the reviews on here and on the internet. I will defo keep in touch as nice to have a fellow gracelander to get excited with, and will be honoured to be your LV bridal scout

MishMashPotato · February 2014

@manchester21 we are booking our wedding from Manchester too!!!! I'm just curious as to who you booked with? Did you go for a package deal?

We are looking at Thomas Cook or Virgin Holidays but we are still trying to figure out if booking the flights and hotel separately works out cheaper because I know the package deals include resort fees!

Any help or advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated. We are just starting to plan!!! EEEEeeeekkkkk. Too excited!

ssteele04 · February 2014

We have a room block at our hotel, we are getting married at The Flamingo, and Im having Harmony do our hair/makeup

manchester21 · February 2014

Hi mishmash potato (great screen name!) sorry for the delay, not been on for a few days. We booked through flight centre using Virgin Atlantic in premium economy (check us out!) did look at Thomas Cook but awful reviews and wanted something bit nicer for this trip! We got the flight and Wynn tower room with all resort fees, wifi and breakfast at tableau each day (4nights in LV) for about 3k so I was happy to pay that for the posher flights and 4 nights in a lush room at the Wynn. I have been all over this forum, great advice and then boosted with trip advisor, google and wedding wire, so far Ceremony-little church of the west-we changed from Graceland chapel as time got nearer we felt we wanted a more classic ceremony. HMU-gone with glam squad, great reviews, good email contact and very reasonable, think it was $160 for air brush make up and hair. Photography-big wobble with this, was looking at Wilson and Bentley and Deacon Tyler but went with Laura graves from top banana-great website, great reviews and good style of photos-don't think any would have been bad. This was one area that I just needed to get booked up as I was getting in a state over it! Planning drinks in chandelier bar after the photo tour then I have booked a patio table at prime in Bellagio-feeling that Bellagio is classic Las Vegas-we will go to the arts district and Fremont street on the photo tour. We then head off to Death Valley, Yosemite and down the PCH for our honeymoon! It's been ok doing it online, everyone has been great at getting back in touch-you feel better once you have made a decision, let me know if you have any questions xx

ssteele04 · February 2014

keep in mind also if you are getting married at a chapel on the strip and you have guests they will need to pay for a taxi back to wherever you are going...i know that sounds pretty obvious but my friend just got back and that was a cost that no one really had budgeted...

spoon1984 · February 2014

Mishmash - Hi, thought I'd throw in my two cents. I booked through expedia for July 2013, BA Flights from Glasgow and 7 nights in a Terrace suite at the cosmopolitan for £3000. I was happy with that as the room alone was around £1800+ on other sites. In 2011, I went with Thomson's from Glasgow - Manchester - Vegas staying in the Wynn for 7 days (£1050) and was also very happy with the price and flight. In my experience it's always been cheaper to book a package.

MishMashPotato · February 2014

@Manchester21 Your wedding sounds amazing!! I have looked at Little Church Of The West but thinking we may go with Chapel Of The Flowers because I there website seems so easy to use and for family to view here in the UK!

I do love the look of the LCOTW though!! It looks so beautiful! I also love the history and that its close to the Vegas sign!!! I've done so much research on this site. Its amazing!!! So helpful. If you don't mind me asking did you book the whole package including Death Valley and Yosemite through Virgin? Was the 3K just for the hotel or hotel and flights? Were thinking of going for a MGM Grand Signature one bed suite. Even though it does look really nice and is an upgraded room to what we would normally get on holiday, I would love to stay in a posher hotel!! How many people are you having coming with you? Were looking at around 15 in total!

Nice small number of close family and friends.

@ssteele04 I'm hoping since we have a small number of people attending they can meet at our hotel (if not staying there already) and we can go to the chapel together! Theres so much to think about. Im sure I will forget something so thanks for the advice!

This forum is amazing!

@spoon1984 Thats an awesome deal!!! I have been on Thomson's website and they don't seem to be doing flights to Vegas

I like that with a package we can just put a deposit down and save more money so we put the deposit down for the chapel and the photographer at the same time !:)

spoon1984 · February 2014

Sorry Thomas Cook I'm always getting the two mixed up!

manchester21 · February 2014

Hi -

ahh - thank you! Its so exciting, I can't believe that on 4 month countdown! Just the two of us going, I'm quite glad I don't have the pressure of arranging for friends and family - another thing to worry about!

3k was just for the flights and the 4 nights in the Wynn. Tower rooms include lots of good extra and no one has had a bad word to say about the Wynn, we did stay at the Aladdin in 2007, its now Planet Hollywood so we are happy to stay in a different location of the strip.

I have booked all the hotels for the honeymoon separate, we are in the Ahwanhee in Yosemite, expensive but amazing location, I managed to get a very helpful national parks person on email who took pity on me and helped us get a room because they are like gold dust for that hotel!

Try booking.com to get an idea on hotels, often their review score matches very well with trip advisor and they have free cancellation if you change your mind.

have fun and enjoy the planning, so much can be done over email

cirena166 · February 2014

@manchester21 So jealous of your time at the Ahwanhee! Sooo pretty. <le sigh> How long are you taking for Death Valley/Yosemite/PCH? It's about a 2-hour drive to Death Valley, and about another 6-7 to Yosemite. If you're going the southern route to Death Valley, stop by the Amargosa Opera House. Super cute, small, kitschy and totally American. If you're going the northern route through Beatty, stop in Rhyolite for the art and ghost town. And if you hit Scotty's Castle, don't tell me. I've been wanting to go for 6 years.

MishMashPotato · February 2014

Thanks @manchester21 sounds like you got an awesome deal!! Sounds like your gonna have a great time and a beautiful wedding!! Can't wait to see how you get on! How long are you away for in total? We were looking at doing San Fran too but thinking it may be less stress and more fun if we have a full two weeks in Vegas.

manchester21 · February 2014

Hi Cirena-we are doing 1 night stovepipe wells in Death Valley, 3 nights Yosemite, 4 nights down the PCH then 2 nights in Palm Springs. Will do the opera house, already had rhyolite on the list and will look at Scotty's castle too-thank you not heard about that one! Mishmash-14 nights in total, could easily do full time in Las Vegas but we adore hiking and want to have the driving side of the holiday for my future husband! We did San Fran a couple of years ago when we did Route 66 (started there instead of LA as we did LA trip before!) we loved San Fran, could actually live there but thought should experience other places than go back. We are doing Carmel, cambria, Santa Barbara and Santa Monica for our 4 nights down the coast. We will then pick up the original Route 66 from Santa Monica through California as we missed this section of the route. Got to finally get to Roy's cafe! Cirena-seen your great advice for Vegas, my plan is Sunday-arrive 3pm and relax, go to sugar factory for easy chilled out meal. Can you recommend a car firm to pick us up in style? Monday-Porsche becomes ours for 3 days! Court house for licence, red rock canyon scenic drive then chapel to drop paperwork off, free time then evening helicopter strip tour then plan to go to downtown for evening-where would you recommend for drinks /meal in downtown? Tuesday-wedding day! Woo hoo! Get ready, chapel, photo tour, chandelier bar, prime at Bellagio! all sorted! Wednesday-lie in! Neon museum tour, potential show in evening. What do you think? Xx

cirena166 · February 2014

@manchester21 Sounds lovely, and you're giving yourself time to see everything. For Monday, I'd do get the paperwork and drop it off first, then out to Red Rock. If you have a wee bit of time to take a hike, it's worth it. My recommendations, from shortest to longest:
-Children's Interpretive Trail at Willow Springs picnic area, short, no inclines, petrogylphs (ancient rock art!) 15 minutes hike tops.
-Calico Tanks, some elevation gain, 2-3 hours beautiful views of sandstone Pics and route description: http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/Calico_Tank/_Calico_Tank.htm
-Ice Box Canyon, decline into a valley, seasonal waterfall at the end, also about 2-3 hours. Info: http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/Icebox_Cyn/_Icebox.htm
Come back, clean up, take the heli tour (cool idea!) and head downtown. Food downtown, oh boy.

Under the canopy: Hugo's at Four Queens, very romantic. The Triple 7 Grill at Main Street Station is also a micro-brewery and has good food. http://www.mainstreetcasino.com/dine/triple-7-restaurant-and-microbrewery. I haven't been to Oscar's at the Plaza, but it might be fun, should have a great view of the whole neon spectacular. The D and The Downtown Grand both just opened, so my guess is their restaurants would be better than, say, the California.
Fremont East: Le Thai has great Thai food. Fun bars on this side of the street include Insert Coins, a video arcade bar; Don't Tell Mama's, a piano kareoke bar where the wait staff is all professionally-trained singers who entertain when guests aren't performing; Beauty Bar, modeled after a 50s beauty parlor that often features live music; the granddaddy of them all, Downtown Cocktail Room, which has a trick door. A few streets over, on Main Street, Velveteen Rabbit get serious about the art of cocktails but isn't stuffy about it at all.
When you're thinking about a show, check out the half-price ticket booths. They are legit, mostly unsold seats for performances that day, so you can score a great deal.
Roy's Cafe, or the Roy's Motel on the way from California back to Vegas? It's a fab building, but empty, which is a shame. Breaks my vintage-loving heart.

manchester21 · February 2014

Cirena-thank you! Great hints and tips! Definitely want to do a hike in red rock, probably 2-3 hour one. I looked at Hugo's but do you think too similar to prime (both steakhouses?) what is andiamo at the D like? Know it's a steakhouse but classed as Italian so thinking we could go for a pasta dish?

Really appreciate your advice x

ssteele04 · February 2014

i look on the show's facebook page, retailmenot for deals, i have found a lot of deals that way

Just booked flights and hotel for June wedding -now the wedding to book.....!!

Re: Just booked flights and hotel for June wedding -now the wedding to book.....!!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards