Eloping in Las Vegas

[Liquiddazi]

My boyfriend''s parents told my boyfriend this weekend that they would pay for us to elope in Las Vegas (of course, with our siblings and parents) instead of having a wedding and reception and all of the tradition stuff. Has anyone done this? If so, what did you do about planning and so forth?

If we did this, we would just have a simple ceremony in Las Vegas with dinner out there and then would have a reception/party a few months later in our home town.

Tell me what you think and so forth. Thanks!

P.S. We were planning on having a small wedding any ways, about 60 or less. And I''m definitely not one of those girls who wants all of the big wedding jazz!

 

[E B]

If it's the kind of wedding you want (and his parents are footing the bill), I think it's a fabulous idea! I also like the idea of a larger reception later, so people who won't be at the ceremony will have a chance to celebrate with you.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Who''s paying for the reception? Really the reception is really the expensive part. If you want a traditional wedding hold out for that but if this is more your style, go for it!

 

[Liquiddazi]

If we have a small wedding, we are flipping the bill and the reception/party we will probably flip the bill. The reception will probably won''t be a wedding reception per say, more along the lines of a party, very simple.

 

[diamondfan]

I think it really just depends what you want for your wedding, both of you. If you have always dreamt of the big thing, this might not satisfy you. But, maybe that is not a reasonable plan. I think, if you have all your loved ones around you and you do a lovely event there and something else when you are home, it could be wonderful and maybe a bit less stressful, it just depends!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Do you want your friends and extended family there to see you exchange vows? I guess that is the big question.

 

[Liquiddazi]

To tell you the truth, I really just want my family. If we have a reception back home, where all of my friends will be. I would love this. I am just really looking for the cheapest, stressless way to go. I have seen what my little sister went through to plan her wedding, which was very simple and I just don''t want to go through that. My FI said he would like his parents, brother, and his best friend, who is like a brother to him. I was completely okay with that, especially since I am one of four.

 

[diamondfan]

I think you have your answer then! And, have a great fun "Celebrate our marriage" party when it works for you back home so all the others can be part of celebrating with you!

 

[FacetFire]

I think it sounds like a great idea...I''m tempted to do somthing like this myself also...except I''ve been threatened by a couple of my friends not to do so. Lol.

 

[firebirdgold]

We are totally doing that! Only instead of a reception/party later, we''re getting marrie in Hawaii! We call it ''eloping with family''.

We each only have four family members anyway so it''s staying small. We''ve disallowed best friends and grandparents as we realized that it could snowball pretty fast into something much larger than we want, that door isn''t opening even a crack!

After seeing both of our sisters get married this summer and all the fuss with his sister''s traditional wedding there was no freaking way we were going to have a big wedding. I just love that she kept insisting that her wedding was non-traditional and I''m thinking a female non-dom minister and a cupcake tower does not make a wedding non-traditional, particularly if you still have a cake-cutting ceremony!

er. sorry OT.
Anyway, we''re not doing the big post-wedding party as my sister did that for her DW, and everyone is just so scattered anyway. When fi has a business trip near NY, we''ll probably spend a few extra days and go visit his extended family. Besides, we''re managing to spend quite a bit of money on our ''elopement'' as everyone''s hotel and plane tickets are part of the wedding budget.

I can''t tell you how many times I''ve thanked my Fi for thinking of a family-only wedding!

 

[VRBeauty]

It''s very nice of your future in-lwas to make this offer, but it sounds like you have some misgivings. I think the question is, how do you and your fiance want to get married? And why Vegas? Since you''d prefer as pretty small wedding anyway, would your future in-laws be willing to help out with a small wedding in or near your hometown instead, if that''s what you and DF want?

 

[KimberlyH]

My sister and her husband were married in a hotel room in Lake Tahoe with only my parents, his mother, his great aunt and me present. I wasn''t invited until the day before and it was only because I served as photographer. They had a big party a few months later in one of our cousln''s backyard. Neither one of them would change a thing.

I had a more traditional wedding in regards to location and such, but with only 28 people present. I have no regrets.

It''s all about what''s best for the two of you.

 

[ladykemma]

lake tahoe prettier. and you can go skiing

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 11/7/2006 6:00:29 AM
Author: ladykemma
lake tahoe prettier. and you can go skiing

My sister and her husbands wedding was actually quite beautiful. The living room of their hotel overlooked the north shore and it was just really nice. It was summer though, so no skiing, but the Shakespeare festival was going on!

 

[aquarius_ser]

I''m doing the same thing but on a beach somewhere TBD.
I''m not into the big wedding thing and I don''t want to spend my wedding day worried about all the people, who''s getting along with who, who''s mad they weren''t invited, blah, blah, blah....

I want to actually enjoy my wedding day!

 

[Mrs.soontobealfonzo]

We plan on getting married in vegas, but I dont want to call it eloping. We are going to have it in the winn or the belligio. Then have the reception there also. In a nice space something outdoor in april. We are hoping to have about 50 guest and call it an intimate wedding with loved ones. Its going to be tons of fun and im really excited.

 

[flutterby]

i got married in vegas, hardly call it eloping with the wedding at mandalay and reception at the four seasons. But even from my vegas experience, the planning the stress and the expense do not come from the ceremony, they come from the reception. I dont know how much you will save (stress and $$$) by going away and still having a big party back home....

but i love vegas and vegas weddings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have you gone on the knot board for vegas, it was really helpful for me!