Why did you choose Las Vegas?

LaurenGarciaKrueger · March 2014

May 17 is around the corner, and I. Can't. Wait. I work so much, about 60 hours a week, and so does the FI. We have been engaged for a year, and I have to say, the beginning of the engagement was surreal. I've never been one to mentally plan my wedding, or know what colors, or what dress... Some girls dream about that during childhood. It took about 5 months before I actually started planning a trip to Las Vegas. We both have huge families, but I have never wanted anything too big/ opulent/ expensive... I just want to have fun! Dallas, Texas has beautiful venues, but WOW! How expensive! I looked at a few venues, he and I talked about what we wanted, and I decided that I didn't want to stress about a wedding, when we are both so stressed with our work. For what it would cost us to rent just a venue in Texas- we are flying to Las Vegas, having a chapel wedding with a minister, limos, flowers, cake, dinner, transportation, a Double Decker Bus, make up, nails done, hair did, and all the crazy fun that Las Vegas has to offer. OH YEAH, and a week long of vacation in a hotel. I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm getting just what I want, all the way down to renting the wedding dress. He is getting his country style wedding and a wife wearing cowgirl boots! There is so much Las Vegas has to offer. And also, since it is a "destination" wedding, we don't feel too bad about only inviting close friends and immediate family. All others are able to watch the wedding live- webcasted!

Oh, I can't wait. So, why did you choose Las Vegas?

shoebunnie · March 2014

I'm also in Dallas so I feel you on the DFW venues. We didn't want a big wedding (we've both been married before) but we did want a wedding. I really wanted a beach wedding but the only beach he was interested in was Maui which is cost prohibitive for the few guests we are bringing with us. Vegas was a great affordable option for everyone. Fun fact, the 13 people going with us have all been to Vegas and we have never been! Where in DFW are you?

ssteele04 · March 2014

for us it was a cost factor, $5000 for us to do it locally or under $3000 to do it in vegas, sure we won't have the huge turnout, but we will have a party back home

a13049 · March 2014

It was FI choice. I really just wanted to be married to my love. I would have been really happy with a simple justice if the peace ceremony, because I don't want to plan a wedding. I'm finishing my ph d courses and staring my dreaded dissertation, changing jobs and working a second part time job and still adjusting to having a little one (just turned 1!). FI loved his sisters vegas wedding and suggested we do that because it took little planing (or can depending on what you are looking for. ). So I fell I. Love with the idea too. I will say it has been a relatively easy journey this far in planning. We have a basic package at aria and the private area at wicked spoon and haven't really added any bells and whistles to either. I think planning wise all we have left it getting a party bus, my shoes and assessories, dress alterations and a new suit to Strut around in the day after we get married lol. Hope everyone else is enjoy there planning process as well

shoebunnie · March 2014

@a13049 how in the world are you managing your PhD , working, planning a wedding, and raising a baby?! I'm seriously contemplating getting mine but we would like to try for a baby and we are figuring out the finances of me not working while in school. Tell me how I can do it all!!!

greeneyezkat · March 2014

Cost, party atmosphere, we can still get married in a chapel and FI has never been there

a13049 · March 2014

I'm not really sure!!! Haha I guess I have never known any difference because as soon as I graduated with my bs I started my master I did my master in 9 months and my Ed. S in 13 months. I am lucky as a teacher I can earn most of m internship hours as I work. I took 12 hours in the summer and 6 hours each semester during the school year. Thank god, FI has taken control of wedding planning (except my obsession on TK).

shoebunnie · March 2014

@a13049 holy hell! I admire you so very much!!

missmo14 · March 2014

I visited Vegas when I was 21 and just fell in love with the city! So when FI and I started talking marriage and wedding... I threw Vegas in as an option. It was a bit of a wild card cos it is literally on the other side of the planet from us but once we started researching options and ideas we were hooked! We picked the date and had all our venue contracts and deposits paid within 2 weeks of being engaged :-)

shoebunnie · March 2014

Way to go Mo!

DixeChik19 · March 2014

We visit Vegas about once a year since we met, and it just seemed natural for us to get married there. We got engaged on the way to a local casino night fund raiser... Vegas was the next step for sure! not to mention it costs so much less than what we would want to do here in NC!

alicialfisher · March 2014

OMG @LaurenGarciaKrueger - We are date twins AND I live in Dallas, TX!! Where's your venue?

kazzy · March 2014

Had to get married fairly quickly before an overseas move, the venues were awesome, it was an excuse for a weeklong party with those we loved most and the location was great for guests traveling from around the world to attend. BAM.

jaime85120 · March 2014

I didn't want to force my family to tie ribbon around anything. I have been a bridesmaid 6 times and have tied ribbon around more darn bubble things then I care to remember (I have never really seen them used so if you're not sure about the expenses save ur pennies people) I have a small family and didn't want some cheesy Elks club decorated with yards of fabric to cover up a deer mural. In Vegas I get to show up look pretty and blame other people for mismatched flowers. Also instead of wondering if all the antlers are real my guests get to look out at lovely fountains surrounded by beautiful decor. My question would be how could u not choose vegas

Jiimanie · March 2014

We chose Vegas mainly because we had a trip planned there anyway for my 30th birthday, so to save money we turned it into a destination wedding + honeymoon, it would have been very difficult for us to afford to still do the trip and plan a wedding back here in the UK without having to leave it for a year or so (and I wanted to get married pretty quickly after getting engaged).

Also, I have a very big family, but wanted a small wedding, and having it in Vegas helps to keep it small without disappointing people too much. By combining the trip and the wedding we can still afford to have a 'home reception' with all of our family and friends when we return

Finally, we can be pretty much assured of better weather in Vegas than over here, the UK summers have gotten really unpredictable over the last few years, and April is just the same!

Also, not really a reason for choosing Vegas but my fiancé LOVES the desert, his eyes light up whenever we watch a drive-through video of death valley, or monument valley etc. and it makes me so happy to know that we're going to be in his favourite part of the world, surrounded by his favourite type of scenery, and that the first day of our honeymoon will involve driving off into the desert

LaurenGarciaKrueger · March 2014

alicialfisher said:

OMG @LaurenGarciaKrueger - We are date twins AND I live in Dallas, TX!! Where's your venue?

WOW! What a small world! I live in Fort Worth now, but grew up in Mesquite- went to college in Dallas... The metroplex! I just call it "Dallas." We are getting married at the Chapel of the Flowers. Dinner will be at Stripburger- famous for burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Also, their mixed drinks are served in mason jars. It's like a Las Vegas/ pinterest inspired wedding theme. LMBO. I am so excited. Where is your venue?

seniorprincesslnhs · March 2014

Since we come from 2 rather large families (both parents divorced and remarried and lots of siblings) and the fact that all of our family would have had to travel for our wedding no matter what, we just decided that we should tie a vacation into the wedding for everyone to have some time away and enjoy themselves while also enjoying our big day. We figured Vegas would be fun, cost effective and have something for everyone to do, so that sealed the deal!

I cant believe it feels like we just were there doing a scouting trip and signing the contract on the venue and now I am literally leaving for Vegas in 8 days and getting married in 13! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?! LOL

tcnoble · March 2014

We chose Vegas because... we live here haha not as exciting as some of you but we feel lucky to live here and know most of our guests are really looking forward to coming out for the wedding! Who doesn't love an excuse to come to Vegas??

nightstarlite · March 2014

Just moved an hour outside Dallas

. My family is spread across the country so where ever I picked to have my wedding, the majority would have to travel to get there. I originally wanted to have my wedding in Disney World (huuuge fan and it has special meaning to my fiance and I). They quoted me $75,000 for everything I wanted. That was way way way over my budget. My mother mentioned Vegas, I was able to get everything I wanted well within my budget. Plus, it's Vegas what is there not to love? All my guests prefer Vegas to Disney anyways and can't wait till June to party it up! Only a couple of months to go.

alicialfisher · March 2014

LaurenGarciaKrueger said:

WOW! What a small world! I live in Fort Worth now, but grew up in Mesquite- went to college in Dallas... The metroplex! I just call it "Dallas." We are getting married at the Chapel of the Flowers. Dinner will be at Stripburger- famous for burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Also, their mixed drinks are served in mason jars. It's like a Las Vegas/ pinterest inspired wedding theme. LMBO. I am so excited. Where is your venue?

So cool! I live in Deep Ellum, so pretty much downtown Dallas. Your wedding location and reception sound so fun! I love that it's so low-key. We are doing our wedding and reception at The Tropicana. Our wedding will be at 7pm in their garden courtyard and then reception is actually outside by their pool from 7:30-11:30. I'm excited to see how the outdoor reception plays out, but it should be fun. We're actually just calling it "the party by the pool" because we don't want it to feel super formal. Still lots to do, but we decided to not get too caught up in the details, so I'm hoping the last few weeks won't be too overwhelming!

Maybe we'll see you out on the town afterwards! My goal is to party down the strip in my dress, because why not!

EAR123 · March 2014

Love hearing these stories!

We met in Las Vegas during vacation, and thought it'd be a blast to bring it back to where it all began. With family and friends spread out across the country, anywhere we would hold the event would make it a destination wedding, so it was a bonus to pick a locale that was easy to get to and had a ton to do and see.

After looking at various venues, we decided on Mandalay Bay. Funny thing is that, completely unplanned, the chapel we are using overlooks the, ahem, European style pool where we met. Tres romantic, lol.

shoebunnie · March 2014

@nightstarlite Which direction outside of Dallas? I live in Plano but work about 45 minutes north of home.

LaurenGarciaKrueger · March 2014

I am in love with all these stories @alicialfisher: I hope we run into each other. Your wedding sounds so cool. The pool will be beautiful. I really like that you said that you aren't trying to get too caught up in the details. That is another reason we chose Vegas.... Did you do your online marriage license yet? We are doing it this weekend.

vegasgroom · March 2014

My wife and I chose Vegas because it just perfectly suited both of us. We'd both been to Vegas several times before meeting and it was the first trip we took together a few months after we started dating. Her dad came too since it was a birthday trip, they taught me house to play craps and we just had an awesome time. We went back a few more times between then and when we got engaged. Once it became time to actually plan a wedding, I suggested Vegas because I knew I wanted to throw a wild party, I didn't want it in some dressed up 'event venue' or hotel ball room like it would be having it back home and I wanted it to reflect us. Everyone knows we love to gamble and party so it all just fit. We had no idea how many guests would actually come since we knew it was expensive to travel and book rooms but ended up with 130+ which blew my mind; we were so happy to be able to have that many friends and family there with us.

a13049 · March 2014

LaurenGarciaKrueger said:

I am in love with all these stories @alicialfisher: I hope we run into each other. Your wedding sounds so cool. The pool will be beautiful. I really like that you said that you aren't trying to get too caught up in the details. That is another reason we chose Vegas.... Did you do your online marriage license yet? We are doing it this weekend.

Don't sweat the small stuff!!! For sure! I think your weddings will be so much more enjoyable because you will be in the moment and not worried about every little detail. I think your wedding planning will be much more enjoyable and less stressful as well. Yay for Vegas brides!

alicialfisher · March 2014

LaurenGarciaKrueger said:

I am in love with all these stories @alicialfisher: I hope we run into each other. Your wedding sounds so cool. The pool will be beautiful. I really like that you said that you aren't trying to get too caught up in the details. That is another reason we chose Vegas.... Did you do your online marriage license yet? We are doing it this weekend.

Thanks so much @laurenGaciaKrueger! I'm excited... and yes, that'd be so cool to see each other out and about!

We just did our marriage license application online last night! It's super easy and helps really make things start to feel real

I was a total nerd and took pictures of us doing it too. ha! Just don't want to forget any part of the process - although it can be stressful, it's the only time we'll ever get to do these things and I don't want to forget them!

Marlaina2014 · March 2014

I'm loving everyone's stories!! So cute.

We're from Canada and most of our guests are spread out over 2 provinces so instead of making them fly to boring old Edmonton, AB, why not fly to fabulous Las Vegas?! My fiance and I go to Vegas at least once a year, if not more, because it's a close US city where we can take in some racing (NASCAR and drag racing fans here) and we love to gamble and party! We both call Vegas our 2nd home so it'll be so great to host our family and friends (~53 coming) in our 'home'!

kazzy · March 2014

Marlaina2014 Aww, an Albertan sister! I planned my wedding from Edmonton, too! After moving to Japan then back home again, I ended up in Canmore. Alberta weddings are BIG in Vegas.

nightstarlite · March 2014

@shoebunnie I live up north, in the Denison area

shoebunnie · March 2014

@nightstarlite I work in Sherman!

lisaosumarie · March 2014

My brother and his wife got married in Vegas a few years ago and I loved it! My fiancé and I joked around with the idea. Both set of parents were cool with it and next thing you know here we are planning a Vegas wedding! We are happy to be having a smaller wedding and the fact that we will get to spend time with each other that night instead of small talking with 150 other people!

Why did you choose Las Vegas?

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