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... And you thought storybook weddings appeared only in the movies. Well, we've brought a Las Vegas celebration to Postcards this month that is sure to keep you entertained. (We used our literary license, but the information is accurate.) Hope you enjoy this odyssey. When Artie met Kim, marriage was not on their minds. Over the years, however, their friendship deepened and a mutual attraction blossomed. Finally, Artie proposed, Kim accepted, and they decided to combine wedding and honeymoon in the most exciting and convenient city in the country: Las Vegas. DAY ONE
When they arrived at the Las Vegas airport, Artie surprised Kim with a stretch limousine, complete with Tony Bennett on the stereo, long-stem roses in a crystal vase, and Dom Perignon on ice. Also unbeknownst to Kim, Artie had researched the top-of-the-line suites in the high-roller hotels.
Artie called the Mirage, which offered a 29th-floor penthouse suite, with two bedrooms, separate living room, dining room, kitchen, and fully stocked wet bar; and Caesars Palace, which had a similar one-bedroom setup, with a Jacuzzi in the bedroom and a wet bar in the parlor. He decided on an intimate corner Jacuzzi suite on the 28th floor of the Luxor pyramid. Artie could tell that he'd chosen well when, one minute after arriving at the room, Kim was all smiles, especially when she saw the oversized Jacuzzi.
Kim had planned the wedding for that day; the ceremony was scheduled late to give them time to pick up their marriage license and to get ready. They drove downtown to the courthouse and appeared at the County Clerk's office, where they filled out a short form, showed identification, and paid the $35 fee. There was no blood test and no waiting period; within 10 minutes, they were issued a marriage license ... the sole requirement for their ceremony later in the day.
They kept their appointments at the Spa at Desert Inn, one of the finest health facilities in the country. Artie had a long swim, a short steam, Moor mud bath, 60-minute Shiatsu massage, and 15 minutes of reflexology; Kim had a desert-clay body wrap, an aloe vera revitalizer, and an enzyme facial. She then got a pedicure, manicure, and a precision cut and color. Artie had to wait an hour for Kim, but it was well worth it; when she emerged she was even more beautiful.
The couple went back to their room at the Luxor. Artie donned his tuxedo; Kim slipped into her gown. A limousine picked them up and delivered them to Treasure Island and they made their way to the chapel. Kim had called around to a dozen Las Vegas wedding chapels. She was aware that lots of celebrities, such as Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford, and Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, held their wedding ceremonies at "stand-alone" chapels like the Little Church of the West, the Little White Chapel, and the Candlelight Chapel. She'd also heard that Las Vegas weddings could be held at a drive-up wedding window, in a hot-air balloon, even during a bungee jump.
Kim finally opted for a more traditional ceremony in a hotel-casino wedding chapel. She selected Treasure Island for its attentive wedding coordinators and adjacent reception facilities. The ceremony was beautiful and the party went off without a hitch-all for under $2,000. "Try that back home," Kim bragged to her sister, who'd been married the year before in their hometown to the tune of $20,000.
Then Artie and Kim were off on their Las Vegas honeymoon adventure. They toured the top casinos in town, starting at the Mirage, Steve Wynn's $650 million high-roller mega resort. There they took in the volcanic eruption out front, pygmy sharks swimming in a giant aquarium behind the registration desk, royal white tigers and bottlenose dolphins on the grounds, and $500 slot machines.
The couple admired New York-New York, with its mini-skyline, art deco lobby, casino set in a simulated Central Park, and fast-food area occupying the back streets of Greenwich Village. Then they hopped a high-speed double-decker elevator to the top of Stratosphere's 1,149-foot observation tower (tallest building west of the Mississippi), where the 360-degree view of Las Vegas Valley and environs took their breath away. Artie knew he couldn't persuade Kim to ride the Big Shot, the thrill ride that thrusts up the top of Stratosphere's needle, but he tried anyway, just for show; truth was, he didn't want to ride it either. DAY TWO
Back to the 28th floor of the Luxor.
Finally, they wound up at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas' first themed casino and one of the world's premier saloons. There, they went shopping at the ultra-exclusive Forum Shops at Caesars, where Artie bought Kim a necklace at Cartier and Kim bought Artie a necktie at Versace. Later, they splurged on a romantic dinner at Palace Court. Kim was impressed with the hotel's crystal elevator and bronze-balustrade spiral staircase. Once they launched into the lobster bisque flamed with armagnac, Beluga caviar with Stolichnaya, the elevator and staircase paled by comparison. Artie and Kim had such a great wedding and honeymoon that they lived happily ever after. Call us if you'd like to get married (or simply renew your vows) in Las Vegas or just want to enjoy this fun-filled city. DETAILS Looking for something besides a Las Vegas chapel wedding? How about one of the following:*
*Prices are approximate. |
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9:00
a.m.: The Arrival
9:30
a.m.: Room with a View
11:30
a.m.: Taking Care of Business
Noon:
How Sweet It Is
8
p.m.: Goin' to the Chapel
8:30
p.m.: Less Is More
11
p.m.: Happily Hitched
3
a.m.: Two's Company
6
p.m.: More or Less