Photographing intimate weddings and elopements in the desert are really some of my favorites!! The group of guests and family is small or in true elopement style, no guests at all. This allows for a truly intimate experience, one where stiff formalities are replaced with genuine emotions. The guests are hand picked to be there because of their closeness to the bride and groom. They are surrounded by a beautiful natural backdrop and are all about having an amazing time, without the stress!

If you’ve taken a peek into my website and blog, you’ve likely noticed lots of intimate weddings and elopements at Red Rock Canyon. Red Rock Canyon, along with the Valley of Fire and a few other epic locations in Vegas require a permit for weddings and photography, plus they only offer a small and limited amount of these permits. Here is where Elopements Las Vegas comes in to save the day! They are one of the few companies that have a permit and we love to refer our couples to them because they specialize in offering upscale desert weddings.

Elopement Las Vegas was founded by Emily Reno, an already successful wedding planner in Vegas. Her and her team make it super easy to have your dream wedding, with zero stress! What I love about Elopements Las Vegas is that they create custom & all-inclusive weddings* that look and feel luxurious. They offer everything from gorgeous florals, music for you to walk down the aisle, cake cutting, champagne toasts, and even a first dance. With Elopements Las Vegas you don’t have to sacrifice style or luxury! Your intimate wedding day or elopement will feel just as special and memorable, but on your own terms. There’s nothing better than that! Plus Emily and her team are local to Las Vegas, so you always have a coordinator the day of helping with guests, if any, and serving as a liaison between you and your other vendors. They also offer referrals to other vendors, such as transportation, hair and makeup artists, and even suggestions for private dinner and small reception options.

*Their packages also include a photographer, however, if you let them know in the initial email that you heard of them through The Emerics and/or that you reached out to me and I recommended them to you, I will most definitely be your photographer, while they take care of all the other details for you!

I’d love for you to check out my recent Q & A with Emily and get to know a little bit more about her, her company and her vision! I recommend you go to her website and check out what Elopements Las Vegas has to offer you for your intimate wedding or elopement.

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1.    How long have you been a wedding planner? 

 I started wedding planning about 9 years ago when I moved to Miami, Florida but I was working for another company. This is actually how I got started in this industry and fell in love with it. I moved to Vegas to start my wedding planning business and the rest is history! 

2.    When and why did you start Elopements Las Vegas?

I started Elopement Las Vegas when I started getting an overwhelming amount of  inquires for smaller weddings and from people that just didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a big wedding. I wanted to try and figure out a solution for couples that wanted to do intimate weddings and elopements in Las Vegas but didn’t exactly want to head downtown to a chapel and get married by Elvis. There are so many stunning outdoor locations off the strip with unparralled backdrops for a wedding ceremony. I tried to find cost-effective locations that adventurous couples would love to get married at and then began to curate all-inclusive packages that would create a stress free experience for the couples. 

3.    What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about elopements?

I wish couples knew that it is OKAY to do an elopement or intimate wedding even if your family and friends believe you should be doing something different. There is no way to make EVERYONE happy and at the end of the day it is really just about being married and doing what is best for you and your fiancé. 

4. Do you have any advice for couples looking to elope in Las Vegas?

Yes of course! A few things off the top of my head.

1. Consider a Monday-Thursday date. We can usually offer better pricing and the parks and venues are always less busy during the week… its a win win ! 

2. Stay away from July and August dates because it is SUPER hot out in the desert. Sunrise ceremonies are a great option during these months because it is cooler in the mornings. 

3.  If you are looking into the hotels on the Las Vegas strip and chapels to elope at there are a few things I want couples to take into consideration when you look into their services. Almost all of the hotels have a deal with one certain photography company and any package that has photography included will have photos provided by this company. I have been wedding planning for 7 years here in Vegas and have had clients that have had to use this company that have been in tears when they received their wedding photos. This company does not hire experienced photographers and will hire anyone that has basically just picked up a camera. Be VERY careful with this, a lot of the time if you ask to bring your own photographer they will have you pay an additional fee which would be worth it in my opinion so you are not sacrificing quality photos on the most important day of your life. 

5.  Besides running 2 successful businesses, what do you like to do for fun? 

 My motto is work hard play hard. When I am not working on weddings and elopements I am probably traveling and exploring a new city or on a beach somewhere relaxing with a glass of rosé in hand.  I am currently working on expanding the elopement business to other cities around the country in order to service couples trying to elope in other cities outside of Las Vegas! Stay tuned….

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