Conrad Suite, Las Vegas Hilton

The classic French elegance of the Las Vegas Hilton’s Conrad Suite makes it a romantic venue for clients’ wedding ceremonies or receptions

 

With more than 100,000 weddings each year, Las Vegas is by far the nation’s wedding capital, and it sometimes seems like there are 100,000 different ways to get married in this city as well. Just about every hotel provides wedding services and dozens of street-front chapels line the Strip and surrounding areas. It’s those down-at-the-heels little chapels that have given Vegas weddings a somewhat sullied reputation, but it’s the mega hotels that have and continue to change the image of a Vegas wedding.

Take the Las Vegas Hilton, for example. This forerunner of the giant hotel complexes all over Las Vegas today has seen many changes in the city over four decades but one thing stays the same: Couples come to the city to get married.

“Once the clients have determined the perfect wedding ceremony, we can assist in arranging the honeymoon suite, and rooms for their family and friends,” says Gavin Mealiffe, vice president of sales at the Las Vegas Hilton. “We can also provide a personalized web page for their guests to make room reservations, and any changes that may be necessary.”

The Hilton’s in-house partner for weddings, La Bella Wedding Chapel (702-914-0198), and two staff members help make arrangements for your clients—Alyssa Lenz (702-732-5879, [email protected]), senior sales coordinator for room accommodations, and John Cannizzaro (702-732-5624, [email protected]), catering sales manager for receptions, banquets, entertainment and other special needs.

La Bella Wedding Chapel has various wedding packages ranging from the “I Do” package starting at $299 to the “Beautiful” wedding package at $899. It also has a variety of outdoor wedding options—from a simple ceremony under a beautiful outdoor gazebo to taking or renewing vows in a helicopter while flying over Las Vegas.

Couples can also get married in one of the Hilton’s luxury suites, including the hotel’s three Sky Villas. The largest of these, the 15,400-square-foot Verona incorporates old-world Venice into every detail—from imported Italian marble floors to hand-painted ceilings to the original sculptures, tapestries and paintings that adorn the walls. The vast living area leads to the secluded master retreat overlooking the private, outdoor pool and garden. The suite also has a sculpted observation deck.

The second largest of the Sky Villas at 13,200 square feet, the Tuscany has elaborate detail from its custom wall and ceiling murals to its Italian marble floors and stonework. The courtyard and pool are the focus of the Northern Italian-inspired decor.

The most impressive of the Sky Villas, the 12,600-square-foot Conrad redefines French elegance. The two-story Conrad has an oversized formal dining room and living room that both open to a grand courtyard and pool. The master retreat upstairs connects to a terrace that overlooks the pool and some of the most breathtaking views of the city and surrounding mountains.

Mealiffe says, “If your clients are looking for something a little over the top, the suites are a good option for a ceremony or reception after a wedding in our gazebo, or the Valley of Fire, the Las Vegas Welcome Sign, in a helicopter. The options are endless.”

Choosing the Right Site

Endless options can overwhelm a couple and it may be up to you to step in and narrow those choices down. All the top hotels in Vegas have professional wedding staff and facilities on hand, and an agent couldn’t go wrong suggesting any of the following for an elegant, hassle-free ceremony:

There are two wedding salons and one outdoor courtyard at Wynn Las Vegas, but no two events are hosted at the same time. Each salon has a private foyer where guests can gather before the ceremony begins, and a private dressing room for the bride to use up to one hour prior to the event. The Lilac Salon accommodates 65 guests and the Lavender Salon seats 120. The Primrose Court is also available for weddings or mini-receptions. It is a private courtyard that seats up to 100 under a canopy of trees and two whispering fountains. For more information, contact Mildred Schneidman (702-770-7400; [email protected]) or Saundra Kleinman ([email protected]).

Two chapels, outdoor ceremony locations and the opportunity to pop the big question in a semi-private area of the Eiffel Tower are all available at Paris Las Vegas. The Chapelle du Paradis has a church-style setting enhanced with columns, detailed gold-leaf designs, crystal chandeliers and cherubs depicted on a blue sky ceiling. The Chapelle du Jardin sports a white cathedral-style design, accented with garden murals throughout. One of the most romantic hotels in Vegas, Paris has about a dozen wedding packages (named after the great wines of France and the Eiffel Tower). Call Elisabeth or Tina at 702- 946-4060 with queries.

Even that paragon of living to excess, Caesars Palace, can tone things down for a sophisticated wedding ceremony. Caesars has several wedding locations, including two gardens and a terrace. The Classico, Romano and Tuscana are among the traditional chapels. The Classico seats 196 and is decorated in beige, blue and cream with chandeliers and stained-glass windows; the Romano seats 35; and the Tuscana, 80. While decidedly scaled down compared to some of the Palace’s other elements, your clients’ wedding can still be deliciously decadent, as in the La Dolce Vita package, which includes a classical pianist playing during processional and recessional, limo transportation, two nights in a luxury suite, champagne breakfast for two, a $450 spa/salon certificate, four spa facility day passes, dinner for two, show tickets, champagne, chocolate-dipped strawberries and more. Contact JoAnn Pochick (702-866-1118; [email protected]) for more information.

 

The Forever Grand wedding chapel at MGM Grand

A more modern approach to elegance is on display at two MGM Mirage properties. The Forever Grand wedding chapel at MGM Grand. decorated in greens and browns with wood accents, has a recessed ceiling with a chandelier and room for a piano. Weddings are also held in other areas of the hotel, including a patio ceremony by the pool or a nearby landscaped area, outdoors by the beautiful spa fixture or on the Terrazza, the hotel’s secluded patio. Agents can contact a Professional Wedding Planner at 800-646-5530.

With a blend of earth tones, dark woods, modern artwork and glass-beaded lights, the chic ambiance of THEwedding chapel at Mandalay Bay sets itself apart. Even the names of its wedding packages exude a New Age, Zen-like state of being—Platinum Skies, Crystal Waters, Alluring Breeze, to name a few. Guests can take in views of Mandalay Beach while listening to live piano music. There are three chapels in all, each able to accommodate up to 100.  For more information, agents can call Colleen Kestel at 702-632-7490.