Las Vegas holidays conjure up images of flashing lights, fruit machines, casinos and neon lit hotels. But would you recognise it as the wedding capital of the world? Well as one of the easiest cities to get married in, that’s exactly what Las Vegas is.
Las Vegas holidays offer the perfect opportunity to get married; all you need is ID, a little cash, and your lovely partner of course!
Las Vegas weddings can be as sincere or as whacky as you want to make them, they can be large traditional family affairs, or quick, drive through services at three in the morning with the taxi driver as your witness!!
You can theme your wedding to suit your taste, from Gothic, Vampire and Graveyard to Hollywood, Star Wars and of course, Elvis.
You can have indoor, outdoor and even high in the sky weddings as you say your vows in a helicopter whilst flying over the city.
You will need to apply in advance for a marriage license from the Clark County Marriage License Bureau on the corner of Clark Avenue and Third Street, this is valid for a year, and the office is open from 8am until midnight.
After the ceremony you will receive a signed souvenir certificate to keep and a copy will also be sent to the County Clerk. You will then need to buy a certified copy of your Marriage Certificate from the Las Vegas Wedding Bureau; this can take two to three days to come through but can be posted out to your home address.
As in the UK you will need to provide a birth certificate, decree absolute if you are divorced, a death certificate if you are widowed and a change of name deed if you have ever legally changed your name. Written consent is also needed by parents if you are under the age of 18.
Your marriage is perfectly legal in the UK but can only be ‘recorded’ with the General Register Office (GRO) and not ‘registered’ as it would be if you got married in this country, unless you are a member of the British Armed forces when the necessary body will tell you of any differences. Your marriage certificate will be sent from the Las Vegas Wedding Bureau to the British Embassy in Los Angeles which is then forwarded to the GRO, where it is held so a copy can be obtained should you ever need it.
That’s the technical part over with, it’s very straightforward and very much less complicated than it may seem. All that is left now is to pick the rings, book your Las Vegas holidays and pop the question!!