5 Essential Questions To Ask Before Choosing A Vegas Wedding Package
5 Essential Questions To Ask Before Choosing A Vegas Wedding Package
Getting married in Vegas isn't like getting married in the same city where you live - it's hard to plan a wedding from afar so you'll want to make sure that you ask all of these important questions before signing a contract! Be sure to get all of the answers to each of these important questions prior to making a commitment to any one particular Vegas chapel, hotel, casino or wedding planner. 1. "Are Taxes and Gratuities Included"? This is a really important question to ask since sales tax and gratuities can easily add a whopping 30% to the cost of your Vegas wedding! Most wedding packages offered by chapels, casinos and resorts in Vegas are "all-inclusive" in nature, meaning packages include an officiant, flowers, music, photos, transportation, a wedding coordinator and depending on the package, even a reception for your guests afterwards. All of these inclusions mean you'll likely be handed a little white envelope for gratuities at the end of the ceremony for each of the people involved in your wedding: the minister, the photographer, the limo driver, the wedding coordinator and if present, Elvis (or other performers at your wedding). So if gratuities are not included, how much should you expect to tip? Most Vegas wedding packages offered online will also provide a recommended gratuity guide. If not, here's an idea of what you'll be expected to stuff into each tip envelope: - $50-$100 for the photographer, depending on how many shots he/she takes - $30-$100 for the limo driver, depending on how far he/she drives and how many stops are made - $10-$50 for the wedding coordinator, depending on the complexity of your wedding package - $20-$50 for each performer at your ceremony (hey, Elvis has to eat too!) - $60-$200 for the Officiant (more information on tipping the Minister below) As you can see, an inexpensive Vegas wedding package has the potential to turn into a budget buster if gratuities and taxes aren't included in the listed price. As a general rule of thumb, taxes are often (but not always) included in the wedding package price, whereas gratuities are not. To prevent any misunderstandings, be sure to get absolute clarification on what is, and what is not included in the published rate. You'll also want to have the wedding chapel (or casino, or whichever wedding vendor you choose) provide you with a final package price in writing so you have something to fall back on if they try to squeeze you for higher fees on your special day. And as always, the gratuity given should reflect the level of service received; don't feel obligated to tip someone who didn't go out of their way to make sure your wedding was the most special day of your life. 2. Is the minister's fee included? As a general rule, the Oficiant's fee is usually not included in your wedding package price. Most websites will highlight the fact that "ministers work for tips" and that the average minister's fee runs $60 per ceremony. Sometimes, the fee can be much higher, such as in the case of needing a minister to perform the ceremony in a language other than English. For example, one chapel I know of on the Vegas Strip requires a minimum of $150 for a French-speaking minister, so if you want to exchange vows in Spanish, or Italian, or Farsi, be sure to clarify what the minister's fees are for this service. Additionally, if your wedding is outside of the Vegas city limits (for example, in Red Rock, or the Valley of Fire), you can expect to pay up to $200+ for the minister's fee to compensate him/her for additional travelling time. 3. How much time will we have in the chapel/on the grounds? This is also an important question to ask as chapels perform multiple ceremonies throughout the day, and for them, more marriages = more profits. So how much time can you expect to be alloted for your wedding? In general, the price of the wedding package is directly correlated to the amount of time you'll be permitted to have on the grounds. For example, a typical wedding package under $500 will generally allow for 15 minutes of chapel time plus additional time with the photographer, whereas wedding packages in the $700-$1200 range will generally afford you at least a half hour. If your package includes a mini-reception (cake and champagne toast), you can expect to spend at least a half hour with your guests in a private reception area. In order to make sure your special day runs smoothly, be sure to get clarification from the wedding coordinator regarding the exact start and finish times for your wedding. You should also ask them how they handle being behind schedule and how this may affect your ceremony. And last, but not least, you MUST be on-time for your scheduled ceremony. Many chapels will not wait for you (or your guests, which includes parents!), and you will be rushed along to make up for lost time if you arrive late. 4. When will we receive our photos? Some wedding packages will provide you with a next-day appointment to view and choose your wedding photos while others will require you to select your shots right after the ceremony. If you've chosen a wedding package that includes a mini-reception or if you have more than a few guests with you, chances are you'll want to spend time relaxing and mingling after your ceremony - not shoved in a photo booth picking out your favorite shots. In a case like this, try to request a next-day photo appointment with the photographer (in many cases, the chapel will also provide you with transportation for this appointment). Depending on the photo package you select, photos can sometimes be printed on site while others can take weeks to be sent to you. If at all possible, try to select and leave with your photos so you're not worrying about when the mail man will show up with your precious delivery. These days it's common for a CD with all photo rights to your pictures included in your package price, so you can often leave the chapel with the CD in hand. Every chapel is differnt, so be sure to ask your wedding coordinator how and when you will select your photos and when you can expect to receive the prints (or the CD). 5. Do you provide written contracts? The answer should be a resounding, "YES!" If a wedding vendor refuses to provide one, they should be immediately crossed off of your list. Your written contract should include, at minimum, the following: - your names, their name and their contact information - the final price of the package - whether taxes and gratuities are included - exactly the services and inclusion provided with the package - your wedding date, as well as your start/finish time - the amount due upon signing (the deposit), and a payment schedule for the remaining balance - cancellation policy Getting married in Vegas is an exciting, fun experience! It's a great alternative to Brides and Grooms looking to skip the traditional ceremony and reception, and choosing a Vegas wedding package can be much easier on your budget as well. You should expect to have an exceptional wedding experience in the "Marriage Capital of the World", and you can help to ensure this by asking all of the right questions before you make a commitment to any chapel, casino or wedding vendor. Want to find out what kinds of Vegas Wedding Packages are available? Access over 827 wedding packages at our website at http://www.planaweddinginvegas.com
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