When Megan & Dan reached out to me about their Las Vegas wedding, they were planning nearly a year in advance. And honestly, that’s a great time to start booking your Vegas wedding vendors, especially if you’re getting married during one of the busier months! They booked us for six hours of digital and film photography. Their wedding day ended up being exactly what you want from a Las Vegas wedding… fun from beginning to end.

We started at ARIA Resort & Casino for their first look before heading downstairs to meet up with their guests. From there, we made our way to Sure Thing Chapel for a ceremony featuring Lady Elvis and a surprise burlesque performance, followed by a reception at Velveteen Rabbit with a fortune teller, a voicemail phone, drinks, cake, and plenty of dancing.

Basically, Megan & Dan knew how to throw a party! Have a look at more from their day.

Getting Ready and Their First Look at Aria Hotel

We met Megan & Dan at ARIA for a quick first look in their room. I always love starting a Las Vegas wedding at a hotel because there are so many opportunities to get photos before you even leave the property.

After their first look, we headed downstairs to meet their guests, who were waiting for us at a bar. It was almost like a little cocktail hour before the ceremony, giving everyone a chance to grab a drink and hang out together before we officially kicked off the day.

This is also one of my favorite parts about photographing weddings at Vegas hotels and casinos. Once we’re downstairs, we can take advantage of all those hallways, elevators, and other little pockets of the property for photos. You get to incorporate some of that classic Vegas atmosphere without needing to go anywhere complicated. And I am always going to say yes to a classy hallway photo! 

Take Advantage of Your Vegas Hotel

If you’re getting ready at ARIA Hotel, don’t feel like you have to rush out the door as soon as you’re dressed. The hotel itself can be part of your wedding photos!

We can use the elevators, hallways, bars, and other spaces throughout the property to give your gallery a little more of that Las Vegas personality. It also gives us something to do between getting ready, your first look, and heading off to your ceremony.

For Megan & Dan, it was a quick stop before the rest of the party got started, but it gave us some really fun variety before we even got on the party bus.

Party Bus to Sure Thing Chapel

After their pre-ceremony drinks, everyone loaded onto a party bus and headed to Sure Thing Chapel. And if you have a group of guests who love to get down, I highly recommend the party bus. It’s basically an extension of the celebration. Nobody has to worry about driving or figuring out transportation, and you get to keep everyone together while you make your way around Las Vegas. For Megan & Dan, it was the perfect transition from their ARIA start to their ceremony.

A Lady Elvis Ceremony at Sure Thing Chapel

Megan & Dan booked the one-hour Lady Elvis package at Sure Thing Chapel, and they added a surprise burlesque performance for their guests.

Lady Elvis kicked things off with a performance that immediately got everyone in the mood to party. There was singing, dancing, and plenty of energy before Megan & Dan exchanged their vows.

Then came the surprise! Their guests were told to get ready and make sure they had some single-dollar bills on hand. The reason became very clear when the burlesque performer came out! One important note if you’re considering something similar: this is an adults-only performance, so you’ll want to make sure there aren’t any kids present. It was such a fun addition to the ceremony, especially because the guests had no idea what was coming.

A Reception at Velveteen Rabbit

After the ceremony, we hopped back on the bus and headed to Velveteen Rabbit for the reception. I love when my couples book this venue because it gives you such a fun setting for a Vegas celebration. 

Megan & Dan also brought in something I hadn’t seen there before: a fortune teller! This was a huge hit with their guests. Someone was almost always sitting in the chair getting their fortune told, and it gave everyone something fun to do throughout the night.

They also had a phone where guests could leave messages for the couple. I love little additions like this because they give your guests a way to participate in the day beyond simply sitting at their table.

And, of course, there was plenty of dancing! Megan & Dan had their first dance, cut their cake, grabbed some drinks, and then let everyone get down on the dance floor.

Make Your Las Vegas Wedding Your Own

One thing I loved about Megan & Dan’s wedding was that they weren’t afraid to make it their own. They didn’t just plan a ceremony and reception. They built a whole experience around their guests, from hanging out at the bar at ARIA to riding a party bus together, surprising everyone with a burlesque performance, and having a fortune teller at the reception.

That’s one of my favorite things about Las Vegas weddings. You don’t have to follow a traditional wedding formula. Want to get married at a chapel, take a party bus across the city, and have a fortune teller at your reception? Go for it.

As a Las Vegas wedding photographer and videographer duo, we’re always up for the fun ideas. Whether you’re planning a full wedding weekend or a small celebration with your favorite people, we want to document the parts that make the day yours. Get in touch today to learn more about our services!