5 Places to Elope in Las Vegas That Aren’t the Strip

Best Places to Elope Outside of Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world. It’s no surprise that when it comes to venue options for your wedding, you might feel overwhelmed. Believe it or not, Las Vegas has more to offer for your elopement than just the strip or the wedding chapels. There are several great places to elope in Las Vegas that are less than an hour’s drive outside the city! There’s so much more to Vegas than the movies portray. Although, we do have Elvis walking around everywhere so they aren’t that wrong. No, seriously, I worked for an Elvis for two years when I moved here. It’s absolutely a real thing.

Where To Get Married In Las Vegas

One of the first things you have to decide when you want to get married in Las Vegas is whether to choose a chapel or nature. Las Vegas has tons of both options and each has its ups and downs. Getting married in a chapel is definitely a one-of-a-kind experience. From Little White Wedding Chapel, to Viva Las Vegas, to the Neon Museum, if you’re wanting bright, crazy, and vintage you can’t go wrong.

But getting married on top of the same carpet that’s been there for 50 years isn’t for everyone. If you’re wanting to skip the city lights and head to some of the more unique aspects of the Las Vegas countryside, this blog is for you.

These 5 places to elope in Las Vegas that aren’t the Las Vegas Strip are each unique in their own way. You might not have heard of them before, but trust me, they’re really cool. Each place has its own beauty and can appeal to different types of people. Whether you’re eloping with just the two of you or bringing along some of your closest friends, you’re not going to want to miss these locations.

Keep reading to discover some of the fun intimate places to get married in Las Vegas, all the marriage license logistics, and planning help you’ll need. Vegas is the perfect place to think outside the box, so get prepared to dream up something big!

Learn about the cost of elopements on this blog and read a complete breakdown of all costs involved.

Why You Should Elope In Las Vegas

Las Vegas has so many options for every type of person. The stereotypical Vegas quickie wedding isn’t the only thing we offer anymore. You can still have a romantic and intimate ceremony on the Las Vegas streets. I know that choosing to elope is already a scary decision so I think it’s pretty cool you want to go for it. Go big or go home, right?

Deciding to elope in Las Vegas immediately throws out all the rules you’ve ever known about having a wedding. Almost everywhere you look there is a minister happy to help you share your nuptials. Elvis will take a picture with you and if you’re lucky, you might even see Darth Vader or Marilyn Monroe while you’re here. From beginning to end you can create your day however you dream. Don’t worry, figuring out how to plan your Las Vegas elopement is easier than it sounds. Especially with me by your side.

Perks Of Eloping in Las Vegas

Unique Atmosphere

It’s no surprise that eloping in Las Vegas brings you to one of the most unique communities around the west coast. Weddings are our jam and everyone in Las Vegas loves seeing all the pretty dresses and excited bridal parties. Whether you’ve been dreaming of the kitschy chapel experience, the high roller casino ceremony, or your own unique adventure, Las Vegas has it all ready for you.

Ease of Planning

Getting your marriage license in Las Vegas is one of the easiest places to do so in the US. There’s no waiting period, excessive paperwork, or hoops you have to jump through. Just show up to the bureau with 77 bucks and 20 minutes of your time and you’re good to go. The minister will even file it for you.

How To Plan a Vegas Elopement

Planning your Vegas elopement just takes a little bit of research and a lot of thinking outside the box. From pop-up wedding wagons to pink caddy ceremonies to hiking in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas can cater to anything you’ve been dreaming of. Depending on whether you want the chapel experience or adventure elopement you should either book your chapel or your elopement photographer first. Vegas elopement photographers are more than used to helping you figure out the rest of the logistics. Most chapels run on all-inclusive packages, meaning they will likely figure out your transportation, florals, ceremony, and photography for you.

Another unique aspect of getting married in Las Vegas is that we are used to last-minute rendezvous. I’ve planned Las Vegas elopements over 12 months, 6 months, and less than a week. Getting married in Las Vegas is so easy you don’t even have to think about it.

Choose your Las Vegas Ceremony Location

Dry Lake Bed

The dry lake bed is one of the most popular outdoor places to elope in Las Vegas, especially if you want something in nature. The Dry Lake Bed doesn’t have any permit fees which means you can have your ceremony at any time that you want. The only downside to this means that you will likely have other people at the lake bed at the same time, often driving four-wheelers and sports cars around. I’ve photographed elopements at the dry lake bed both at sunrise and sunset and both times of day are spectacular. The sunrise is slow and moody and the sunset goes quickly behind the mountains but leaves you with amazing cotton candy skies. It’s hard to go wrong with a dry lake bed elopement in Las Vegas.

Tule Springs

Tule Springs is another unique landscape in Las Vegas. It’s actually a really old fossil bed that has left behind funky-shaped mounds and hills of white rock. As of this writing, there is not a permit fee to host your elopement here, but it is pretty far out of the way of the general Vegas Vibe. You will get pretty dusty at this location, so I recommend wearing clothing you don’t mind getting dirty. One of my brides wore a black wedding dress here and the bottom was covered in dust by the end of it. The photos were definitely worth it, though. Tule Springs is surrounded by mountains and open land which will really give you the intimacy you might be looking for.

Unique Las Vegas Wedding Venues

7 Magic Mountains

The 7 Magic Mountains is an interesting semi-permanent art installation in Las Vegas constructed out of massive boulders. The boulders are stacked on top of one another and painted in neon rainbow colors. I know it sounds pretty weird, but you should absolutely make time to go see it while you’re here. There isn’t anything else around the installation so you kind of feel like you’ve stumbled on something alien when you arrive. Watch out for scorpions here, though. I’ve never seen any, but they do exist! This elopement location in Las Vegas is perfect if you want a little pop of color without the Vegas strip.

Adventurous Las Vegas Wedding Venues

Lake Mead

Lake Mead is full of different areas you can visit such as Boulder Beach, Owl Canyon, or their pristine lawns and resorts. There is a pretty hefty permit fee to host your ceremony here and I would recommend checking with the permit office ahead of time to ensure they have availability for you. I think this will continue to be the case for Las Vegas as elopements keep growing in popularity.

El Dorado Ghost Town

The El Dorado Ghost Town is one of the most unique spots near Las Vegas. It is originally an old mining town that has been turned into a museum, vintage graveyard, mining tours, and wedding venue. There is a small permit fee to host your wedding at the El Dorado Ghost Town, but if the vintage cars and old wood are your style, it’s worth it. If you stay until sunset, they come out and feed the rabbits and birds. My bride felt like a real-life Disney princess when the rabbits came out during her first dance.

If you love the heat, desert, and unique people then Vegas just might be the perfect place for your elopement. There are so many different places to elope in Las Vegas. After you explore some nature, head to downtown Fremont and see the vintage Las Vegas casinos and zip line!

Falling in love with these off the beaten path elopement locations in Las Vegas? Book me here.