We’re so happy to have you here! We know planning a Vegas Wedding can be overwhelming with all the information out there. We created this guide to help you create a realistic budget for your Vegas Wedding, Elopement, and Micro-Wedding. There’s a common misconception that you can come to Vegas and get married for $50. You can do this but it won’t be a traditional wedding and will have zero frills with zero customization. This guide will cover three tiers of weddings (Traditional Weddings, Intimate Weddings/Micro-Weddings, and Elopements) and the average costs associated with them.
This is a part of our larger series on planning Vegas Weddings – click here to see our “Complete Guide to Planning your Las Vegas Wedding” to help you plan your whole wedding (And to make sure you’re not missing anything!) Now onto the lists on average costs associated with getting hitched in Vegas!
If your dream is to have an extravagant and large wedding with a lengthy guest list – we have listed the average costs. Many costs associated with weddings largely have to do with your guest list. One of the easiest ways to have a more affordable wedding in Vegas is to cut your guest count. It won’t lower all associated wedding costs like your wedding photographer or your wedding planner but it’ll help with the tangible costs like food and catering where each guest adds x amount to your required wedding budget.
Photography:
Traditional Weddings (7-8 hours): $3,000-$6,000
Intimate Weddings (4-5 hours): $2,000-$4,000
Elopements (1-2 hours): $1,000-$3,000
One of the most important things you’ll be investing in is documentation of your wedding day. If you’re having a larger traditional wedding your day will go by in a blink. You’ll be so busy greeting people your day will be over before you know it. And that is why photography is one of the most important aspects of your wedding day. You want those moments to be captured for you to cherish for the rest of your life.
In your hunt for your wedding photography team you will see a crazy variance in pricing. We are here to firmly tell you that wedding photography is one of the things where you get what you pay for. For a licensed, competent and seasoned professional who has a small business (Like us at Fig + Willow!) you will simply not find full-day coverage for less than $3,000. And for elopements – if you find someone who will shoot your wedding for an hour for $100 or something – chances are they’re new to photography and don’t understand their gear well, or aren’t legally registered businesses. Eek, red flag alert!
I won’t go into all the boring stuff about us paying 30% for taxes, permits, thousands of dollars worth of gear etc. but anyone offering something that sounds too good to be true, probably is. And you will not get a repeat of your wedding day!
For elopements and micro-weddings since the amount of coverage needed is generally less as the above prices reflect, the costs will adjust accordingly as with most things for wedding planning! But expect to pay an average of $500-$750/hr for a company that’s popular and has high-quality work.
Wedding Videography:
Traditional Weddings (7-8 hours): $2,500-$6,000
Intimate Weddings (4-5 hours): $2,500-$4,000
Elopements (1-2 hours): $1,000-$4,000
As with wedding photography, your wedding film will tell your story for generations to come. It is a culmination of your love story. Many people think that videography is a luxury item to be added on later – we don’t necessarily agree with this. Your love story in motion is something really special and you’ll never be able to recreate. Our clients have sent us messages years later saying how much they appreciated having our video after they unfortunately lost a love one. Both photography and wedding films are invaluable and worth investing in! There are many things from your wedding budget that can be slimmed down if necessary to make sure you find the budget for a quality videographer. (Like guest count, catering, cake, and venue)
While you’re mainly paying for talent and a huge chunk of time for post production – cutting the amount of hours you need by having a micro-wedding or intimate wedding can save you some money without sacrificing finding a reputable and high-quality videographer for your wedding or elopement. Win, win!
Wedding Planner:
Full Service Coordination: $8,000-$10,000+
Month of Coordination: $5,000+
Day of Coordinator: $1,500-$3,000+
We chatted with the wonderful Vegas based Wedding Planner Simply Elegant by Diana who specializes in beautiful high-end weddings on the west coast and here’s what she said about her packages “For full service I charge $8,000-$10,000. This includes up to an entire year of planning, vendor recommendations, consultations, site visits, and communication with clients.”
It’s important to note that as with everything wedding related – it can vary so much. There are different levels of involvement from wedding planners which directly correlates with the cost it will incur. Many planners offer smaller collections – month of coordinating, partial coordination, and even Day of Coordination.
Our best advice is for you to gauge how involved you want to be in wedding planning. Do you want to just count down the days and have zero stress related to your wedding? Sounds like full-service would be the best fit. Or, are you a DIY bride who loves all the little details and doesn’t mind the added stress? Maybe month of coordination or day of is best for you.
To summarize – find a wedding planner you absolutely LOVE. They are going to be your magic makers and create something unique for you so make sure their work inspires you. (You need one in some capacity!) and let them, the experts tell you what the best fit would be for you. Still not convinced you need one? Here’s an article we wrote titled “5 Signs you Need a Wedding Planner”
Wedding Venue:
Traditional Weddings (50-250 Guests): $10,000+
Intimate Weddings (10-50 Guests): $8,000+
Elopements: Free to $1,000+
We know this range is crazy yet again. And maybe the craziest one yet. But as we mentioned before about classic weddings – they vary. Some venues have both ceremony and reception sites and your whole wedding will be at one site. Some venues include things for the above-mentioned cost, some don’t. Smaller intimate weddings
Also, if you’re having a micro-wedding or eloping your venue costs can be super minimal hence the “free” part. Many planners and photographers have a list of places you can elope in Las Vegas that don’t require permits or only have a small permit required. Most of these spots are on the outskirts of Vegas and are incredibly beautiful. Browse our portfolio and you’ll see what we mean! If you do not plan on having a reception or want to just have dinner at a restaurant – that also consolidates costs a lot.
Pro Tip: Make a list of your favorite venues that you could really truly see yourself getting married at and make notes about the style, the vibe, and scenery that you love. Find alternate venues that check all the same boxes so you expand your wedding venue search that way. Or, as we recommended earlier – tell your vision to your wedding planner! And they’ll do all the heavy lifting and venue walkthroughs for you.
Wedding Flowers:
Traditional Wedding Including: Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Wedding Arch, Multiple Tables, Bridal Bouquet): $2,000-$5,000+
Elopement Including: Bridal Bouquet, Boutonnière, Wedding Arch, $500-$2,500
Good floral design can truly bring together a theme and a vibe at your vegas wedding or elopement and it’s so important to find a florist who is skilled and can bring your dreams to life. Additionally to this, flowers even at wholesale are not cheap! So if you want overflowing florals that make your wedding dreamy and exquisite – the cost will be based off that. Considering that a large majority of your photos will be taken with flowers in them – make sure they’re pretty and well designed!
Pro Tip: If you have to have a specific flower incorporated into your wedding – try to get them in-season so they’re easier and more affordable for your florist to source.
Wedding Cake: $350-$1,000+
Traditional Weddings (50-250 Guests): $750-$1,500
Intimate Weddings (10-50 Guests): $250-$1,000
Elopements: $100-$500
Wedding Cakes can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. If you’re having a large wedding and are a lover of details – an intricate wedding cake is definitely something to consider. a 3 tier cake that feeds 100people could easily cost $1,000. It largely comes down to the cake artist, the amount of details you want on the cake, and how many people it will feed. As with food – there is an average cost associated with the amount of people you’ll be feeding.
From the experts: “Cake price is determined by the intricacy of the finished design, the complexity of cake flavor, (i.e. white cake with white buttercream filling and frosting versus white cake with Bavarian cream and fresh strawberry filling and buttercream frosting, the latter is about 30 percent more in price), and, of course, how many tiers (the more tiers the harder to transport and the more to decorate) and hand delivery to the venue,” says Melissa Redell of The Solvang Bakery in Solvang, California.
For elopements and microweddings – get creative! One of the beautiful things about small weddings is the ability to do really cool stuff. Like maybe instead of a cake you want to have a donut truck? Make it you! And it could also help you save on costs with a smaller guest list and less mouths to feed. Or just get a super cute little cake – the options are endless.
Wedding Catering:
Traditional Weddings (50-250 Guests): $2,500-$10,000+
Intimate Weddings (10-50 Guests): $400-$6,000
Elopements: $100-$4,000
Depending on the type of meal you want – plated, buffet, or even a food truck costs can vary. The venue you choose will be a deciding factor in this because some venues only allow their in-house caterer to provide food and will be happy to review options with you. Some venues don’t have caterers if it’s more of an offbeat vegas venue. We shot a wedding at The Doyle which is an industrial style BYO venue in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas last year and our couple had a taco truck in the courtyard. It was super fun and an easy way to create a laid back atmosphere. So it totally depends on your vibe and what experience you want your guests to have.
Per this WeddingWire Article: “The average wedding catering cost per person varies depending on your wedding’s service style. For a plated meal, the average cost of wedding catering in the U.S. is $40 per person. For a buffet, the average is $27 per person.”
As mentioned earlier, if you’re eloping you likely aren’t going to have a traditional wedding reception. Instead, it’s common to pick an awesome restaurant to go to with your guests after your ceremony. Cost per plate can always range. Personally we suggest if you’re eloping to do everything big. Like maybe check out a Michelin starred restaurant on the strip? But whatever fits you and your vibe best.
Drinks and Speciality Cocktails: $100-$10,000
Are you just bringing some beer from the liquor store? Are you having a team of licensed bartenders to whip up specialty cocktails? For how many guests? Those are the questions you need to be asking yourself in order to get a proper number. Maybe you want an open bar – that will cost you. Or maybe a 1-2 drink minimum?
If you’re eloping – you can basically eliminate this! Maybe bring a bottle of champagne and call it a day.
DJ: $1,500-$3,000
If you’re having a traditional wedding with lots of people, a DJ is a lifesaver. They help control the mood of your guests and are integral for helping you stay on track. That being said -if you’re eloping or having a micro-wedding with no reception – this is a cost that you can eliminate.
Hotel Accommodation: $150-$250/night
Most of our couples are destination couples that either fly to Vegas for their wedding or drive. In both instances – you’re going to need a place to stay. Most couples opt to stay either on the Las Vegas Strip where you have one of the widest ranges of hotels in the entire world. Or, if you are wanting something super luxurious and a more laid-back vibe, maybe you’re staying on Lake Las Vegas or on the western side of town overlooking Red Rock Canyon.
Whatever your vibe is – hotels in Vegas are super competitively priced so you can stay somewhere luxurious for only a few hundred bucks a night. Most of our domestic couples who get married in vegas stay for 4-5 days and our international couples stay from 7-10 days on average. So just budget appropriately and find a hotel that you like!
Stationery and Paper Products: $250-$1,000
As with food, stationery and paper product cost is largely based off the quantity that you will need. If you’re eloping – this is a cost you can either cut out entirely or pare down with good design but very few actual items made. Stationery is one of the things your photographer will incorporate into their flat lays and it helps set the tone for your entire event. Make it feel like you! Our best suggestion would be to find a calligrapher or stationery designer that you just adore and figure something out with them.
Hair and Makeup Artist: $150-$250/per person
Expect to pay $250+ for your hair and makeup just for the bride. If you have a big #bridetribe who will also need their hair and makeup done, expect to pay $150-200/each.
Officiant: $250-$400
Officiants come in so many different shapes and sizes! You could have a religious ceremony, or a non-denominational officiant. Vegas has a whole bunch of officiants who are legally able to perform ceremonies all across Clark County — whatever your style may be. Make sure you pick a team you vibe with – this person will set the tone for your entire ceremony so it’s important they understand what you want out of your ceremony.
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