Wedding in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a fun and crazy city if you want to get away for just a few days, or even a week. It is also a great place to get married. Don't think of Las Vegas as sleazy or just a place where the celebs get married, it can also be a lovely, romantic city. After doing a little research, we found a sweet chapel on the strip, north of the hustle and bustle. The Mon Bel Ami Wedding Chapel was wonderful. It was also great to have a wedding planner to take care of all those little details.

Quick Tips:

Do your research for a stress-free wedding. Even though you can get your license the same day you arrive, leave a little time. The line can be long so download the forms off the computer and take with you. You can get your dress and tux there, but don't forget you can also mail your dress to the hotel or bridal chain. They may even press it for you. Shop the Internet for the best wedding deals. Most hotels have packages, but for a more intimate affair, search for a smaller chapel.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rent a car. It was so easy to get around, but stay off the strip. The side streets go everywhere and take you to the hotel parking lots (which are behind the strip). There is a monorail but you still do quite a bit of walking.

The hotel lobby and grounds are beautiful. With all of the trees, flowers and fountains you forget you are in Las Vegas. The rooms are the typical rooms with a separate dining room and sitting area, although it did come with a fridge. The best feature for me was the locked doors at each building. There is a small casino and a few restaurants, but nothing to write about. We did not use the pool or fitness area but heard they were nice. The only downfall of the hotel was the location. It is a long block from the strip behind Bally's. I felt a little uneasy late at night walking back to the hotel.

Stefano's is known for the singing waiters. This was great dining for our wedding night. It is very romantic with the warm atmosphere and the candlelight. When the waiter was told it was our wedding night dinner, he brought us a free dessert and the entire staff sang an Italian love song. What a lovely evening. The lamb chop was so tender and the steak was perfectly prepared. The wine list is extensive. I would recommend Stefano's to anyone who wanted to experience the elegant side of Las Vegas.

My husband loves this place and I can see why. I was prepared for the run of the mill bar, but ESPN Zone was much more. I would say that it is more of a pub, with the dark interior and the comfy tables. Of course there are TVs everywhere with different sports showing, but it wasn't loud or distracting. The service was excellent. We had the house special, the hamburger. It was big and juicy and cooked to perfection. The cheese fries are wonderful. My mom, who does not like "those kind of places" really enjoyed herself, as did I.There is also a cool gift shop. A must if you are a sports fan.

A little taste of heaven among the craziness of the Las Vegas strip. This museum is located in the Venetian Hotel and is worth the $20 (this includes the audio guide). You may also purchase tickets on line. They are open daily from 9:30am to 8:30 pm and parking is located in the back of the hotel. The collections change frequently so you may see anything from the masters to modern art. The current collection is entitled Rubens and His age and runs until July 31, 2006. We saw the Masterpieces and Master Collection. It was early modern and impressionist paintings. Very beautiful. Visit their website at www.guggenheimlasvegas.com or call at (702) 414-2440.

You have to have a tux when you get married. Since we were from out of town we needed to rent one. I found this shop online at www.tuxedojunction-lv.com and found exactly what we needed. They have over 27 years of experience, and it shows. Everyone we worked with was excellent. We picked out a few tuxes we liked from home and they had them ready to try on when we got to our appointment. They have such a large stock that you can even walk in a few hours before your wedding or event and walk out with something beautiful to wear. The tuxes or suits range in price of $60-200, and you may also rent your shoes and other accessories. We used the handy measurement form and faxed it to them. It was low stress in a high stress time. The phone number is (702) 873-8830.

I awoke from a nap from a phone call by my new husband stating he had just won about $400 on a penny machine. I went to meet with him and found him at an older casino named Terrible's, just one block behind the Tuscany Suites and Casino. It definitely was not one of the new or expensive casinos. Terrible's is just what the name implies, terrible. It was crowded from the many machines and tables crammed together. The ventilation was horrible—the smoke could choke anyone. The buffet restaurant was of poor quality but cheap. We received a buy on get one coupon for dinner at the casino. They only good thing about Terrible's was that the slot machines were loose. Everyone was winning that day.