Contributing expert Ken Van Vechten writes:
First things first: Congratulations to your daughter and your whole family. Vegas or not, getting married is cool. Now get on over to Vegas.
I'm always leery to tackle "best" when it comes to matters of price, quality and the like. I normally don't have a clue what another person's idea is of a good time at a good price. When I wrote Neon Nuptials: The Complete Guide to Las Vegas Weddings, I described all the chapels and their offerings, then rendered opinions from the point of view of aesthetics, cleanliness, and whether the person behind the counter, taking orders over the phone or ushering guests into the chapel, had the temperament and bearing of Grace Kelly or Britney Spears. A large number of times my wife, who was along for most of the visits, would quip that we wouldn’t suggest a dog get married at the Fragrant Garden Chapel and Chop Shop or others of that ilk.
Luckily for your daughter, most of the chapels in the big Strip hotels are among the nicest in town.
To me, the most important thing is to find a wedding venue that suits your daughter’s needs and tastes — and hopefully one that won't choke her guy — within whatever budget you have set. You mentioned "mid to high," so you don't necessarily need the starter package at, say, Bellagio, for $1,500, though the Cosa Bella for $15,000 might not be the ticket either. Some of my favorite venues are at Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, and, of course, Bellagio.
Receptions are, ironically, both easier and more problematic than back home. The ease is due to every hotel having meeting and reception facilities that can handle four to 400 — the Four Seasons, for example, infuses a lot of class into this segment of the market — and oodles of restaurants on-site. What gets dicey is that you're in Vegas and Aunt Millie might be hard to corral after the 15-minute ceremony and obligatory pictures. Wedding coordinators at all the chapels can steer you in the right direction, whether it’s cake and Champagne or a five-course sit-down. Also, it can be expensive if you decide that the reception has to be at Commander's Palace, though your taste buds will be more than amply rewarded.
Do your research, check the Web — though a little caveat emptor is in order when it comes to Web content — request package information and menus and if you have time schedule a gamblin... err, reconnaissance mission with your daughter to check it out yourselves; that only seems right.
Since the book came out, a couple of changes have hit the Strip chapels. Though it certainly wouldn't have been on your radar screen, the Boardwalk is no more, so neither is its regrettable wedding venue. I previewed the then-not-opened chapels at Wynn Las Vegas, which are now up and running. The environment is subtle and tasteful, and as is not the case at many hotel-casinos, the wedding salons are discretely removed from the hubbub -- not that Wynn is like Hooters during happy hour with WWF on the screens. I was, however, disappointed with the touted outdoor area, because it’s on the Strip side of the resort and though concealed and landscaped, there's a lot going on "out there" that rolls in on the sound waves.
Caesars' chapels have been moved to the new Augustus Tower. If anything the locale is better; they're away from the convention area and the chapels are even more embracing. The potential for high kitsch and the great outdoor venues continue, thankfully.
Mandalay Bay has relocated its three chapels over to the convention area. It's even more of a hike than the previous chapels out past the pool complex, but it's all indoors and I like the Nuevo Midcentury-Modern décor that’s all the rage in Vegas.
Well, that's it, or at least a couple pieces of the puzzle.
Again, congrats!
