Image courtesy of adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Just give us a little advance warning, and we’ll cue your music after you’ve sealed your vows with a kiss. (You bring the choreography and dancing guests. Or? We may be able to accommodate you with a few willing participants on our staff.) At Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, we’re here to make your wedding day YOURS alone, even if that means you’re doing the singing and dancing and Elvis is playing back-up.

Fashion Police Have Been Called

Sami stood in as the bride, looking fetching in white lace gown and platinum bob. Graham, the groom, wore some kind of Western wear and a fake mustache, most of the time, until it finally landed in the aisle during the commotion that the honored guests probably called dancing. The celebrants wore a wide array of eye-stinging fashions. Any blokes present who may not already be married will likely remain bachelors until they get an emergency fashion intervention.

We have no idea where this party went after the “wedding,” but suffice it to say, they definitely made an impression on Sin City. We think. Las Vegas also may be the only place on Earth where you can dress like this and more or less blend in. For more about our bachelor and bachelorette parties, have a look at: http://www.vivalasvegasweddings.com/bachelor-parties-in-las-vegas.html

“We’re in Vegas? Let’s audition for Cirque du Soleil!”

We’ve also got all the right music, fog and special effects to bedazzle your guests and put the two of you in the mood to play the leading man and leading lady. Not bold enough to go where some others might? You can simply add a character to play best man or maid of honor at your traditional ceremony. Darth Vader as best man? Princess Leia as maid of honor? Our wedding planners can help your vision materialize for your Big Day.

Prefer to have your wedding conducted en Espanol? We can do that too!

See you on the set!

“How do I know if a wedding will last?” she asks. ” Statistically, 50% of first time marriages won’t make it. Second or third marriages may be even dicier. Why? Chances are good that one or both partners bring too much baggage to the union.”  Daphne continues, “Children from other spouses, ex’s,  and  even ex-family members all contribute to some very high divorce numbers. It’s really an unfortunate situation.”

Daphne contends that a lot hinges on the level of caring and flexibility of the two partners involved. Over many years of insightful observation, she can easily spot a few tell-tale signs that a marriage will be on shaky ground right from the beginning. And we mean the very beginning. The wedding day itself.

Believe it or not, Daphne has witnessed her share of couples who argue while checking in for their wedding. Since frequent fighting over money is a leading cause of divorce, this is definitely not a good sign! Daphne contends that the way couples handle money from day one offers clues to the longevity of their relationship. (More on this to come in future Daphne blogs!)

“A red flag also  goes up with me while the wedding is taking place,” Daphne adds. ” Some couples will talk to each other during the ceremony. They’ll say things like,  ’I'm hungry, where should we go to eat?’  ’Did ____call you?  Good thing we didn’t invite ___,’ etc.  They’re not paying any attention to the ceremony. (Maybe they’ve done this too many times before!)

Even when a light-spirited themed wedding is in progress, the way couples stay connected while being involved in their own wedding (or not) speaks volumes about what their marriage will be like.  Saying things like, ‘I love you’ or ‘You look beautiful’ during the ceremony is another thing altogether. Couples who focus on making the other person feeling loved and cared for, that’s the best sign of a rosy future ahead.”

Bride Laura Defeats The Dark Side (EMBA Program), Renews Vows

Chris Wins Bride Over from The Dark Side

Chris and Laura Phillips of Detroit re-tied the knot at Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel this week, not only to celebrate 16 years of marriage. but to celebrate Laura’s graduation from an Executive MBA program. Chris beamed as he said afterward, “You should see the divorce statistics among couples when one spouse is pursuing this challenging degree.” Happily, these two were successful. And, judging from the groom’s radiant expression, still very much in love.

The Phillips’s very affordable Elvis wedding ceremony (MBA’s know a thing or two about $) included a blue be-feathered showgirl (matching Laura’s stunning, sequined gown) and none other than Darth Vader as best man. The groom nixed the temptation to wear a Hawaiian shirt in favor of a tux. The formal effect was very fitting, especially considering the level of accomplishment represented by the whole affair. The couple did not ignore the fun factor, however. After the vows–”It is destiny,” according to DarthVader–the newly-re-weds boogied down with Darth and reveling guests, while Elvis sang his heart out. We’re guessing they know how to party in Detroit!

We at Viva Las Vegas applaud Laura’s achievement and the renewed commitment of this special pair, our Couple of the Week. It’s not every day that married folk can make thrilling Las Vegas memories with such a unique and imaginative wedding renewal! Our very best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Phillips for a lifetime of love and success!

Image courtesy of Dynamite Imagery at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Even if you’re already married, what better excuse for a trip to Vegas than to renew your vows and inject a bit of romance into your relationship? If you’re engaged and a free wedding sounds like a blissful idea (even if you’ve already booked your wedding with us), you have until May 31st to enter our Free Wedding Giveaway drawing. (Of course, we’re assuming your wedding date is not before the contest deadline.)  For complete rules and all the details, go to http://www.vivalasvegasweddings.com/wedding-giveaway-may-2013.html   Or, you can visit us on Facebook.

If you’re our winning couple, the hard part will be selecting a wedding from our themed or traditional packages. The prize has a value of $499.00 toward the wedding package of your choice. That amount also can be applied toward a more expensive package, if that’s your preference.

Having trouble deciding? Our wedding planners are here to help, win or lose.

For a sexy and romantic ceremony, we’d suggest a summer or fall evening for your most intimate of vows. Those times are popular, so book early!  Choose our Outdoor Gazebo or Garden Chapel, both enchanting settings with twinkling white lights and a hint of jasmine in the air. Our Main Chapel by candlelight is another popular choice. Be sure to choose a package that includes limousine service to and from your hotel to see the legendary lights of the Las Vegas Strip. You might want to add a chilled bottle of champagne to your package, to toast your marriage on the way back to your honeymoon suite. We have lots of suggestions for those little details that make the magic happen.

A toast in the limo?

Whatever you choose, you’re sure to be a winner, even if your name is not the one drawn, this time. Good luck to all!

Image courtesy of Dynamite Imagery at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Okay, so not everyone (really no one) gets married with Jimmy Kimmel as officiant, but when Matt Damon renewed his wedding vows last month, Jimmy was there to do the honors. The ceremony took place at sunset on the beach at St. Lucia. It was the elegant, intimate affair the couple meant to have in the first place. (It looks like their strategy may have been to skirt paparazzi by waiting for eight years after their first discreet City Hall wedding. That works.)

While most of us have to settle for a less spectacular or exotic ceremony than the Damons, some couples might still want to borrow a few trending celebrity wedding touches. Damon chose to personalize his vows to his bride, promising always to let her sleep on the side of the bed closest to the bathroom. Now there’s a vow that’s easily kept!  Besides, it’s a promise that undoubtedly brought smiles to the guests, as well as to Mrs. Damon.

If you already have a promise you’d like to make in addition to our classic Viva Las Vegas vows, just let our coordinators know. We can include your special vow in your ceremony. Or, as another option, you might want to read a line or a brief poem (limerick?) to each other. A few words with particular meaning for the two of you can create a lighter moment in a serious, traditional wedding ceremony.

Feel free to steal Matt Damon’s unique (and adorable) promise. We won’t tell. We’re just going to sit back now and wait for that first call requesting a Jimmy Kimmel impersonator as minister…

Mary and Hung with a few of their 90 enthusiastic wedding guests

When the wedding guests of Mary Pham and Hung Nguyen stepped out of their sleek black limousine bus, they had no clue about all the surprises in store for them. Mary and Hung (one of the most radiant and generous couples we’ve had the honor to meet) wanted to make sure the day was special not only for themselves, but for their loved ones. Since they hail from Dallas, they chose to do everything in a BIG way.

The bride said excitedly before the ceremony, “They have no idea about any of this!” Mary wore a stunning white dress, skirted in ostrich feathers, set off by the most amazing purple rhinestoned stilettos. Hung opted for the more casual neon orange sneakers, with a purple vest and purple-and-neon-orange bow tie. A perfect expression of both class and fun!  Hung told us during their photo session, “We’ve known each other since we were in grade school!” For them, the wedding they’d so carefully planned was the only way to go.

The chapel filled with over 90 guests, mostly Texans, from Dallas and Houston. Cheers nearly brought down the roof as the couple roared into the chapel with Elvis at the wheel of his pink Caddy. Then, flanked by two glamorous showgirls, Mary and Hung swayed to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” while a flying Elvis, intertwined with a flying sequined beauty, performed a romantic aerial act from the rafters. Once the Nguyen’s vows were sealed with a kiss, the entire chapel was a sea of nearly 100 revelers rocking out to “Viva Las Vegas,” cameras flashing overhead.

We’re guessing this is a day that no one present will ever forget. Best Texas-sized wishes, and many happy memories ahead, to our most exuberant Couple of the Week!

This week Nevada’s Senate Joint Resolution 13 passed, potentially legalizing gay marriage in the state. Impassioned testimony was given on both sides of the issue before the vote. And it’s still not a done deal, since Nevada voters must approve the amendment before it is passed into law. The resolution is not only a repeal of the ban on gay marriage, but goes further  to recognize gay marriage. Wording in the amendment also guarantees that churches viewing  marriage as solely between an man and a woman would not have to perform such ceremonies.

The Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel has always extended a welcome to any two persons who choose to bind their lives together, whether in a traditional wedding, or in a heartfelt commitment ceremony when no legal option has been available. We’ve been witness to love in all its incarnations. We’ve gotten goosebumps and shed a tear or two at the zaniest and most lighthearted of weddings. We’ve been choked up at formal weddings, as well as at weddings where the bride and groom wore jeans and read vows pulled from a pocket and scrawled on the back of a receipt. Every love is unique. We recognize love when we see it, and it’s not diminished if there happens to be a pair of brides or  grooms walking down the aisle arm in arm.

According to Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas), “Religious rights are important, but so are the rights of two people to marry.” However you feel on this issue, we have a history of supporting couples who wish to marry in either religious or legal ceremonies. For us, that includes those who simply want to celebrate their intention to share the rest of their lives with each other. It’s a lot about mutual respect. And love.