We are SO happy you made it here. Chances are you’re planning your dream Las Vegas Elopement and have no idea where to start. Relax – we’re here to help! First off – we are top rated wedding photographers in Las Vegas who, as you’re about to find out, know ALL the best places to get married in Vegas. And we’re here to share that info with you. As a note – we don’t have any of the all-inclusive cheesy chapels on this list. And that’s for a reason! You can do so much better than having dead celebrity impersonators marry you in an ugly little street side chapel. Your love deserves better than that. And we’re totally happy to convince you of that.
This list is also applicable if you’re having a micro-wedding (oh so popular in 2020, 2021 and maybe even onwards!). I also want to note that there aren’t any traditional wedding venues on this list. If you’re planning a wedding with 10+ people we highly recommend you checking out this other blog post we did that has the Top 17 Wedding Venues in Las Vegas which has venues that are perfect if you are planning a traditional wedding with all the bells and whistles; that have a ceremony site, cocktail hour, and reception area.
So – here’s our list of unique and gorgeous locations to elope in las Vegas to elope at that we know you’ll fall in love with:
Best 11 Places to Elope in Las Vegas
(In Alphabetical Order!)
1. El Dorado Dry Lake Bed
The El Dorado Dry Lake Bed is one of our favorite places in Vegas period. It is unlike anywhere you’ve ever seen and will blow. your. mind. It’s exactly what the name says – a dry lake bed. With beautiful cracked earth and expansive terrain it’s gorgeous, minimalist and can be dressed up to the nines to elevate your Las Vegas Elopement into something truly special. The sunsets are unforgettable with a beautiful golden glow cast over the expanse. This location is off the beaten path – about 40 minutes from the Strip but we promise it’s worth the trek.
Click here to see a wedding we did at the Dry Lake Bed
2. El Dorado Mine (Also known as Nelson’s Ghost Town)
If you’re looking for something super off the wall – this might be the venue for you. There is a beautiful Native American inspired arch that overlooks an adorable field of cholla cacti and sweeping mountain views. This awesome place is about a 45 minute drive from Las Vegas and is chock full of random artifacts to pose in front of. Two life sized planes sticking out of the ground? Check. Random buildings that pay homage to the Wild Wild West. Also, check. If this sounds like your kind of vibe click the link below to see more photos from this Unique Vegas Elopement Venue.
Check out a wedding we photographed at Nelsons Ghost Town
3. Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs
We sadly have not photographed an elopement here (boo! Be our first?) but we see the potential in this place so had to add it to our list. We did shoot a gorgeous engagement session here with the cutest couple who did a luxurious picnic setup (This is a new trend and we are here for it!). It is a lush green oasis in the middle of the desert that has a variety of gorgeous locations that are perfect for an intimate wedding ceremony. There’s also a cute desert-y area at the back, and of course, WATER. Water is a rare in a desert town like Vegas so it’s always fun to shoot here. It’s literally a hidden gem in Vegas. If you’re craving something that is an easy backdrop that can be easily dressed up and elevated – this might be your spot.
Here’s a session we did at Floyd Lamb
4. Lake Las Vegas
Lake Las Vegas is a complete hidden gem. A relatively new area near Lake Mead, about a 45 minute drive from Las Vegas proper sits a cute little Italian Inspired Town that overlooks the water. With a quaint jazz bar, brick lined streets it’s a seriously cute area. Even Vegas locals don’t know about it that well yet! Along Lake Las Vegas there’s a variety of Las Vegas Wedding Venues. For larger weddings there’s ones like Hilton Lake Las Vegas and Reflection Bay – all great choices if you’re having a big wedding! But you can also just get married with you and a few guests overlooking the water. Pretty cool, huh? It’s incredibly magical at sunset where the sun turns the still water golden – perfect for some perfect couples portraits right at sunset.
Here’s a wedding we photographed at Lake Las Vegas.
5. Neon Museum
We have never ever shot anything here. But we’ve been dying to shoot here so if you’re thinking about having a wedding at the Neon Museum – message us! If you don’t know about it though, it’s an old “Graveyard” of neon signs from Vegas dating back to the very first few years of the citys creation. It’s super cool and definitely a one of a kind wedding venue – pretty much worldwide. Can you think of another spot filled with old neon signs? We’ll wait.
6. Open Desert
Tourists tend to forget that there’s life outside the strip. So consider yourself educated that people who live and work in Vegas – we rarely go to the strip. Instead, locals in Vegas tend to be enjoying the incredible area that surrounds the city. On every side we have beautiful breathtaking mountains, gorgeous desert landscaping, and the most beautiful of nature. One of our favorite spots to shoot is just that – open desert. We have some secret spots we’ll tell you all about once you’re on the books. Whether you want some famed red rocks behind you or some open desert surrounded by the cutest of baby joshua trees – we know a spot. While you may have only heard of the bright lights of the Strip – we can’t wait to open you up to the vast and incredible gem of the Las Vegas Desert for your Elopement.
See a wedding we photographed in the open desert outside of Las Vegas, Nevada
7. Red Springs in Red Rock Canyon
If you love desert, you’ll love Red Rock Canyon! Nestled in the middle is a beautiful desert Oasis that has been beautifully up-kept by the National Park System and is the perfect spot to get married. It is ADA accessible and a short 20 minute drive from Las Vegas. With a beautifully maintained boardwalk you are surrounded by lush greenery in the Spring and Fall with beautiful Red Rocks towering overhead. During the winter it’s a totally different type of magical. With the leaves fallen off the tree it’s all very grey but equally beautiful. Perfect for a winter elopement and snuggling up with your new partner for life! Red Rock Canyon is a whole vibe that we can’t emphasize enough on how dang gorgeous it is.
See a wedding we photographed at Red Springs in Red Rock Canyon here
8. Spring Mountain Ranch in Red Rock Canyon and Ash Grove
If the picture above didn’t stop your scroll – we don’t know what to tell you. This is one of our absolute favorite spots to photograph weddings. It’s just incredibly breathtaking every season of the year. You get the best of all worlds – beautiful lush greenery (This wedding was in the Fall – hence the oranges and yellows. In other seasons it’s a beautiful green), staggering mountains, and it’s only 25 minutes away from Las Vegas! Spring Mountain Ranch is actually a state park as well – so the permit to get married here is a LOT easier for us to get so you won’t have to worry about a thing.
Behind the “ceremony” location there’s a gorgeous little grove called Ash Grove which is tucked away and relatively untouched. Easy lined paths make walking in wedding heels a breeze though! Stunning mountain views and so much gorgeous desert nature it’s the perfect spot for couple photos after you say your wedding vows.
It’s a win win! If you’re thinking about a desert wedding but want some creature comforts of trees and familiar scenery this very well may be your spot. ADA accessible and the backdrop is, in our opinion, the stuff that fairytales are made of.
See a wedding we photographed at Spring Mountain Ranch in Red Rock Canyon here
9. Springs Preserve
We’re not sure what to start gushing about first in regards to this venue. First we’ll mention that it made it onto the aforementioned list of our favorite Las Vegas Wedding Venues for larger weddings. But it’s versatile enough to also make it onto this list. Springs Preserve is considered the birthplace of Las Vegas and is a sanctuary in the middle of the city. Not far from downtown Las Vegas it’s hidden away and a place that you should most definitely consider for your Las Vegas Elopement. We haven’t shot any weddings here (Lots of engagements though!). It’s full of bright colors, an insanely varied amount of plants, cacti, and flowers. If you love nature and want something that is super minimalist and nature inspired – this might be the perfect spot for your Vegas Elopement.
See a photo session we did at Springs Preserve here
10. Symphony Park at The Smith Center
A lot of the venues on this list have been places that have been around a long time, or paying adage to Old Vegas. This is the total opposite of that! If you want to have your Vegas Elopement in a fun and colorful place – this might be the spot for you! The fun and modern colors of Symphony Park provide the perfect photographic backdrop to modern Las Vegas Elopements. If you love bright colors and rainbows (haaaaay!) slow that scroll and peek at this place. It’s really as simple as it sounds. A bunch of tubular bright colored pipes in a park.
Symphony Park is located next to … you guessed it … the Symphony. And other performing arts that play at The Smith Center. This area was built a few years ago and is one of the newest spots in Las Vegas. So if you got married here – you’d be paying homage to New Vegas! And really, fun colors are always our jam here at Fig + Willow. If you’re a fan of pretty architecture – also a great reason to consider this spot. The Smith Center has some gorgeous tree lined paths that are absolutely perfect for couples photos.
See more photos from a session at Symphony Park and The Smith Center
11. Valley of Fire
And we’ve finally made it to the last, but certainly not least best spot to elope in Vegas. In your research you’ve probably heard about it but Valley of Fire is just pure magic. It’s one of the furthest away from Las Vegas but if you adore red rocks and want to feel like you’re getting married on Mars – Valley of Fire might be your spot. The road around Valley of Fire is probably the most scenic in all of Nevada. It’s just breathtaking. Both Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire are beautiful but we will say that there are more red rocks at Valley of Fire. If quantity matters to you. If your wedding is less than 3 months away we’ll have to recommend somewhere else to you though. Valley of Fire Wedding Permits sell out a year in advance normally so this is only for people planning their weddings 1-2 years out.
See a wedding we photographed at Valley of Fire
And that’s the end of the list! Once you’ve figured out where you want to elope (congrats!!!) we suggest this guide we wrote titled “The Complete Guide to Planning Your Las Vegas Wedding” so that you can check everything off your to-do list and not leave your wedding to chance. You deserve better than that! And of course, your wedding planner and wedding photography team are your feet on the ground – we are always happy to help. Utilize us! I hope this list was helpful in helping you narrow down your vegas wedding venue list and really helping you visualize what your dream vegas elopement is going to look like. We can’t wait to hear from you for all your photography and film needs!
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