As the average cost of a traditional wedding has increased to $33,000, the hot new national trend in weddings has quickly become micro weddings with 50 or fewer guests. But Las Vegas has touted smaller, more intimate and intentional weddings that are all about the couple since the very beginning.
In this blog we’ll explain why a Las Vegas elopement or micro wedding makes more sense now than ever.
No Regrets No Apologies
Your Las Vegas micro wedding or elopement can be regret-free. When you make the point to focus on your wants, instead of the “ you gotta have”s of your (cough) well-meaning friends and family, then you’ll be happier with your selections.
As you make your wedding arrangements, you could be overwhelmed with input from other people. But you don’t have to listen to a word of advice. It’s ok to be unapologetic when making your dream day a reality. You know what you want. They don’t. So, don’t let them make your plans for you.
If you want to give tradition the ring finger, and say I do in a gritty alley off one of the side streets of Downtown Las Vegas, it’s your call. Do it! Tell your detractors to take a hike. This isn’t about them. It’s about you. As the Boss once wrote, when you’re making promises you swear to always remember, there’s no room for retreating or surrendering. Or something like that. Love you, Bruce!!
Trim the Guest List
If you’re opting for a micro wedding, it’s also likely that you’re trying to cut costs. The best way to do it is with a smaller head count. The bonus is that when there’s fewer people to please, then you’re well on your way to being intentional about the choices you’re able to make for you.
50 people is still a lot of people. On my sister blog at Cactus Collective Weddings, I’ve previously broken down the math of how you can invite the most important people in your life, be surrounded by good vibes from good people, and still have 50 guests or fewer. It’s easier than you might think.
Once you announce that you’re having a micro wedding and are limiting the guest list, it’s important to stick to it. Let one extra great aunty in, and they’ll all be clamoring for a spot. They’re like ants! It’s your day. It’s ok to say “no”.
No Wedding Party Necessary
For several practical reasons it’s no longer a requirement to have a wedding party.
One reason people are tossing aside the wedding party is because being an adult means you’ve recognized the concept of friends that exist at a time and place. The expectation that you’ll always be together is fading, and we’ve all collectively realized that that’s OK. Do you want them in your wedding photos if they’ll not be around on your 10th wedding anniversary?
The logistics of the wedding party can be stressful too.
Will everyone even be able to attend? Does asking someone to join the wedding party mean they’ll feel obligated to go to a bachelor party now too? Can they afford the dress? Can they be arranged by height? WHAT A NIGHTMARE!
You don’t need a wedding party lined up beside you to actually party with your people. If they’re not on the shortened guest list that’ll be partying it up with you during your Vegas destination wedding, then just get together for a fun night out in the Old Market District or Fountain Square when you get back home to Omaha, Indy or where ever all y’all flew in from,
Spend Smart to Make Room for More Wants
Shelling out $284 on average per person at a traditional wedding is kind of a crappy way to blow your wedding budget if you’re trying to be intentional about your special day.
If you’re going small on the guest count, and chopping out the extra expenses that come with naming a wedding party, then you’ll have more ability to go big in areas that have true meaning to you and your partner. I’m not here to tell you what your wants should be, but I do have a couple of suggestions of things you could pull back on that are traditionally big ticket items.
Rented or Second-hand Dresses
More and more brides are embracing sustainable practices and saving money when dress shopping. Now it’s totally acceptable to score a great deal on a used dress via classified ads in places such as facebook marketplace. A quick search will show you that many of the dresses are even brand new.
When someone buys a dress and then decides they want a different one they often try to recoup some of their costs by re-selling the first dress. When no one bites early they even drop the price! Other times, the people are selling a worn-once and then cleaned and preserved dress. These aren’t dresses that have been tossed at the bottom of the basement storage closet and then left to rot. They’re new, or practically new, heirloom pieces that they just decided to part with for one reason or another.
A number of second-hand wedding dress websites and stores are also options. One site gaining a lot of popularity is stillwhite.com It’s an online marketplace for people to connect with each other to buy and sell gently used and good-as-new dresses. With more than 90,000 dresses for sale, it’s like the ebay of wedding dresses. You can communicate with the seller, arrange a pickup or shipping and snag a designer dress for way less than the cost of a new one. Plus, Stillwhite donates 1% of their listing and seller’s fees proceeds to carbon removal. It’s a win for you, and a win for the planet!
If you’re getting married in Las Vegas you should check out this company I just found called Renta-Dress and Tux. They claim to have more than 300 one-of-a-kind wedding dresses to rent and their prices are super reasonable, between $200 and $525. You’ll need an appointment for one-on-one service and can get the dress and be on your way in a couple of hours.
Ring Alternatives
Wedding rings and wedding bands don’t have to be made out of gold and silver, nor do they have to be adorned with diamonds. Alternative metals and stones can keep your ring costs low.
The diamond industry has spent a LOT of money convincing people that diamonds are forever and the only way to express your love. But their intention is to make money. You don’t have to succumb to the hype. A diamond is not as inevitable as it feels.
Great alternatives include wood, resin, silicone and others. I’ve detailed them more on my sister blog at Cactus Collective Weddings.
Insane Venues That Are All About You
One of the biggest choices you can make for your wedding day that screams, “I DID THIS INTENTIONALLY” is your choice of venue. Thankfully, Electric Sugar Elopments has gathered a collection of mind-blowing venues that will provide memories for decades to come.
Check out some of my favorite places that already have bad ass decor, and no need to decorate.
Eldorado Canyon
Canyons are often described as natural cathedrals, in part because of their towering walls and the feeling of grandeur. This canyon evokes some of the same emotions — especially if you worship Americana, legends of the old west or the natural beauty of the Southwest.
Eldorado Canyon is one of our most beloved wedding venues.
Chic, vintage, stylish and wild, it’s a blend of stunning nature and erratic man-made structures — plus the most beautiful cholla cactus field I’ve ever seen. The sight of the sun setting against these cacti is unreal — it makes for the perfect photo op.
- Located just 45 minutes from Las Vegas.
- Three ceremony areas to choose from: Cholla Cactus Field, Chapel or Big Barn.
- Great for intimate elopements and expansive enough for larger micro weddings of around 100 guests.
Neon Museum
If you’re looking to include some real Vegas history in your elopement, the Neon Museum is for you. Say “I do” surrounded by iconic neon signs that blazed up the Strip in years gone by and enjoy an offbeat ceremony site that is truly unique and full of playful photo opportunities.
The Vegas experience is always changing, being imploded and rebuilt.
But, thanks to the Neon Museum, many of the rich and wonderful examples of the totally-tubular signs that once beckoned visitors to the establishments of Glitter Gulch are still around for our enjoyment and for some pretty kick-ass wedding photography.
- Located in Downtown Las Vegas, close to trendy restaurants and bars for your reception needs.
- Ceremonies and photoshoots are held in the private North Gallery, aka the Sweetheart section.
- Private area closed to the public to ensure an intimate, uninterrupted experience.
7 Magic Mountains
Here’s one for couples seeking an enchanting venue complete with stone towers, colorful artistry and the opportunity for contemplation and reflection. No, it’s not a gothic cathedral with flying buttresses, stained glass windows and rows of church pews…it’s large-scale public art in the middle of nowhere!
Internationally renowned Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s 7 Magic Mountains dominates the desert landscape 10 miles South of town and gives couples looking for an anti-bride wedding venue a one-of-a-kind ceremony experience, resulting in beautiful and truly distinctive wedding photos.
“Punctuating the Mojave with a poetic burst of form and color”, according to the artist, this display represents a creative expression of human presence in the desert.
- 30 to 35-feet high dayglow totems composed of painted, locally-sourced boulders.
- Attention-grabbing and very Instagramable!
- A vibrant work of art, reminding us that wonder can exist wherever we choose to create it.
Make a Vow to Be Intentional With Your Wedding Plans
Please repeat after me.
I, <say your name>, promise to be intentional in every way on my wedding day.
I will plan for moments and experiences that will make me and my partner happy.
I won’t let other people tell me what to do because our relationship deserves to be celebrated our way.
I vow to connect with the incredible people at Electric Sugar Elopements who will make my wedding day dreams a reality by filling out the contact form below.
