6.1: Getting married in Las Vegas 6.2: After the sun goes down 6.3: Best long running shows 6.4: Getting the best deals 6.5: What or who is playing now 6.6: The hot Vegas night clubs 6.7: Bars, lounges & comedy clubs 6.8: Seamy side of Sin City

Las Vegas wedding chapel near downtown

6.1 Getting married in Las Vegas

There can be no doubt that Las Vegas is the Wedding Capital of the World and these marriages are recognized in every country. More than 100 thousand couples tie the knot in Sin City every year. Getting married in Las Vegas is incredibly easy. It takes about 10 minutes to get a marriage license. Both parties (a man and a woman ...same sex marriages are not allowed) must appear in person at the Clark County Court House and fill out a short form.

Vegas weddings are popular!

The Marriage License Bureau recently moved and is now located in the Justice Center at 201 Clark Avenue in Downtown Las Vegas. (At the corner of S. Casino Center Blvd. and Clark Avenue ...3 blocks south of the Golden Nugget Hotel-Casino.) Tel. (702) 671-0600. The Marriage License Bureau is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until midnight ...all night long on weekends and holidays. (Closes at midnight on Sunday.) Proof of age may be required if you look under 18. No blood test or waiting period is necessary. The current license fee is $55.00 payable in cash only. (They will not accept credit cards, checks or money orders.)

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You must show proof of identification by bringing a driver's license, birth certificate, passport or military ID. If you are between 16 to 18 years old, consent must be given in person or by a notarized affidavit of either parent or legal guardian. (Parental consent and court order is required if under the age of 16.) Both partners must provide their social security number. If you were previously married, your divorce must be final in the state where granted. The date of the final decree and the city and state where granted are required. All marriages must be witnessed by an individual other than the person performing the ceremony. (This is usually provided without cost.)

To obtain a copy of a marriage license you may send $10 with the date of the marriage to the office below: Clark County Recorder, Courthouse, 500 South Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89106

The marriage ceremony

The ceremony at one of the many chapels on the Strip can be as cheap as $40 and as short as 20 minutes. That’s if you use the quickie drive-through window ...like the one they have at The Little White Chapel. All you need to do is show identification and fill out a form. Most couples, however, opt for more elaborate weddings costing from $150 to “a lot more.” (A wedding aboard a yacht costs $3,000.) Be aware that most quoted prices do not include a Limousine chauffeur’s gratuity ($25-35), minister’s fee ($50), marriage license fee ($55) or sales tax (7.5%.)

Las Vegas drive-thru weddings!

The Little White Chapel has six rooms and can handle up to seven weddings at a time if one takes place at its outdoor chapel. They even offer Internet broadcasts of your ceremony. It is also where Britney Spears married childhood friend, Jason Alexander. (The marriage lasted only 55 hours.)

The Las Vegas ReviewJournal newspaper says The Little Church of the West is the "Best Place To Get Married In Las Vegas" in their 2005 Best of Las Vegas listings.

Las Vegas has the reputation of being the divorce capital of the world. But actually divorces account for only a small percentage of the marriage/divorce business. Its marriages that are unbelievably popular ...there are ten weddings in Las Vegas for every divorce. There are all sorts of marriage ceremonies. Check out the following websites to see what we are talking about. You have to see it to believe it.

Wedding Chapels

There are about 50 places where you can get married in Las Vegas. Most of the larger Las Vegas hotel-casinos have wedding chapels. But there are more than 30 stand-alone chapels also. Most are located on Wedding Chapel Row, just north of the Strip. Here is a partial list.  You will find some wedding chapel reviews here.