You are ready to go to the wedding capital of the world and make it official huh? Here are a few things you need to know before you hop on a flight to Vegas.
IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATE: The Las Vegas Marriage License Bureau is reopening Monday April 27th 2020 with new guidelines to continue Clark County's containment of the Covid-19 Virus Pandemic. It is unknown how long these restrictions will be in place but I am highlighting the guidelines as of April 2020:
• Complete marriage license application online before arriving to the bureau at mlic.vegas
• Both people must be present with government issued IDs
• Cash and checks will not be accepted - you must have a credit card or debit card to pay for your license
• Only 1 kiosk will be available in the lobby
• Only 3 couples will be allowed in the lobby at a time
• Couples will stand 6 feet apart while waiting
• Anyone with a temperature over 99.9 degrees will be turned away
• Couples must wear facial coverings or masks - handmade or purchased
• Counters will be sanitized between couples
• Bring your own pen or a disposable pen will be issued to each couple
For more information visit here.
To apply for your license visit here.
1. Don't forget to get your marriage license.
It is really the only thing you absolutely NEED if you want to make your union legal. Clark County does not have a wait period between submitting your application and receiving your license. So you can just show up and get married the same day. But it is often recommended you preregister to avoid a wait if the bureau happens to be busy that day, which you can do 60 days in advance.
To get a license you do NOT need to be a Nevada resident, but you must be 18 years old, have no living husband/wife, and must use your legal name as it appears on government issued IDs. You must pick up your license in person and both parties must be present with a valid ID including a driver's license, passport, US or foreign issues ID, military ID, or resident alien card.
The Las Vegas Marriage License Bureau located on the northwest corner of Clark and 3rd Street at the Regional Justice Center in Downtown Las Vegas.
201 E. Clark Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Please note if you are not a US resident there may be some additional steps in your own country before you leave, and you may be required to get an Apostille from the Nevada Secretary of State to register the marriage in a foreign country.
Once you are married do not forget to order your certified copy of your marriage certificate. These may be necessary for filing taxes and changing your name, which is a whole other monster.
For more detailed information on getting your license click here.
2. Oh yeah, and a witness..
Okay okay, so you do need one other things to get married. A witness. Someone who is 18 years or older who can verify you were indeed married and sign the legal license. This is easy enough if you have guests coming with you to your wedding. But if it it just the two of you, you may be wondering what to do. Many wedding chapels can provide a witness if need be. More often then not though, in a wedding chapel or an elopement, your photographer will be there as your witness. We have been a witness for hundreds of couples!
3. Vegas is a desert... That means...
Las Vegas is a desert. That means the summers are HOT and, which surprises many people, the winters are COLD.
Most people know the summer heat is brutal but until you experience it you may not realize how insane 118 degrees can be. Beyond uncomfortable, it can be dangerous with heat stroke being a possibility. The hottest months are the end of June til the beginning of September. Even the night time in these months, while less brutal, can stay above 100 degrees. Just be aware of the dry heat, because in a gown and tux at noon is exhausting quickly. There is almost no avoiding the summer heat. Just expected it and plan for it. And drink tons of water!
A lot of people do not think a desert can get cold. While we do not get snow usually, it can get well below freezing at night from December to February. And the winter season can be windy, which makes the cold air feel like needles. Most will get lucky with wonderful weather that is chilly but not unbearable. But always do your homework prior to your wedding day and check your weather.
4. The peanut gallery you didn't invite.
As a major tourist destination the Strip gets busy. We get over 40 million visitors a year. Most of that fits on the 4 mile long boulevard we are famous for. Summer, holidays, and conventions draw in larger crowds at once. This means you will get your celebrity moment as you walk through the hotels and strip, which may or may not be great depending on how you feel about attention. You will get highfives, congratulations, and the occasional person who thinks they are so original as they yell "Don't do it!" If you do not like the attention it could be overwhelming. But beyond the attention aspect you have to realize that photos on the Strip will be filled with people in the background. Patience and sometimes kind people will help you out but likely every spot will be packed.
More importantly to consider is the date you want to do your wedding. Realize there are many dates you may need to book out far in advance for private vendors, or companies that service multiple couples in a day may book up quickly. Any sort of specialty date should be booked in advance. Numerical dates are very popular, for example 02/20/2020 with recurring numbers, or dates that are in number order like 10/15/2020. Also some Holidays are popular for weddings such as Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, and New Years Eve.
There are many huge events throughout the year that may affect crowds, traffic, and even hotel pricing. If you find hotels are limited or very expensive it may be due to one of the crazy events like CES in January, EDC in May or June, and the Rodeo in December. Just realize that because one weekend you look into may be very expensive, maybe scope out the following weekend because pricing may have just been inflated for an event. Another place you may want to keep an eye out for planning around is events at the T-Mobile area, which frequently hosts huge concerts, fights, or sporting events. A peak at their calendar will keep you from a headache of being late to your own event. Additionally the Las Vegas Raider's stadium is being built and opening in 2021 which will have a huge impact on traffic due its proximity to the Strip.
I hope these details are helpful as you plan you fabulous Las Vegas wedding. Congratulations on your upcoming union!
xoxo, Aly
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