It really wasn’t a question of who, it was a question of why? When we decided to get married, our guest list was simple to put together. If we had talked to them regularly for the last year they could show up. Well, that went over like a fart in church with our parents. You see, in my family it is common courtesy to invite everyone you have ever come in contact with to your wedding. It’s expected, like their gift is and your free meal to them.
So I step into the kitchen of my mothers’ house to explain that we are inviting twenty people each. Ever had a bottle of dish wash soap thrown at you? Here, Twenty-six and running from my mother. Yeah, it didn’t turn out well.
Our plan was simple, A regular wedding just in Las Vegas. That to us, felt normal. As it does to numerous couples everyday in Las Vegas as you can see people strolling through every casino either having just got married or on their way to getting married.
We did the deed at the Tropicana, a bit of an island theme; we had a fixation with island culture at the time, hence our honeymoon to Maui. The chapel at the Tropicana is not as “Vegas” as we would have liked it but we made up for it with the Elvis impersonator during our short reception.
Like most chapels in Las Vegas it was non-denominational, so as to not offend anyone and the ceremony was quick and to the point. A little marching, a couple of vows and a smile or two and before you know it, you’re kissing the bride and making way for the next couple to take the great leap of faith. Las Vegas, you have to love the ease.
Our reception, attended by a little fewer than fifty people was simple; the wedding planner at the Tropicana put together a nice spread of food and people made their way up to the self serve buffet. For our guests they had a free meal in the middle of their mini-vacation. This brought us no headaches whatsoever and a chance for us to maintain our rebellious nature and go against the grain.
Of course, my brothers complained that they had to buy their own drinks, and my dad could not understand why there was so much food. Parents can still be parents and I noticed him trying to negotiate a large quantity of chicken fajitas into a bowl that magically appeared from my mother’s purse. My mother-in-law baffled us when she showed up with a plastic bag full of cocktail shrimp from the buffet. Parents will still add their own flavor to the wedding. It seemed as though our small wedding was a success, and we’re still married, so I guess I’m sure it was a success.
All told, the entire trip, ceremony and reception cost us less than our honeymoon. This turned out to be great bargain and easy. While we did not get married by Elvis or go through a drive through, we still had the Vegas experience. We would do it again in a heartbeat.
If you’re looking for some direction when planning that marriage ceremony you can start here. Hopefully, you’ll have just as much fun.
Wedding planner
