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Couples are always asking us to make their Las Vegas micro wedding or elopement really Vegasy, and we love getting this request because we have a lot to share.
There are so many ways to make your Vegas wedding ultra-Vegasy!
To some, Vegas means the Rat Pack era, the days when the mob ran the town, neon lights, clanging slot machines and a healthy dose of Googie design.
This is classic Vegas.
To others, Sin City is a modern playground embodied by outrageous attractions and entertainment offerings, world-class cuisine served up by celebrity chefs and the latest in interactive technology.
This is the new Vegas.
No matter what your vision is of Vegas, it’s a town that has always been over the top.
To do it right, you’ve got to go all-in, and we’re here to give you the tips on how to have a Vegas wedding that looks like a Vegas wedding.
Design Elements
Old Vegas
To really lean into an old school Vegas wedding, you’ve got to start with the design elements.
The vintage Vegas vibe that many people think of is heavy on the Googie look.
Googie architecture is a type of futurist architecture influenced by car culture, jets, the Atomic Age and the Space Age.
For example, the Vegas Golden Knights NHL hockey team has embraced the stylistic history of the city by incorporating a Googie-style starburst into their alternate logo.
Mid Century Modern (MCM) also plays a role in the historic look of Las Vegas.
Incorporate the elements of Mid Century Modern and Googie into your Vegas wedding if you want it to look like classic Vegas.
New Vegas
If neon defined the old Vegas, then LED signage defines the new Vegas.
The sizzle reels on continuously looped video boards light up the sky at night and make the bright sunny days even brighter!
All the flash and brightness helps define the new Vegas design aesthetic. As for style, anything goes.
Bring your showiest outfits, your sparkles and your bling. Look like a high roller by wearing your fancy clothes.
Turn heads with silver and gold mixed with bright reds, yellows and blue designs for everything from your flowers and your decorations to your centerpieces and your photography locations and backdrops.
Be proud to be loud and you’ll be well on your way to nailing the new Vegas elements for your wedding
Venues
Old Vegas
Old Vegas is often defined by its old Glitter Gulch style neon lights, which means there’s no better place to have a very Vegasy wedding than the Neon Museum.
It’s available for weddings, special events, photo shoots and educational programs.
Staying on theme, it’s hard to top the Midcentury Manor. This historic house is a very Vegasy venue. Remincenset of the popular Palm Springs aesthetic, this stylish venue has Vintage Vegas chic with a modern edge.
The Midcentury Manor oozes old Vegas. Couples can spend a night recreating the smooth and classy soirées of the Hollywood set who used to call the Paradise Palms neighborhood home.
Get an eyeful of the old Vegas with a venue from our sister brand Electric Sugar Elopements — a downtown alley.
Explore the parts of Vegas filled with beautiful street art and murals that you won’t see on a postcard from the Chamber of Commerce.
Amble through the back-streets and discover the beauty of the urban environment as you weave in and out of the bright bulbs and smooth neon of the oldest parts of town.
If the Vegas you crave happens to skew even older and feels more Wild Wild West, then you’ll want to choose Eldorado Canyon as your wedding venue.
Get married in one of the wildest places in the West. Historic structures, gold mining legends and the occasional howling coyote make this one of the most unique micro wedding destinations on our list.
Another old west style, rustic venue is Cactus Joe’s. Couples will feel like they stepped back in time as they mosey through the walk ways of this rustic cactus garden and nursery.
Sitting in the southwest corner of Las Vegas, this locals’ favorite spot even has a hand-built chapel perfect for micro weddings and elopements.
New Vegas
Since their openings in the early 2000s Red Rock Resort, Aria and the Cosmopolitan have been beacons for what a modern casino resort should look and feel like.
They’re each known for their swanky design, well thought out spaces, are full of interesting food concepts, and have luxuriously appointed guest rooms. If you want a new Vegas look for your wedding, try one of these.
Two other casinos that have ushered in the modern era of Las Vegas that we recommend for your very Vegas wedding are the JW Marriott and the Green Valley Ranch.
They each have a luxurious, continental, Italian design and offer beautiful green spaces and classic architectural details.
What makes that flashy and part of modern Vegas? Well, we tend to think water conservation is super sexy and the new Vegas is wrestling with water issues and winning!
Thanks to industry leading water conservation efforts, these resorts are able to keep their landscapes looking lush without destroying the environment. That’s a win-win for Vegas weddings!
Attire
Old Vegas
To dress up in the classic Vegas style, you should follow the cues from the Rat Pack.
Nail the look by donning a sharp suit or tux, made of smooth worsted fabric or “sharkskin” fabric.
Add a slim tie, a pop of orange (Sinatra’s favorite color) and a fedora and you’ve got it made it the shade, pal!
The Hollywood starlets of the time also make good inspiration, as would Jackie Kennedy.
The former First Lady’s style was elegant, classic and timeless. She and Audrey Hepburn popularized the shift dress, a short dress that hangs straight down from the shoulders with clean, simple lines.
Add pearls, arm length white gloves and maybe a scarf and you’ll be kitted out perfectly for a very classic Vegasy wedding.
New Vegas
Funny t-shirts, bling in all shapes and sizes, beachwear, hoodies and flip flops, velour leopard print bodysuits… nothing is off limits in Las Vegas.
Heck, if you’re a sports fan then why not support our two new world champions, the Las Vegas Aces and the Vegas Golden Knights?
You’re invited to join the bandwagon and rock your team merch during your Vegas wedding.
Of course, if you’re getting married and some level of sophistication is involved, might we suggest taking the traditional wedding dress and adding sequins and rhinestones in bright colors?
Or you could throw on a sparkly jacket over your dress shirt instead of a plain black coat.
A special night on the town strolling the Strip usually entails getting dressed up. If you’re not dressing to impress then you’re just another tourist gawking at those who are.
Many people come to Vegas to see and be seen, so if you’re in town for your wedding make sure you are a part of the show.
Officiant
Old Vegas
Nothing says Vegas wedding like an Elvis impersonator performing the ceremony! If you’re wanting a Vegas wedding to really look like Vegas, you HAVE to have The King.
An Elvis officiant will provide a fun and meaningful ceremony with plenty of laughs and love, plus Elvis-themed insights and one-liners thrown in for good measure.
New Vegas
Our Cactus Collective Weddings couples are always extremely satisfied with our modern officiants, who always find the right words to describe your love and this very special occasion.
All of our officiants are forward-thinking and LGBTQIA+ friendly.
You may choose a religious or non-denominational ceremony, and after you say, “I do,” they’ll take care of the filing of your marriage certificate!
Where to Stay
There are so many hotels in Las Vegas that it can be hard to choose the right one.
By their nature, they’re all Vegasy. You really can’t go wrong and we’ve given recommendations from time to time.
If you want more specific information on this topic, we’ve got you covered.
Rodeo fans may want to mosey on over to our NFR Weddings guide for specific recommendations, while NFL fans coming to Vegas for the Super Bowl get their own detailed recommendations.
Old Vegas
Plenty of classic Vegas vibes are still on display in the heart of the Strip.
The forever fabulous Flamingo Hotel and Casino has sleek Art Deco styling, a Bugsy Siegel origin story and the accessible luxury offerings to make it the perfect classic Vegas wedding spot.
Not to be outdone, Caesars Palace boasts its status as a true Vegas icon as well. Many spots around the property offer the picture perfect Vegas look.
The fountains that Evel Knievel made famous, the light bulb covered porte-cochère and the iconic gaming floor all add up to a classic Vegas experience.
Don’t overlook a stay on Fremont Street. The El Cortez was downtown’s first major resort.
In 2022, the original 47 hotel rooms underwent a complete remodel that brought modern comfort and style to some of the most historic rooms in town.
If you want your Vegas wedding trip to look and feel like Vegas, you could sure do worse.
New Vegas
The newest hotels in town are doing a great job of combining Vegas’s past with its future.
The Circa is the newest casino resort downtown, bringing a classic Vegas vibe into the modern era.
Rooms overlooking Stadium Swim have front row seats to the year round pool party, and sports gamblers will love the world’s largest sports book.
We hear that Legacy Club, the rooftop lounge, is pretty spectacular too.
One of the latest and greatest attractions at the MGM Grand, Top Golf, sits just down the sidewalk and is fast becoming a must-do in the new Vegas.
This multilevel interactive driving range/bar/nightclub/pool/restaurant is indicative of the entertainment offerings sprouting up all over town. (Area 15 being another.)
Resorts World is the first brand new mega resort to open on the Strip since 2010. It embodies everything you could ask for about the new Vegas.
Lots of interactive slot machines, high end retail shops, an upscale food hall, revolving art installations and much more.
Resorts World claims to be the place where luxury world travelers dine, play and stay — and they’ve got the amenities to back it up.
Vegas Baby, Vegas!
Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world and has been for 70 years. More than 5 million couples have gotten married here, and the desire to get married in Vegas is not fading any time soon.
If you’re wanting a Vegas wedding to look like Vegas, you’re in good company, and we hope our informative tips and tricks help you make it happen.
Fill out our no-obligation inquiry form below to get connected with one of our micro wedding and elopement experts today and get your Vegas wedding plans into high gear.
McKenzi Taylor is America’s go-to elopement and micro wedding expert, often featured in small and major media outlets, such as the New York Times. With over 15 years of wedding photography experience, it was after planning her own Las Vegas elopement in 2016 that McKenzi felt her purpose shift into elopement coordination. She started Cactus Collective Weddings soon after in 2017. Since then, she’s become a WIPA board member, and has helped well over 1000 couples get hitched in style around Las Vegas, San Diego and Black Hills.
