Oh the places we'll go!

August 10, 2008 3:13 PM

Vegas wedding: Many, many questions

OK, so me and my SO are going to pull a head-fake on our families, and run off and get hitched in Vegas. We're looking to spend several days there afterwords, generally laying about, eating, and drinking. To this end, I have several questions for the group.

1. Places to stay? We want a little luxury, but don't want to be suckers about it either. Right now, we're looking at package deals at either the Wynn or the Mandalay Bay.

2. Places to actually have a ceremony? There are so many choices here we don't really know where to go. Once again, we'd like this to be special, but not cost us an arm and a leg. We don't care about music, limos, or any religious sorts of things.

3. Places to eat? We're planning at least one fancy meal, and will likely be eating fairly cheaply the rest of the time. Recommendations for either, please. I've read up a little and I understand that many of the buffets on the strip are quite decent. How much would I expect to pay there? For our nice meal, we're considering Thomas Keller's Bouchon. Anyone here been there?

4. Suggestions for nightlife and boozing? We're not big partiers, we're more looking for some place to have a nice quiet evening with some cocktails. As an aside, we'd also like to hit a strip joint. If you can recommend a fun one, that would be another plus.

5. Anything we're missing? We don't know what we don't know, and this is our first try at anything like this.

Thanks

posted by Gilbert to human relations (13 comments total)

I'm heading to Vegas soon myself for my third visit in 3 years. I expected to hate it the first time, but I really like it - I always have tons of fun. (disclaimer: I'm a gal who goes with gal friends so have not done the romantic getaway there)

1) We're staying at Mandalay Bay this time; stayed at THEHotel (part of the Mandalay complex) last time. THEHotel was very nice; it is all suites and the rooms are spacious and the bathroom was heaven with a huge tub. Mandalay Bay supposedly also has fancy bathrooms and that is important to me, and might also be for honeymooners. The pool complex at Mandalay is very pretty and that was a big plus.* Have not stayed at the Wynn, but it is a gorgeous place with a good reputation. I enjoy drinking and gambling there.
2) No advice here but it sounds like you're not picky - find a spot you like and walk in (or drive-thru, even)
3) The buffet at Bellagio is very good and the Wynn Buffet was even better and the dining space was prettier. Dinner buffets will run $25-$35 bucks each, I think. I've also had a great meal at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris which did not break the bank (~$40 per person, with a glass of wine, entree, and dessert). Not been to Bouchon. Yet. Off strip, in the burbs is Rosemary's and if you have a car, it is very worth the drive.
4) Peppermill has been recommended as a bar to chill in by friends. I also like people watching, so casino bars can be fun for that.
5) How will you be getting around? Walking from casino to casino can be a hike. If you don't mind buses, the doubledecker called Deuce is cheap and goes from South Strip to downtown and back. Strip traffic can be heavy so I've avoided taxis although have also used a car which is nice, too. I also spend a lot of time gawking and people watching so I think casino hopping is fun.
I have Vegas tour books and an 08 Zagat's - if you want any specific info on hotels, restaurants or chapels, memail me**. I love to talk Vegas. Best Wishes to you both!
*My geek tip - use Google Map satellite and street view to get a closer look at hotels. Personally, I think some of the pools like Luxor's look like there is very little shade. Aiee! The maps are also a good way to get an appreciation for the relative size of everything.
** Why yes, I am a trained reference librarian, why do you ask? ;)
posted by pointystick at 4:41 PM on August 10, 2008

1) My friends love the Wynn (I have not stayed there yet). They also recommend Green Valley Ranch-- it's an off strip resort/ hotel. It's supposed to be nice but mellow, so if you're looking for action and excitement it's not the place for you.
posted by sharkfu at 4:54 PM on August 10, 2008

I highly, highly recommend Bouchon. It was seriously one of the best parts about my trip to Vegas. I still think about the salmon I had there, and it was almost a year ago now. The mussels are also excellent. You can also go light there in the morning with a pastry or danish (try the cheese danish, it is so good) if you want to continue the fanciness without breaking your bank. Their coffee is also awesome. They do have a coffee stand in the ground floor of the Venetian, if you want to get a danish or their coffee without having a sit-down meal in the morning.
posted by k8lin at 5:45 PM on August 10, 2008

Bouchon is an excellent choice. I had probably the best meal of my life there, but make sure you know what you're in for - it's simple food cooked brilliantly. Basically, everything is cooked in a pound of butter to make it taste extra-super fantastic. I love it, you'll love it, but if you're looking for something intentionally fancy (style as important as substance), I might suggest looking elsewhere. Michael Mina in MGM is a good choice for that.

Lastly, for a romantic vacation you should stay center-Strip and pay at least $300/night for a hotel room. Sure, you could do Imperial Palace, but the running joke with my friends is that for $79 a night they don't rinse the Clap off the comforters. You get what you pay for on the Strip, so pick a hotel, start researching, and be prepared to spend some cash. I couldn't imagine spending a romantic wedding weekend at the Excalibur, Hooters or the IP. It almost has to be Bellagio, Wynn or Venetian, in my book.
posted by GamblingBlues at 5:49 PM on August 10, 2008

My wife and I got married at The Little Church of the West by a guy that looked like Nat King Cole. I was happy with the service (took about 15 minutes, and they'll record it for you) and was glad I could cross getting married by a Nat King Cole look alike off my list of things to do in life. It's on the south end of the strip right across from Mandalay Bay (and I'll second THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay as being very nice and enjoyable.)
posted by priested at 5:53 PM on August 10, 2008

Anything we're missing? We don't know what we don't know, and this is our first try at anything like this.

Here's to it being your last try, as well.

Agree on when/where/how to tell your families. You don't want them to hear it from someone else, likewise, you don't want to tell them beforehand and give them time to be cranky and attempt to dissuade you.

Consider letting your parents throw (and pay for) a party for their friends so they can show you off, post-wedding. If they do so, show up, grin and bear it, and collect the presents.

Speaking of presents, create registries. Amazon is great for this purpose, you don't even need to leave your house.
posted by sondrialiac at 5:55 PM on August 10, 2008

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, less than 20 miles west of the Strip, is totally gorgeous and would be worth visiting on its own even without Vegas right there; if you and the SO are into nature at all, I wonder if it would be possible to find an officiant willing to marry you as the sun sets and the rocks light up? Look for contact details on their official site.
posted by mdonley at 5:57 PM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

if you're getting married in marriage duds, make a point of wandering around in them. vegas is one of the few places where you can wander around in wedding party garb just randomly. i suspect you can score free drinks with it.

for rooms, i'd suggest something center-strip like the bellagio, or maybe the venetian. particularly the bellagio if you can get a room facing the fountain. if you don't mind the smoke, the piano bar near the lobby is really quite pleasant in the afternoons, too. maybe paris, which will give you an entire suite of "we went to paris to get married" stories and jokes. i might also suggest the rio -- they've got some nice rooms, and while they're off-strip, there are shuttle busses that run regularly to other harrah's/caesar's properties.

if you're a fan of long two-person showers, the shower stalls in the pyramid rooms at the luxor are huge. (make sure you don't obscure the center-floor drain. my sweetie-at-the-time and i nearly flooded our bathroom. (oh, i am answering askme questions while tipsy, aren't i?))

as for where to get married, i would think that if you're eloping to las vegas, you could go all the way and get married by someone dressed as elvis or something equally tacky. you could also go for a themed costume wedding at the excalibur.

i've heard great things about bouchon. for buffets, my favorites are the bellagio and the rio. i haven't eaten at the wynn but i assume it's good..

oh! go see "la reve" at the wynn. frickin awesome.

and seconding getting out of LV and checking out the gorgeous scenery.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:20 PM on August 10, 2008

GamblingBlues, thanks. This is more or less what we were thinking too. It helps to have someone reinforce it.

Sondrialiac, we are totally on that plan. We will definitely make sure to selectively leak once we've gone and done something drastic.

And just to clarify, when I said 'strip joint,' I actually meant 'titty bar.' Not sure if that was evident.
posted by Gilbert at 7:40 PM on August 10, 2008

I got married in Vegas and found that it was very important to make reservations for wherever you're planning to do the ceremony. Even some of the drive-thrus require reservations and aren't as spur-of-the-moment as they sound. (The fact that you have to go to the Marriage Bureau to get your license ahead of time kind of ruins the idea accidentally getting married while drunk.)

We did the deed at Little Chapel of the Flowers and hated it. The people who worked there were unfriendly after they found that we weren't going to pay for any of their extra crap. And the decor was ugly. I was happy with the wedding itself, but the service left a lot to be desired.

I have friends who got married at Mandalay Bay, and they loved it. From their photographs, it looked like a nice, low-key, tasteful (or as tasteful a Vegas wedding as one can get) ceremony. I kind of wish we went there instead.
posted by zerbinetta at 8:02 PM on August 10, 2008

Mandalay Bay is quite nice - I stayed there recently. The beach/pool area is great and in general it seemed calmer and more relaxing overall when compared to other strip casinos (I walked in every one up to Treasure Island, but not Wynn). For actually staying I second "THEHotel at Mandalay Bay" - everything is a suite with (I believe) two bathrooms / bedroom / living room for not much more money. Slipping the desk clerk a $20 got me a strip facing corner suite on a high floor which was an added bonus. Not an issue if you're getting a package, but worth telling your friends if you expect anyone to come visit after the fact.
posted by true at 8:07 PM on August 10, 2008

Your strip club of choice is Cheetahs. Trust Mr. F and his pals, and my pal who's a local. It's not on the Strip proper, so you'll need a cab or a limo.

We got married at Viva Las Vegas, which was perfectly good cheesy fun for us. Probably not what you're looking for if you're going to be bunking in at the Wynn and eating at Bouchon, however-- it's a converted motel in a sort of sketchy part of Vegas. The big point in their favor for us was that Penn from Penn and Teller got married there, and they could handle *that,* a couple of weirdo Hollywood industry wage-slave disorganized-religion types wouldn't unnerve them that badly.

(Photography prices at Viva are just short of extortionate, FWIW.)
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 9:31 PM on August 10, 2008

My husband and I got married at the Little White Wedding Chapel in 2004. (It's the one they usually use for exteriors in TV shows where people get married in Vegas.) I have nothing but great things to say about it. We went with the "a la carte" option, preferring to spend our cash on Elvis, a photo package, and live Internet feed. We'd booked in ahead of time, but they were super busy on the day so we got pushed back about an hour. We didn't mind though; it gave us more time for the photographs. (If you want to see pictures, they start at the bottom of this page.) "Elvis" had no other appointments, so he actually stayed with us during that time (since we had no other family or friends there - my husband's Australian and I'm American). He was a lovely guy and he really talked us through our nerves, at one point even taking my partner aside for a man-to-man talk about being a good husband. The ceremony was just the Reverend, us, Elvis, and a little old lady playing the piano. Elvis asked politely whether my Dad would mine if Elvis gave me away, and I was like, "Are you KIDDING? He'd think that ROCKS." About 30 seconds before the ceremony started, we suddenly remembered to tell the celebrant that A) we didn't have rings and B) we didn't want any God stuff. He was like, "No problem." Elvis walked me down the aisle and sang "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" before turning the show over to Reverend Ron. After we said our vows and got pronounced husband and wife, Elvis kicked in with "Viva Las Vegas" and we danced in celebration. It was FANTASTIC, more fun than I'd ever expected. It cost us a fraction of what people normally spend, and we didn't have to worry about excluding anybody (since we ran off by ourselves). All marriages should be filled with laughter and dancing and Elvis impersonators and best friends.

Some advice: Take plenty of cash in small bills. We really didn't realize how many different people there were going to be to tip. Definitely get the webcam option - they leave it online for a month so you can archive it once you get home afterwards.

(As for your other questions, I'm not sure our experience has much to offer. We wanted to stay somewhere "old school" Vegas, so we stayed at the Stardust - which has since been destroyed. For entertainment, we picked up cheap tickets to see Splash at the Riviera, which is pretty much your prototypical Vegas revue complete with jugglers, celebrity impersonators, topless dancers, and the motorcycle SPHERE OF DEATH. It was surprisingly enjoyable.)
posted by web-goddess at 11:41 PM on August 10, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]