Pink and cream were the sophisticated palette for this intimate wedding. Hidden away in the hotel within a hotel at Four Seasons Las Vegas, Nicole and Alex exchanged vows in the courtyard backed by the unforgettable fountains (complete with cocktail hour), followed by a classic ballroom reception. The feminine touches created an airy, romantic look for this simply stunning wedding. I am gaga over the florals. Feast your eyes!
More from the wedding designer and co-ordinator, Emily:
On a perfect spring day, Nicole walked around her suite at the Four Seasons Las Vegas to the sounds of laughter from her bridesmaids while sipping on a bottle of Dom Perignon. After spending a year planning this beautiful day, her wedding day was finally here.
The couple opted to do a first look. Nicole took Alex’s breath away as he turned around to see his beautiful bride for the first time.
The scattered clouds over the evening ceremony made for stunning light at the right moments. A string duo played Pachelbel’s Canon in D as the bride took her first step down the aisle with both her parents by her side. Surrounded by their family and friends, Nicole and Alex vowed to love each other unconditionally for the rest of their lives and sealed it with a kiss.
PRESS brought great energy as guests sipped on cocktails and enjoyed hors d’oeurves while waiting for the reception to begin. The breathtaking ballroom awaited and Nicole and Alex got the party started with their first dance. The night was filled with lots of great food, a few Persian traditions, and even a slider station at the end of the night.
I have to admit something: I am obsessed with The Smith Center. The art-deco architecture, the great location and the mix of indoor and outdoor spaces add up to one killer wedding spot. It’s no surprise that Ryan and Danette chose the famous performing arts venue for their romantic wedding.
Dressed up in roses and draping with black and white decor, the venue allowed this couple to shine on their wedding day…and for their wedding party to get a little dancey later on. Every detail was taken care by Scheme Events of and allowed Ryan and Danette to just enjoy their amazing day.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE SMITH CENTER?
It is a beautiful location which gave us a few options when deciding if we wanted an indoor or an outdoor wedding. It gave us an urban city feel while offering the capability to customize the venue to tie into our theme.
THE CEREMONY — Courtyard at The Smith Center
The ceremony was held in the courtyard of The Smith Center, which is a naturally stunning location and the perfect size for our wedding. With the addition of white flowers, white draping, and everyone we loved surrounding us it was everything we could have imagined and more.
THE RECEPTION — Troesh Studio Theater at The Smith Center
The theatre was perfect stage for all to showcase their jokes and dance moves. The night started off with a roast before the toast that had everyone laughing at the jabs from Ryan’s close friends. It led into the jokes and our hidden secrets from Ryan’s brother and best man and the maid of honor. Once the dinner was done and the dancing started there was everything from the Montana country dance, to Bruno Mars, to the Sigma Chi sweetheart serenade (that’s a thing…) everyone had a blast. Even Ryan’s 90-year-old grandparents made an appearance on the dance floor.
FAVORITE MEMORY
The best moment of the day was our first look. We had a quick moment to see each other and have a few moments to ourselves in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the day. It was refreshing to get our focus on each other right before the ceremony when there are so many other things going on around you.
LAS VEGAS WEDDING TIPS FROM RYAN AND DANETTE
Hire a wedding co-ordinator or planner. It made our lives so much easier. We used Scheme Events and our co-ordinator Francesca had an answer for everything. We used all of her vendor recommendations and she was only a phone call away anytime we needed something. We only had one mishap with our venue but Francesca was there to keep Bridezilla from making an appearance…kind of. When Bridezilla came out she just giggled and refocused me.
GUESTCOUNT + BUDGET
We had a budget of $35,000 and a guest list of 100.
If you want to go Hollywood glam in Las Vegas, The Barrymore is a perfect venue to choose. It’s got this retro feel, full of golden details and decadent decor (like that wallpaper! Unf.)
I like to recommend it for smaller wedding parties because it’s got a patio and a built-in theme already. Here’s a gorgeous peek at the space in a styled shoot that evokes romance and glamour from two Austrian wedding photographers who did a little work while visiting the city recently.
The courtyard at Historic 5th Street School in downtown Las Vegas is fantastic. It’s light, it’s airy and as you’ll see with today’s wedding, it’s incredibly flexible, working for a combined ceremony and reception venue.
Amping up the vintage feel of the setting, Candace and Bobby used antique touches for their theme, incorporating old books, glassware and lace details. The pops of red in Candace’s bouquet work so well against the pastel backgrounds. Not only that…but the venue’s history worked well for these two teachers. Such a fantastic choice for an outdoor wedding!
If you have ever had the pleasure of visiting The Peppermill, you will understand why I am so excited to share today’s wedding. And if you haven’t been … what are you waiting for!? It’s a kitschy classic that oozes old school Vegas style. Lots of neon, cozy couches and cheesy details served alongside big cocktails and diner classics. It’s a must go. Especially after you see how awesome a wedding reception there can be!
Lauren and Joe had a day full of amazing moments, from a first look at Cosmopolitan’s Chandelier Bar to cruising the Strip in an oversized Dodge Challenger, and of course, celebrating their wedding with loved ones.
WHY LAS VEGAS?
I first went to Vegas in 2008 with my best friend Charlie. I loved it out there so much. I said back then that if I was ever “stupid enough to get married” I would do it in Vegas…haha! Careful what you wish for. When Joe proposed to me the first thing I said (after yes!) was: Please can we do it in Vegas?
THE CEREMONY — Elvis on the Terrace at Vegas Weddings
it was dark and the fairylights on the gazebo were simply beautiful. It was a fun-filled romantic ceremony … we loved every second. I walked down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love and my mum gave me away. We had 20 guests which was amazing considering my side of the wedding party were from the U.K. and Joe’s family are spread out across the U.S.
THE RECEPTION — The Peppermill
The Peppermill was an amazing place! The food is incredible and the ambiance was just perfect for us. I love the colours and the neon lights. Reminds me of old meets new Vegas. I made contact with Peggy, the owner, and asked if it would be possible for us to have our wedding reception there. She was more than happy to accommodate us and was really helpful. I had a purple colour theme and she even offered to order in purple napkins. I dropped my table decorations and favours in the day before and they laid them out beautifully for us. It was perfect! We opted for the normal menu but they do have set menus, too. As our wedding was quite late it was the best venue, being open 24/7. And there was no deadline or curfew. Three weeks later we had another reception in the U.K. for 70 people.
DIY DETAILS + DECOR
I made all the ladies in my wedding group a bracelet with a purple ribbon and a silver State of Nevada charm as a thank you gift. I also made the save the date note myself and all the wedding invitation inserts. The wedding favours were also DIY’d. I bought poker chips and stuck on some stickers I had made onto them. These were included with a thank you poem. I was trying to keep the costs low and the wedding personal.
FAVORITE MEMORY
There are so many. It was just incredible. Just being able to get married to the man I love, in one of my favourite cities in the world, surrounded by our friends and family was a dream come true. Our wedding had a live feed too so all our friends and family who couldn’t make it could watch. My dad also couldn’t make it out to Vegas for the wedding, but en route to the wedding chapel, Joe and I FaceTimed him in the U.K. He had a mini bottle of Champagne at the ready while he watched online (even though it was 3:30 a.m.)
LAS VEGAS WEDDING TIPS FROM LAUREN AND JOE
Be organized and do your research. Make sure you have an itinerary and that you get confirmations for everything. I didn’t see my actual wedding venue until two days before the wedding, but it was perfect. I spent hours online reading reviews and estimating travel times etc.
