Lucky in Love — Your Las Vegas Theme Wedding
More than a few brides and grooms who dash off to Vegas for the exciting ceremony of their dreams want nothing more, once the knot is tied, to bring some of the glitz and the glamour back home to share with friends and family. For many, this means a Vegas-themed reception.
If a “night on the strip” is what you’ve got in mind, here are some tips for bringing the high rolling glitter of Vegas back home, without losing your focus on what the party’s really about — celebrating your wedding.
Picture this: you and your new husband pull up to the venue in a glitzy white
limousine. Following the newest trend in afterparty attire, you’re donning
a stunning white satin gown that's clearly bridal, yet not confining. Your husband
is similarly striking in his crisp white tux — or perhaps even a pinstriped
zoot suit and jaunty fedora. (Get your groomsmen in on the act with some matching
felt hats.)
Together, you sweep into the banquet hall under the bright "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. Arm in arm, you stroll down the red carpet lined with the shiny brass poles and the red velvet rope that can only signify a VIP affair.
Palm trees (or full-bodied ferns) and Corinthian columns rise dramatically from the sides of the room. Strung with twinkle lights and casino lights, they create an atmosphere that’s impossible to resist.
The guest tables feature bold red napkins on white skirted tables sprinkled with poker confetti. Gold lamé chair covers accent the look perfectly. Or perhaps you chose classic black linens and chair covers, set off with bold red tiebacks and sparkling gold chargers and cutlery.
Guests found their way to their seat thanks to elegant poker-theme
placecard holders, and signs that name the tables after famous old Vegas
casinos: The Golden Nugget, Binion's Horseshoe, Jackie Gaughan. To
leave no doubt that this was a wedding, you bypassed the party-supply centerpieces
of metallic foil sprays and stuck with glamorous, traditional arrangements of
greenery and roses.
It's your wedding, and that's plenty — no need to add entertainment to make it an event. Still less do you need to lug in the baccarat or craps tables at an event meant to celebrate your union. But if you want to, that doesn't mean you can't have a lot of fun. In fact, if you’re of the mind to do so, it’s simple to add a touch of Sin City showbiz to the proceedings with:
Costumed Caterers: Your staff will seem fresh from the strip wearing the traditional Vegas attire of white shirts, visors, black bowties and armbands. For even more pop, have a lovely showgirl or two pass out your signature martinis on elegant silver trays. Carnivale-style headdresses are Vegas at its loudest, but bright pink or blue wigs paired with fringed sequined tops are just as true to form.
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The King Lives On: why not have an Elvis impersonator circulate for photo ops with the guests, or hire some “showgirls” for a pulse-raising revue before the DJ starts off the dancing? Both options will look great on your wedding video, and you'll get a kick out watching them years later.
Tabletop Tchotchkes: a scattering of coins and a mini slot machine on every table will give guests plenty to talk about while they wait for your big entrance. Does your reception includes kids? Serve them up a Vegas-style event they'll never forget: live goldfish racing. Call up your local entertainment company and see if they offer the simple accessories you’ll need (7 foot lanes, goldfish and straws pretty much covers it). Tap a kid brother or cousin to be Howard Cosell for the evening.
Forget the clinking glasses that tell the couple to kiss (and pass on the chipped barware and dirty looks from events staff). Instead, rent a roulette wheel from your local entertainment company and ask your guests to place their bets on where the ball will fall. If the betting proves too challenging to wangle a good number of kisses from the couple, ease up on the rules and count a correctly-called even or odd number, or a correctly-called red or black.
That spectacular confection on the cake table has a bottom layer marked with crisp harlequin diamonds, topped by a second layer displaying bright hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. What puts the finishing touches on this creation? A carnivale-style feathered topper, and the chocolate poker chips and dice you've scattered around the base. Nearby is the groom's cake — in the shape of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, of course.
Favor your guests according to theme with personalized cigars (you could even supply the chocolate variety), clay poker chips or playing cards. Or try foil-wrapped chocolate champagne bottles, $1 lottery tickets tucked into glassine envelopes, or chocolate dice or poker chips. Need more ideas? These new and novel poker chip lighters are sure to spark some smiles.
Any DJ should know just what to do when it comes to spinning up tunes for your Vegas wedding, but if you're doing the music yourself, start with Ol’ Blue Eyes’ "Luck Be a Lady,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” and “Fly Me To The Moon,” Elvis’ "Viva Las Vegas," Nat King Cole’s “I'm Shooting High,” and Ella’s “Ace In The Hole.”
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This couple is SO creative! Check out their Vegas theme wedding details … and just think, this was just ONE Vegas-themed table at their incredibly imaginative Disney Hotel wedding. Check out the rest of Kristin & Larry’s ideas here … how much fun it would have been to be at this wedding!
we had Panda Express bring food to our house, ricardos mexican restaurant has it where they can bring u the food or u have the dinner party there, and they have mariachis there also..
Feeding people AND entertainment for under 1K is very ambitious but can be done. Alot of calling/research is needed.
Some chapels (not hotel ones) offer a reception package, but I’ve noticed that they’re not all that great if you’re looking to eat. Champagne, Cake, coffee, cheese/crackers with music for the most part and it’s not cheap! For what I just listed runs about 575 dollars and that’s only for 1.5 hours! and it’s not unlimited champagne it’s just a “champagne toast”
I would suggest checking out local restaurants not located in the hotels (as they tend to be more expensive)
Most dinner/dessert/open bar menu’s start at $35 per person which is a good price for 4 hour time block in a restaurant.
Or you can just pick a restaurant, make reservations for your guests, and pay the tab at the end of the meal/drinks. After 8pm, I’d assume everyone has already eaten a big meal. So a light menu would be cheaper to accommodate.
G’Luck!
That’s the thing…we are getting married at 8pm. We will also have children with us for a couple hours after that, and then it’s adult time. I would love to do something with dinner and entertainment!! :-?
well if u have dinner at a plc that has entertainment that would be cook…ie…idian cusine…my niece got married at the stratospere so we all got to hang outside there, depending on what day u get married, theres alot of outdoor(free) entertainment
:-? Any ideas for Vegas after wedding dinner?? Is anyone familiar with Vegas?? What would be a good place for about 25 people?? I would like to stay at 1k or under
If people are going to come out to attend your wedding, then yes, you might have to spend 1K on dinner (that’s still really cheap!!). You can do it up nicely by arranging in advance a dinner party - where you give guests a couple of choices for dinner, and only serve soft drinks, beer and wine at the table. Pick a nice (not super fancy) restaurant and you should be set. Your friends will understand, especially if you have told them that you are on a budget.
:-? IDEAS NEEDED!! I am having a vegas wedding and then a reception back home I of course want to wear my dress again at the reception, but i’m confused about the guys attire and much more lol…for one I want them to NOT be in the traditional tuxedo, but will that look funny if i’m in a traditional dress? and do they rent everything all over again for the reception? plus we have about 25 people going to Vegas with us do we pay for the dinner after the ceremony?? I don’t want to fork our 1k or more dollars just on dinner any ideas???? We are getting married at the vivalasvegas.com @ 8pm (outdoors)…..
Kellye,
I am doing the same. We are reserved for Caesers Palace on 6/7/08 and then a local reception the following wekend. I was wanting to incorporate a Vegas theme also. I just started looking. Good luck.
that vase idea sounds cute…we happened to have a slot machine zippo lighter and its on 77 and the 3rd roll 1/2 on 7 so we’re gonna get it engraded w/ our names on it….what was cool is that the best gift we got was a margarita machine…wooo hooo…best driving home from the bar…lol………BEST WISHES to all of yous
We are getting married in Vegas and having a reception back home also. The one idea I have that no one else really mentioned was for centerpieces. We went cheap and went to the dollar store and got rose bowls (kinda like fishbowls) and then another “vase” to fit inside that. In between the two bowls we are putting play money, poker chips, and dice…Then the flowers go in the inside vase and that’s that…It is really inexpensive and it looks awesome. My maid of honor surprised me with it at my shower and I loved it!
I had the pleasure to attend and film a Vegas wedding on 07.07.07. I must say it was really something special! I have never seen so many weddings occur on the same day. Even the 115 degrees heat didn’t stop them.
We got married at the Viva Las Wedding Chapel and it was amazing!!! They do all types of theme weddings and we did the Pirate theme. It was so much fun. My wife Sarah and I dressed up as a Captian and his sea wench and all of our guest did the same! We did play on getting married there on 777 but book to late as they were all booked out. =( But we still had a great time. The we all really nice and were having fun along with us!
My daughter just got married yesterday at the Little Church of the West. We got the cake at Freeds (they have a website). Great Vegas themed cake and tasty too. Had the cake delivered to MGM Rainforest, had lunch and then served the cake after. Went well!!! Good luck on your wedding days!
Kimberly,
where did you find the inexpensive slot machines?
Kimberly - We get married the SAME DAY as you in Vegas! May 19th at Caesars! When I first saw your comment I thought it was from my fiancee since her name is Kim also! Good luck!
Help!! We have the Lucky in Love themed reception planned, but we are battling with wording for the invites! Any ideas
We are getting married in Vegas June 30, 2007 at 7pm and were looking to find somewhere that we can have a wedding cake for our guests that are travelling from all over the world. We were thinking maybe cake and drinks??? We dont have a lot of money to spend for a proper reception! Can anyone give us any suggestions???