Getting hitched in Las Vegas is nothing ordinary. It is a whole lot different from the vanilla type traditional weddings that you have probably attended. The Sin City boasts more than 120,000 weddings every year including actors and actresses, famous athletes, models and singers. If you are planning a Las Vegas wedding, you’ll be at par with some of the celebrities who got married there like Dennis Rodman and Carmen Elektra (1998) , Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford (1991), David Cassidy and Kay Lenz (1977).
Most of the weddings that occur in Las Vegas are unplanned. The couples are spontaneous and adventurous. But even if you are chasing love in a heartbeat, it is important to remember the following things before finally tying the knot.
• Wedding date. There is always a great probability that your chosen wedding date will be granted. Because there are numerous chapels abounding in Las Vegas, getting married on any date is possible. However, when choosing a wedding date, do consider the holidays. Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Day are favorites of a would-be bride or groom. Although it is possible to get married on those days, you may have to fall in line for several hours before exchanging vows.
• Location. You have a great variety of options when choosing for a location. Las Vegas has chapels and churches. There are even hotel chapels. But if you are looking for a more romantic wedding location you can try one of the following:
o The Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. This will give you the once in a lifetime chance to say your “I do’s” in an exquisite Parisian setting.
o Red Rock. About 20 miles from Las Vegas lay a brilliant red splash of sandstone that is a product of more than 500 million years of nature’s wonders. Red Rock will be a great backdrop to make any wedding spectacular.
o Lake Mead. Only 45 minutes from Las Vegas, Lake Mead offers the largest man-made dam in the Western Hemisphere. There is nothing more romantic than exchanging vows on a boat as it glides through the water.
• Weather. Las Vegas has a lovely and sunny weather most of the year. However, the weather here can be extremely hot and it can melt anything from make-up to cake icings. If you are planning a wedding here, check if you can have the ceremony at night.
• Dress. Unless you already have a bridal gown or a tuxedo made for you before going to Las Vegas or have a budget, you may want to consider renting an attire for the wedding. The prices range from $2000-$3000 and may go higher depending on the style or brand of the dress. In choosing a gown, consider wearing sleeveless. Temperatures can go as high as 100 degrees.
• Hair and Make-up. If you’re an out-of-towner and you’re just in Vegas to get married, you will probably want to find a hairstylist prepare for the big day. Although hotels have salons within their property, you might also want to try local salons. Just be sure to book your appointment ahead of time and to keep holidays and weekends in mind to avoid getting late on your own wedding.
• Honeymoon. This all depends on your taste and your budget. You can choose among great hotels like the Bellagio, Paris, Tropicana, Excalibur. Each offers different packages that can cater to almost anything that can satisfy a newly wed.
• Marriage license. Although Vegas is known for quickie marriages, you still need a marriage license to get married. Be sure you have all the legal requirements before the ceremony to avoid delay.
• Witnesses. If you’re one of those couples whose idol is Britney Spears and who decided to go on an unplanned wedding, you might not have any guests in town to act as your witness at your ceremony. But don’t worry. Las Vegas chapels always have someone ready to stand as your witness for that very important milestone in your life.
• Wedding Themes. If you’re in Vegas to have your wedding ceremony, you don’t necessarily need to have a traditional ceremony. Sin City is the crazy wedding capital of the world, so why not make it a little wild and wacky. Some of the available wedding themes include Elvis weddings, Gondola weddings, Pirate ship weddings and even Star Trek weddings. It could be anything you can think of. It’s your wedding; you can do whatever you want.
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An engagement ring sparkles on your finger. Family and friends are now impatiently raving and waiting for an invitation that will serve as their ticket for that hefty meal and cherished memorable experience. They simply know that this will probably be better than any Hanukkah.
While you need a wedding planner to keep everything organized and to keep you from stress before the “I do’s”, you need to browse on some of the important traditions of your faith to ensure a lifetime of great Jewish wedding memories. Outlined below are the steps and some must-know terms on how to make that dream wedding of yours come true.
• STEP 1: Choose Where you want to hold the wedding. Wherever that is, just make sure that the Rabbi and the guests can access it. Remember to make reservations ahead of time.
• STEP 2: Prepare a ketubbah.
A ketubbah is known as the marriage contract. This contains the detailed rights and resonsibilities of the married couple to each other. The chatan or groom’s principal obligations are to provide food, shelter and clothing for his wife, and to be attentive to her emotional needs. Until this contract has been prepared, the marriage may not be solemnized. So if you don’t want any delays, better prepare one ahead.
The kallah or wife has the ketubbah for keeping and she has access to it throughout their marriage. This binding legal document signed by two witnesses is often written amidst beautiful artwork and displayed at home.
The Ketubah is read between the first part of the ceremony or the Kiddushin (betrothal), and the latter part or Nissuin (marriage).
• STEP 3: Invite all the important people in your lives to attend your wedding and that includes your family and would-be family.
• STEP 4: Setup a huppah.
A huppah is a wedding canopy where the couples exchange their vows.
Under a beautiful quilt, the couple experiences betrothal and marriage. It is not only used asan important ceremonial symbol, it serves a decorative purpose as well.
• STEP 5: Allot extra yarmulke for guests who forgot to bring their own.
A kippah or yarmulke is a special head covering worn by Jewish men as a symbol of religious piety. Its English translation is skullcap, as it usually covers only the top of the skull.
• STEP 6: Give enough time before the veiling ritual or badeken where the groom puts the veil over the face of the bride once he has affirmed that she is the woman he intends to marry. The veil symbolizes that beyond the physical attraction the soul and character are paramount to marriage.
• STEP 7: Choose a plain gold ring without any engravings or ornamentation. This is done in the hopes that marriage will be as simple and as beautiful.
In placing the ring, the groom puts the ring in his hand before two witnesses, and then he declares to his bride his allegiance. The chatan then places the ring on the right hand forefinger of the bride, which is from to Jewish law an act that highlights the marriage and makes the marriage official.
• STEP 8: Request the guests to read out loud the seven blessings.
The Seven Blessings, said over the second cup of wedding wine, links the couple to their faith in God as the world's Creator, Provider of love and joy, and the greatest Savior.
After reciting the seven blessings, the kallah and chatan again drink some wine.
• STEP 9: Place a glass on the floor which the groom will break at the end of the ceremony as an indication that the Jewsih wedding ceremony is over. This is to remind the people about the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. It is also a reminder that life and relationships are.fragile and needs utmost care.
• STEP 10: After the ceremony, the newly-wed couple are escorted to another room where they are left to be alone and to eat some food before joining their loveones and guests at the wedding feast. This moment signifies the union of the couple and their right to live together under one roof as husband and wife. This is called the yihud.
• STEP 11: It’s now time to party. So be sure you have a lot of room for dancing and partying in the reception. Usually, the guests provide entertainment by juggling and doing acrobat.
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