Getting Married in Las Vegas: Wedding Chapels, Licenses, and How It Actually Works

Las Vegas has more weddings per year than any other city in the United States — around 80,000 annually. The reasons are practical: Nevada marriage licenses are obtained the same day, require no waiting period, and are valid immediately. Add 24-hour chapels, a permanent supply of witnesses, and a city predisposed to impulsive decision-making, and you have a wedding industry that operates at a scale no other place can match.

The Marriage License

Clark County issues marriage licenses at the Marriage License Bureau, open 8 AM to midnight, 365 days a year. Both parties must appear in person with a valid government-issued ID (passport or driver's licence). Cost: $102. The license is valid for use in Clark County (the Las Vegas area) for one year.

No blood test, no waiting period. You can get a license and be married within the hour. This is unique in the United States.

The Chapels

Las Vegas has over 50 wedding chapels. The range runs from simple civil ceremony rooms to full Elvis-themed productions.

Little White Wedding Chapel (1301 Las Vegas Boulevard): the most famous chapel in the city — the Drive-Thru Tunnel of Love, where couples can marry from their car, has been used by dozens of celebrities. More serious ceremonies are available inside. Open 24 hours. Basic ceremonies start at $55 (not including the license). Frank Sinatra, Britney Spears, and Joan Collins have all married here, which covers most of the credibility spectrum.

Graceland Wedding Chapel (619 Las Vegas Boulevard): Elvis-themed, with an Elvis officiant dressed in full white jumpsuit regalia. Theatrical, entirely intentional, and one of the more specific experiences Las Vegas offers. Packages from $199 (not including license). Book in advance.

Chapel of the Flowers (1717 Las Vegas Boulevard): the most polished of the major chapels — professional photography packages, garden ceremony options, multiple ceremony spaces. Better if you want the Vegas wedding done properly rather than campily.

Hotel chapels: Bellagio, Wynn, Vdara, and several other major resort hotels have in-house wedding chapels or event spaces. Significantly more expensive ($2,000–10,000+) but with the full resort experience attached.

What a Vegas Wedding Costs

The minimum (license plus basic ceremony at a street chapel): approximately $160. A mid-range package at a decent chapel with photographs: $500–800. A hotel resort ceremony with flowers, photography, and a dinner: $3,000–15,000+.

For international visitors: a Las Vegas marriage is legally recognised in the UK, Australia, Canada, and most other countries, though the specific requirements for registration differ. Check with your home country's relevant authority before the trip if this matters.

Our Take

The Drive-Thru at the Little White Wedding Chapel at 2 AM is the most Las Vegas thing you can do in Las Vegas. Graceland if you want Elvis. Chapel of the Flowers if you want it done well. Whatever you choose, the license bureau is open until midnight and the taxi ride there costs $15.