The cost to get married in Vegas starts at about $170 — a $102 Clark County marriage license plus a drive-through chapel ceremony — and climbs to $20,000 or more for a full resort wedding. The reported local average lands around $22,000, still below the national average of roughly $34,000. The only legally required expense is the license; everything else is a choice.
The One Cost You Can’t Skip: The Marriage License
Every couple marrying in Las Vegas needs a license from the Clark County Marriage License Bureau. The fee is $102, paid by credit or debit card, with a 2% plus $1.25 processing surcharge added at checkout.1Clark County, NV. Marriage License Requirements2Clark County, NV. Fees Checks are not accepted. Both of you must appear in person at the same time with original government-issued photo ID.
Nevada has no waiting period, no blood test, and no residency requirement, so you can get the license and marry the same day.3Washoe County Clerk. Marriage FAQ The license stays valid for one year. The main bureau at 201 East Clark Avenue is open 8:00 a.m. to midnight, every day of the year.4Clark County Clerk. Marriage License Pre-Application
After the ceremony, a certified copy of the marriage certificate costs $20 per copy and takes about a day to become available once the officiant files the paperwork. Mail delivery can take up to three weeks.5Clark County, NV. Ordering Marriage Certificates
The Cheapest Legal Wedding
If the goal is simply to be married, the floor is roughly $170 to $300 all in. Vegas Weddings’ “Just the Ceremony” drive-through package is advertised at $69, but after taxes, fees, and customary gratuities the venue says the out-the-door price is closer to $170.6Vegas Weddings. Las Vegas Drive Thru Weddings Love Story Wedding Chapel’s “You + Me” chapel package also starts at $69 and seats up to 16 guests.7Love Story Wedding Chapel. Wedding Packages
A Little White Chapel, one of the city’s best-known venues, lists ceremonies from $150 for the chapel, gazebo, Pink Cadillac, or drive-through Tunnel of Love, then adds a mandatory $60 minister fee and a 19% surcharge that covers gratuities, filing fees, permits, and taxes. Fridays, Saturdays, and other premium days add another $100.8A Little White Chapel. Packages9A Little White Chapel. Drive Thru Tunnel of Love Ceremony
Chapel Package Prices
Most chapels sell tiered packages that bundle the officiant, a witness, light décor, and sometimes photography. A sampling across popular venues:
- Vegas Weddings: drive-through from $89, Crystal Suite from $159, outdoor gazebo from $399, and chapel and terrace packages up to $2,519.10Vegas Weddings. Wedding Packages
- A Little White Chapel: $150 for basic ceremonies, $450 to $695 for upgraded experiences such as the Amore Chapel or “World-Famous Experience,” before the minister fee and surcharge.8A Little White Chapel. Packages
- Love Story Wedding Chapel: from $69 for a simple chapel ceremony up to $449 and above for helicopter or adventure packages.7Love Story Wedding Chapel. Wedding Packages
Weekday ceremonies typically run about $100 less than weekend ones. Booking Tuesday or Wednesday is one of the easiest ways to lower the bill.
Elvis and Themed Ceremonies
An Elvis-themed wedding is the classic Vegas upsell. The tribute artist usually performs during the ceremony and sometimes walks the bride down the aisle. Published pricing:
- Graceland Wedding Chapel: $249 to $799, plus a $60 officiant fee.11Graceland Wedding Chapel. Elvis Ceremony Packages
- The Little Vegas Chapel: $349 to $777, plus a $100 cash-only Elvis officiant fee.12The Little Vegas Chapel. Elvis Weddings
- Affinity Forever Wedding Chapel: $399 to $1,299, plus a $60 cash-only minister fee.13Affinity Forever Wedding Chapel. Elvis Tribute Artist Weddings
- A Little White Chapel: Elvis Tribute package at $495.8A Little White Chapel. Packages
Figure $350 to $800 total for most Elvis ceremonies after mandatory fees and tips, or over $1,000 for premium packages with limo service and extended performances.
Outdoor and Scenic Ceremonies
Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, and the surrounding desert are popular alternatives to the Strip. These cost more than chapel ceremonies because they bundle permits, transportation, and photography.
Red Rock Canyon packages from one vendor run $1,499 to $2,999 and include the required Bureau of Land Management permit, professional photography, and an officiant. Higher tiers add Mercedes Sprinter limo service, a bouquet, and ceremony video. Guests pay a $20-per-vehicle park entry fee.14Scenic Las Vegas Weddings. Red Rock Canyon Wedding Packages
Valley of Fire elopement packages start at $900 for just the couple, with small-wedding packages (up to 20 guests) at $1,199 and larger celebrations at $1,499. Summer specials drop as low as $999. These include the state park permit, officiant, professional photography with full copyright release, and a bridal bouquet.15Valley of Fire Weddings. Wedding Packages Other providers charge more; Paradise Wedding Chapel’s Valley of Fire package with four-hour limo service runs $3,099.16Paradise Wedding Chapel. Valley of Fire Wedding
Resort and Helicopter Weddings
Strip hotels and helicopter operators sit at the top of the market.
The Venetian’s packages start at $950 for the Gondola Bianca and reach $8,400 for the Radiance package. Rewards members and active-duty military get 5% to 15% off select tiers. Events booked within 14 days carry a $500 rush fee.17The Venetian Las Vegas. Wedding Packages
Bellagio ceremony packages range from $2,900 for “A Simple Affair” (20 guests, Tuesday through Thursday) to $16,000 for the Fountain Courtyard experience accommodating 80 guests. Elopement packages at the Terrazza di Sogno and Fountain Courtyard run $5,000 and $7,000 respectively, with evening weddings adding a surcharge.18Here Comes the Guide. Bellagio Wedding Venue
Wynn Las Vegas does not publish ceremony prices and directs couples to request a brochure. Its reception catering menu lists per-person dinners from $125 (Tulip package) to $250 (Magnolia), both including a wedding cake.19Wynn Las Vegas. Package Dinners
Helicopter ceremonies over the Strip or the Grand Canyon are an all-inclusive splurge. Maverick Helicopters offers Strip ceremonies from $1,099 and Grand Canyon ceremonies from $4,399.20Maverick Helicopters. Weddings and Proposals Papillon’s Grand Canyon West Rim packages start at $4,799, with sunset departures adding $230, and include hotel transfers, officiant, photographer, bouquet, and a champagne toast at the canyon floor.21Papillon. Grand Canyon Wedding 5 Star Helicopters offers Grand Canyon packages from $3,995 including private Mercedes transfers, officiant, bouquet, and a Hoover Dam flyover.225 Star Helicopter Tours. Grand Canyon Helicopter Wedding Packages
What the Add-Ons Cost
Most wedding budgets are built from pieces outside the ceremony itself.
Photography and Video
Standard wedding photography in Las Vegas typically runs $1,000 to $3,000, with elopement sessions under $1,000 for a one- or two-hour shoot. Local rates run about 8% below the national average.23Chimera Golf Club. How to Afford Amazing Wedding Photos and Video in Las Vegas Videography is usually priced by the hour, around $200, plus a separate fee for an edited highlight reel.
Hair and Makeup
Bridal hair-and-makeup combos generally fall between $220 and $300, with airbrush slightly higher. A bridal trial before the wedding day adds $170 to $225.24Lakeside Brides. Price List25Smooth Brides. Prices Deluxe packages that bundle spray tans, facials, and manicures can reach $650 to $950. Early-start fees of $50 to $250 and travel charges are common.
Flowers
Many chapel and outdoor packages include a basic bouquet and boutonniere. A standalone bridal-party-only order runs $1,500 to $3,000; fuller décor pushes into the $5,000 to $8,000 range.
Transportation
Standalone limo rentals start at $80 for a six-passenger stretch and go up to $165 or more for a 28-passenger party bus, with a two-hour minimum on larger vehicles. Fuel surcharges and excise tax are extra.26Bell Limousine. Fleet Rates Many chapel packages already bundle a limo, so check before booking separately.
Reception Dining
A sit-down reception runs $65 to $120 per person at most venues, with luxury resort catering at $125 to $250 per person.19Wynn Las Vegas. Package Dinners Fogo de Chao offers packages from about $52 per person with no venue rental fee, though food and beverage minimums run $1,800 to $15,000 depending on guest count and day of the week.27Wedding Spot. Fogo de Chao Las Vegas A chapel-arranged cake and champagne service for up to 12 guests starts around $750.
Costs People Forget
Gratuities are the most commonly missed line item. Many chapel packages don’t include tips, and a listed “service charge” often covers venue overhead rather than staff. Ask every vendor directly.
Typical Las Vegas tipping ranges: $50 to $150 for the officiant, $20 to $50 per chapel staff member, $20 to $40 for the limo driver, and $50 to $200 for the photographer. At Strip resorts, the standard 22% to 25% service charge usually covers catering and bar staff, but it’s customary to hand the banquet captain a separate $100 to $200 envelope.
A few more line items that slip past couples:
- Witnesses: if you don’t bring your own, chapels charge $10 to $50 for a staff witness, though some, including A Little White Chapel, provide one at no charge.28A Little White Chapel. Alert
- Premium-day surcharges: Friday and Saturday ceremonies often cost $100 more, and holidays like Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and the Fourth of July can add $150 to $250.13Affinity Forever Wedding Chapel. Elvis Tribute Artist Weddings
- Credit card surcharge on the license: the 2% plus $1.25 processing fee is mandatory.2Clark County, NV. Fees
- Certified marriage certificate: $20 per copy from the Clark County Clerk.2Clark County, NV. Fees
Total Cost by Budget Tier
Pulling it together, here’s roughly what a Las Vegas wedding costs at each tier:
- Bare minimum, legal ceremony only: $170 to $300. The license plus a budget chapel or drive-through package, with a small amount for tips and fees.
- Simple elopement with photos: $1,000 to $2,500. License, a nicer chapel or outdoor ceremony, a photographer for an hour or two, bouquet, and a celebratory dinner for two.
- Mid-range wedding with guests: $5,000 to $15,000. A scenic outdoor or upscale chapel venue, photography, flowers, hair and makeup, limo, and a small reception dinner.
- Full resort wedding: $20,000 and up. Hotel ceremony venue, catering, entertainment, and décor, consistent with the reported Las Vegas average of around $22,000.29The Knot. Average Wedding Cost