Why Las Vegas Is Still the Wedding Capital of the World

For over a century, Las Vegas and the weddings business have been symbiotically tied at the hip.  Whether they’re quickies, bare-bones nuptials, Elvis-officiated drive-through hookups, or lavish, over-the-top affairs, the options for wedding ceremonies here are endless – and easier to arrange due to Clark County’s lax (some would say nearly non-existent) marriage-license requirements.  If you’re 18 and can prove it with a government-issued ID; aren’t currently married; and aren’t planning to marry your first cousin (or, ahem, a closer relative), you qualify as a potential mate – at least under county law, that is.  And Las Vegas is just one of five cities that make up Clark County, which issued its five-millionth wedding license in 2022. 

Quick, Easy & Cheap: A Vegas Specialty 

Couples face no waiting period or blood test here, and can apply online easily. Together, they then visit the downtown County Marriage License Bureau, which is open 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. – midnight, including holidays.  After paying the license fee ($102 if paid in cash), couples aching to tie-the-knot right away can book an appointment online at the County Clerk’s Office of Civil Marriages. 

Once there with a witness and up to 8 additional guests, a 15-minute, civil marriage ceremony will be performed for a fee of $77.75 (credit or debit card only; no cash or checks) to make things official.  And to make the big day a little more interesting, some highly-desired dates for nuptials in Vegas reflect unique numerical patterns (“magic dates”).

Some of this year’s highlighted dates include:  4/20/25 (cannabis lovers day);  5/5/25 (Cinco de Mayo and 5*5=25); and 5/20/25 – 5/29/25 (palindromes).  But neither of those will likely top the wedding volume of 7/7/2007, aka “Lucky 7s Day,” when 4,492 couples were hitched here.  

But for twosomes looking for a slightly more romantic ceremony, Las Vegas’ myriad wedding chapels – both big and small – are well-equipped to provide a variety of services that range from kitschy (think: an Elvis impersonator as the officiant) to lavish and upscale affairs at luxe casino-resorts.  Zombie weddings?  Yep, that’s a thing here, as well as Sci-Fi, fantasy, gothic, Hollywood, vintage Vegas and other themes that defy the imagination. In fact, the small, independent chapels that line Las Vegas Boulevard between Sahara Ave. and downtown are expert in hosting unusual themed ceremonies.  In experiencing some of these over the years (not as a participant, by the way), I was most impressed with the Little White Chapel’s 24-hour “Drive-thru Tunnel of Love.”  There’s no need to get out of the car (especially convenient for those who may not be wearing pants), since the officiant will administer the ceremony from a window that opens onto the driveway (from $166.60, including all fees). 

Moving Upmarket Opens Up Additional Options 

Las Vegas’ major casino-resorts also offer a plethora of nuptials options, including some with creative twists and others with prices that rise to stratospheric levels.  But then again, who puts a price on happiness here? 

With three handsome wedding salons to choose from at Wynn Las Vegas, couples may consider it a good omen to begin their union in the upscale environs of the luxe casino-resort.  Packages begin with The Harmony ($1,850), which includes a half-hour, private use of a wedding salon, photography, videography, service performed by an officiant, choice of music and a celebratory toast.  Package prices jump to more than $5,900 for a longer ceremony, private transportation to/from the resort and a two-night stay.  The Symphony affair accommodates up to 100 guests and includes a $5,500 floral-and-decor credit, 2-night Tower Suite accommodations and much more – priced from $30,500. 

MGM Resorts International’s large Strip presence offers a myriad of ceremony locations and packages among 14 properties, but their most distinctive options revolve around Luxor, ARIA and Bellagio.  Twosomes brave enough to indulge in a bit of morbid nostalgia can get hitched on a faithful re-creation of the Titanic’s grand staircase at Luxor ($2,000), while a large-format, al fresco setting on ARIA’s Ironwood Terrace – overlooking the pools – can accommodate up to 500 guests.  But the Cosa Bella package at Bellagio – one of the world’s most iconic wedding destinations – is the ultimate splurge, while simultaneously creating outsized expectations for the couple’s future happiness.  Held in the Fountain Courtyard with all the requisite and expected luxe wedding accouterments, the package highlight allows the couple to select two songs from the Bellagio Fountain Show list for a breathtaking finale to their ceremony (from $16,000).      

With eight casino-resorts on the Strip, Caesars Entertainment certainly isn’t lacking for ceremony options, but a few do stand out for their only-in-Vegas chutzpah.  Intimacy, not typically a trait associated with bustling Caesars Palace, can be found at the Bacchus Pool, where the couple can tie the knot with up to 20 guests overlooking the picturesque Garden of the Gods pool complex.  Across the street, multiple outdoor chapels and gazebos offer the perfect setting amid the lush gardens and waterfalls at The Flamingo – all in the vicinity of the plaque commemorating mobster Bugsy Siegel’s vision for the first casino-resort on the Strip.  But none of these reach the apex of the 30-minute ceremony that’s perfectly timed to coincide with one revolution aboard the High Roller observation wheel on the LINQ Promenade – in a private cabin that accommodates up to 18 (from $1,389).    

And if it Doesn’t Work Out… 

If for some reason things don’t go according to plan post-nuptials (after all, what could go wrong when one or both members of the party wake up and don’t actually remember the ceremony?), Nevada is a “no fault” divorce state, meaning that neither party needs to prove fault or wrongdoing.  In other words, an uncontested divorce here – where both parties agree on all terms – typically becomes final within a few weeks.  And thus for some, what happens in Vegas, really does stay in Vegas.