Faith4Keep's Wedding Review | Day 3 of 5 - WEDDING!! RECEPTION! Later: Group Tour of Strip

xoeden · March 2015

lauradean89 said:

Ha yeah this I am learning quiet quickly.

We don't mind paying the balance on the day its more because its going to be an international payment, even if I do tell my credit card company I am going away and will be making a big purchase they will probably decline it to start with and then I will have the stress of trying to call the UK to get them to allow the payment! (happens to us quiet a lot when we go abroad). They always think it must be fraudulent (which I suppose is helpful if your card has actually been cloned) less so if you are trying to make a genuine payment.

I am sure we will work something out though. Keep the reviews coming they are amazing and exactly the kind of detail that is really really helpful

If you know who your big purchases are, give a call to your credit card company in advance and say, "Hey, I'm going to be travelling to Las Vegas on these dates, but I also am expecting to make larger dollar value purchases with (vendor 1), (vendor 2), and (vendor 3) as we are using them for our wedding. I am giving you a heads up so that we will not have issues at the time while we are in the United States."

We deal with issues like this all the time at work (Canadian company selling products online, usually within the US but sometimes overseas). Sometimes telling the CC's you're travelling isn't enough with large dollar values, since it's a red flag on another level. If you give them vendor names, they're more likely not to give you headaches.

xoeden · March 2015

@faith4keep, thank you so much for your review. I'm sorry it was such a bummer experience for you, but that's amazing information to know!

adverb · March 2015

Thanks for updating us on the strip tour. Sorry it was sort of a bust, and I agree that those basic tour companies should know that information. I'll give them a pass on Mirage because maybe it closed down super recently and they didn't know. But the Sirens show not being there since 2013??? Yeah that's unnecessary.

For what it's worth I saw it back in 2013, and it was okay, but wasn't spectacular. I also think you made the right choice about Freemont. It's a little tricky to get back without a car and it's something people can seek out on their own if they really want.

zoevegas2015 · March 2015

Another great instalment - thank you! I'm sorry to hear the strip tour was not all you expected. Did you do the tour in your dress?

You've now got me really worried about our group strip tour. We have 26 people including ourselves plus Todd of Bently Wilson photography all in one limo. We are booked same time as you from 8pm to 10pm on Tuesday night. Pick up is straight after our reception from the Eiffel Tower Restaurant and everyone will be dropped back at the same place for more partying - a nice lounge bar still to be decided. As yet we have no set stops other than the welcome to Vegas sign.

I have concerns about the logistics of getting drink to the limo as its straight after the reception and also keeping everyone together and interested. No concerns about friends/family - family are as much party goers than anyone!

Any advice? Please!!!

Again thank you so much for your amazing reviews, have loved reading them all

lauradean89 · March 2015

Thanks for the info on the strip tour! We are planning to do one of these. Luckily my family can party with the best of them as long as the music is quiet flexible with some club classics in there it should be fine (my family can also drink with the best of them) so I'm hoping the strip tour will be a hit and provide some sights. Only my grandparents and Aunty have ever been to Vegas before so even if some stuff isn't quiet as it should be we will be an easy crowd to please as we won't know that much different (typical English tourists!

zoevegas2015 · March 2015

Lauradean, how many do you have going on the tour and have you got any set ideas where to stop? Your family sound similar to ours!

lauradean89 · March 2015

@zoevegas2015 we are planning on doing 3.5 hours (at the moment very early preliminary planning) stopping at:
> the welcome to vegas sign
> bellagio fountains
> mirage volcano
> Fremont street light show

This is all from what they are advertising on their website as being doable (presidential limos). We are inviting a total of 28 people including us but there is 5 kids in there as well. So it all depends on who comes and what people want to do.

The kids in our family are pretty easily pleased and will go to sleep if tired. As all the fam will be there I'm hoping if kids don't want to get out people could take turns with them.
As my Dad said to me it's great your thinking about them but at the end of the day its your wedding day, they aren't your kids so do what you want to do. That's mainly why I've chosen a strip tour as that way the kids are good to go. They will sleep in their seats If necessary too or the older ones will love the lights & music. Win win.

We are hoping to have the limo pick us up from cosmopolitan after the meal and drop us back there as well. Again I'vekind of come to the conclusion you can only make things so easy for people and there is going to have to be some effort on their part. I have absolutely no idea where everyone is going to be staying so this is the easiest way finish where we begin.

I've purposely chosen a late wedding time to allow for this (1600) again kid friendly time hoping to eat at wicked spoon about half 17:30 with pick up for limo at 20:00 until 23:30. Night entertainment then sorted. Peeps can do what they like afterwards gamble, sleep drink etc.

Hope this helps? Anyone who thinks there is a flaw in my plan please let me know. I'm aware kids will need seats. Hoping to hire them and have checked with the limo company they are happy for kids and booze. They will only accept toddlers and not infants from my enquiries which I think is fair enough. I am getting them to let me know what counts as a toddler. At present youngest child will be 2 at time of wedding. If more kids are born in the meantime that's just life and I am adopting the view that I cant expect everybody elses lives to stop for my wedding at the same time they cant expect us to change our wedding plans to suit their growing families. Give and take

adverb · March 2015

@lauradean89 Hm... perhaps someone can provide better input, but that sounds like a LONG time to do a strip tour, especially with some folks who may want to retire early. I love Freemont, but I worry it'll add so much to your time. If you cut it out I think you'd have a nice pad of time to do all those things without it being quite so long, plus if people want to jump ship early, they could easily take a cab back (whereas from Freemont it will be much pricier). Also, are people coming from the east coast? If so, 11:30 is gonna be 2:30 there time and is gonna be SUPER late.

Perhaps someone can provide better input who has actually done this, though...

lauradean89 · March 2015

@adverb we are all coming from the UK so will have already got used to the time difference as this will be a holiday and destination wedding rolled into one for everyone.

Most UK wedding receptions go on until midnight when the licensing laws usually mean they have to stop selling alcohol so I dont think the late finish is going to put too many people off (even my grandparents can drink with the best of them!).

This is going to be our only entertainment. As I said my family are quiet used to going out and about and doing things Ie staying up past 10pm.

This is a recommended strip tour time from the limo company for comfortable amounts of time at stops etc. I have seen that other people have said that 2 hours isn't long enough. Again this is a choice people don't have to come but as I said above not many of us have ever been to vegas before so it's a really cool idea to let everyone see the sights and get some pictures and I think a quiet unique idea rather then just going to a bar which could get expensive.

You have to allow time to get in and out the car also and with potentially 28 of us that could take some time in itself. Plus isn't traffic in vegas notoriously bad? I'd rather not feel rushed and have plenty of time to do stuff (I'm someone who turns up to appintments 20mins early just in case).

adverb · March 2015

@lauradean89 Ahh gotcha. Well you know your guests the best. My guests are all coming mostly from the east coast so I'm trying to schedule everything wrapping up early. If you think you can do it then go for it. It sounds like a blast!

Also, traffic in Vegas can be bad but depending on what day and what time. At night and on the weekend is the worst for traffic - yes.

[Deleted User] · March 2015

zoevegas2015 said:

Did you do the tour in your dress?

I had totally planned on it, and ended up not doing it. Since there was a long break between the wedding and the strip tour, I took off my dress and decided I wasn't putting it back on. My wedding dress was actually very comfortable but I felt too formal for a party night out.

zoevegas2015 said:

I have concerns about the logistics of getting drink to the limo as its straight after the reception and also keeping everyone together and interested. No concerns about friends/family - family are as much party goers than anyone!

Based on what you've said here, the timeline I think you can expect is as follows:

8pm-8:15pm - Load up (if the reception ends on time / you can usher everyone out quickly)
8:15pm-8:30pm - Travel to Las Vegas Sign
8:30pm-8:55pm - Las Vegas Sign (including unloading/reloading)
8:55-9:15pm - Travel to somewhere else - I'd suggest Mirage* if it is open
9:15-9:35pm - Show wherever, unload/reload passengers
9:35pm-9:55pm - Travel then drop off at ???

What will take the most time for you is the unloading/reloading if you have reserved a true limo and not a bus-style, since that takes longer for people to get in and out of.

*Something we discussed later is that Bellagio Fountains is something most everyone will make a point to do / see, so might as well try for something different if you can. Call & check to see if Mirage's volcano show is playing. If not, then I would do the fountains. As for drop off point, consider Voodoo Lounge @ Rio - a spot probably no one will go to on their own but has a beautiful view of Las Vegas. Fairly cheap cab back to the strip.

lauradean89 said:

@zoevegas2015 we are planning on doing 3.5 hours (at the moment very early preliminary planning) stopping at:
> the welcome to vegas sign
> bellagio fountains
> mirage volcano
> Fremont street light show

This is all from what they are advertising on their website as being doable (presidential limos). We are inviting a total of 28 people including us but there is 5 kids in there as well. So it all depends on who comes and what people want to do. We are hoping to have the limo pick us up from cosmopolitan after the meal and drop us back there as well. Again I've kind of come to the conclusion you can only make things so easy for people and there is going to have to be some effort on their part. I have absolutely no idea where everyone is going to be staying so this is the easiest way finish where we begin.

I would also agree with the other person about 3.5 hours being a long time. 2 wasn't long enough to see everything but I do think it was the right amount of time. If your guests will be there for any other period of time, they could go see the bellagio fountains (example); I think the Las Vegas sign is a draw for this type of thing since most people can't or won't go see it on their own.

Also, DEFINITELY double check that the Mirage show is actually running!! It wasn't for my wedding

Finally, this depends on your group totally, but I think the second my group hit Freemont street we would have dispersed. It's a large area with lots of "shiny things" if you know what I mean. Easy to get distracted. Anyway I read your other reply, I do hope it works out for you! One thing that is really nice about the strip tour is that people can get off at any time if they are tired or just want to stay wherever they are.

lauradean89 · March 2015

Thanks for the advice @faith4keep I will bear all that in mind.

My thinking is based mainly around what the hell people are going to do with their kids due to the licensing laws.

its all my sisters who have children and I love the kids and I love my sisters so I don't want anyone missing out on anything because of childcare issues. This is kind of going to be an opportunity to get some pictures done as well (I am planning on going in my dress so will be bearing this in mind when I choose one, which I haven't done yet).

Noted about Freemont street. I suppose it will have to be a bit like when you go on a cruise you can go off on your own but you need to be back at a certain point at a certain time or you get left behind.

Thank you though for your reviews they are so good and so full of details. Its giving me food for thought about everything that I am doing. I am really looking forward to your budget review (mine has already gone quiet a bit over what we originally thought would be a good amount to spend).

Faith4Keep's Wedding Review | Day 3 of 5 - WEDDING!! RECEPTION! Later: Group Tour of Strip

Re: Faith4Keep's Wedding Review | Day 3 of 5 - WEDDING!! RECEPTION! Later: Group Tour of Strip

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