When choosing a location for their destination wedding, New Yorkers Melissa and Daniel were drawn to the desert. They checked out the Valley of Fire on a scouting trip and instantly knew it was the place for them.
Guests were transported into a whimsical desert scene for the ceremony. Cactus and Lace Weddings co-ordinated everything, combining the soft tones of the desert with fresh florals and succulents alongside blush and gold details that ruffled in the wind. Antique books and china completed the vintage feel. After the touching vow exchange was a dessert reception and toasts with a beautifully dressed sweetheart table. A hand-carved vintage door was set up behind the table as a backdrop and as a reminder that doors symbolize hope, a new beginning, and will always stay open for loved ones.
Combining their ceremony with a private restaurant reception at Tableau at Wynn Las Vegas turned out to be the perfect combination for these two. But as an In-n-Out fan, I love that this couple made time for a pit stop for some burgers, too!
WHY LAS VEGAS?
My husband, then fiancé Daniel, came up with the idea to have a desert wedding. We figured Las Vegas had a lot of activities and attractions and would be the most fun for our guests. We had also been to Vegas three times together in the past. We found Cactus and Lace and instantly fell in love with the Nevada desert and the ladies at Cactus and Lace were the sweetest.
THE CEREMONY — Valley of Fire
Since we are from NYC, we Skyped/emailed with Rachel and Lory many times. They setup everything at the ceremony based on my Pinterest board of wedding ideas. The ceremony was beautiful beyond what I imagined it to be. Having the Valley of Fire as the backdrop, chairs for our guests were set up and flower petals were scattered down the aisle. We had a string quartet play during the reception and then we did a first dance to the Phantom of the Opera’s “All I Ask of You.”
THE RECEPTION — Tableau at Wynn Las Vegas
Our reception was held at the restaurant Tableau within the Wynn hotel. We love the whimsical decor of the Wynn and the food was outstanding.
DETAILS + DECOR
My color palette for the ceremony was blush and white with touches of gold. There were also vintage books, Lace, and mirrored decor layered in. This look is similar to how our home is decorated so it matched us well. Cactus and Lace supplied all the decor. It was such a beautiful setup.
FAVORITE MEMORY
My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2016 so just a few months before my wedding. The week before my wedding was her final round of chemo. The wedding was also a celebration for her finishing chemo and a strong and healthy future ahead. Daniel and I did not give out wedding favors and instead made a donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
LAS VEGAS WEDDING TIPS FROM MELISSA + DANIEL
I was stress free through the entire process thanks to Cactus and Lace. The only advice I would give to couples is enjoy the day to the fullest and try to take it all in while it’s happening. It felt so surreal and the day flies by. Having a great photographer to capture all the moments is important.
After relocating to Las Vegas, Kate and Jake decided to celebrate their wedding in country club style with their daughter. With friends and family joining them from all over, they worked to create a fun destination wedding where guests danced under glowing bistro lights in the warm desert air. The seeming secluded Las Vegas Country Club is located on the north end of the Strip, tucked in just behind Westgate and the Las Vegas Convention Center. The dazzling lights of nearby hotels like the Stratosphere light up the sky, adding an extra layer of romanticism. These newlyweds ended their evening with their guests and the quintessential Vegas wedding shot: a group photo at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the south Strip.
For global couple Alex and Martin there was no better place than Las Vegas to tie the knot. This pair from the U.K. met at a wedding in Australia, had a whirlwind romance that had them living together in the U.A.E. before finally ending up in Vegas for their own wedding. Married in front of guests from around the world, Alex rocked an amazing retro tea-length wedding gown while Martin wore a kilt. Perfect for this eclectic couple who chose one of the coolest venues in Las Vegas to tie the knot at. The most fun by choosing to keep an intimate guest list? Photo fun including everyone in attendance and a cruise in a double-decker bus. Vegas wedding perfection.
While it is a little further away from Las Vegas than comparative desert locations, the Valley of Fire is well worth the extra journey time, as you’ll see with today’s wedding.
Tim and Svea’s wedding theme came from the bride’s love of flowers — something that reminds her of her father, a gardener. And the wedding was full of other personal famiily mementos as well, despite being a destination wedding in a remote location. The way the desert is turned into a royal blue, rustic scene is truly magical, don’t you agree? All the little pieces and details come together in a totally unforgettable way.
The amazing team behind this desert transformation is none other than Cactus and Lace Weddings. If you are loving today’s Vegas wedding, they are offering a Valentine’s Day special for weddings hosted on Feb. 14, 2017. You can save up to $3,000 on their Valley of Fire elopement special for an all-inclusive wedding ceremony. It includes photography, floral arrangements, transportation and more to make getting married in this gorgeous desert scenery stylish and simple.B
More from Rachel of Cactus and Lace on Tim and Svea’s gorgeously styled desert affair:
Svea is quite talented and taught herself to sew via the Internet, creating a beautiful, navy blue cape. Tim merges art and the virtual world at a job he thoroughly enjoys. It was fitting that these two met at graduate school and thus began the beginning of this new family. We loved learning about and displaying the treasures which were made by Svea’s great-grandmother and great-grandfather, including an amazing hand-carved table her great-grandfather created and a small detailed wooden box, carved with skill and craftsmanship. His name and date are inscribed on each piece and it was fabulous to include these intricate, lovingly created items in the ceremony’s style.
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.
