Las Vegas Wedding-Northern Michigan Reception

imdawn · October 17, 2009

Chapel-Chapel in the Clouds (Top of the Stratosphere)

http://www.chapelintheclouds.com/

We got engaged in Las Vegas in May 2007 and decided to go to the Top of the Stratosphere to see the view of Las Vegas...it was AMAZING...it is just breathtaking up there (especially at night!) I said to my fiance, "I wonder if you could get married up here!" There it started....the planning process! We decided we wanted to get married at the Top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas! So we did...23 family and friends ended up joining us on May 26th, 2009 and I wouldn't have changed it for anything it was just as I had pictured it =D The view was incredible-we LOVED IT! and our guests definately had not only a wedding they would never forget, but also a trip they would remember for the rest of their lives =)

I will now break down my review of the Stratosphere...it is kind of complicated..overall I give it 5 stars-I almost don't want to give it an average rating at all, because at times they went above and beyond for me. For example we had 23 guests and their small chapel only seats 20 people-they upgraded us to the larger chapel for FREE...which I thank them from the bottom of my heart for..I just can't imagine 3 of our guests having to stand after flying from Michigan to Las Vegas to attend our wedding-so that was sooooooo nice of the Stratosphere to do for us!!!

When we first started the planning process it was all through email, when you live in another state and you are getting married in Las Vegas....you have to do EVERYTHING through email...you kind of hope for a speedy response..sometime I would get a response the next day, sometimes it would take a week or more! Sometimes if I really needed an answer I would go over my wedding coordinator, who wasn't getting back to me, and send an email to person in charge of Chapel in the Clouds, because she ALWAYS got back to me either the same day or the next day =D Sooooo emails were kind of a pain in the butt, but once I realized I received a faster response from the person in charge of the Chapel, I usually just emailed her instead of my coordinator.

Our Minister, Richard was the NICEST guy EVER!!!! We couldn't have picked a better Minister if we tried-the minute we met him, I just loved him! He was great and calmed any nervous feelings we had. He performed a beautiful ceremony and even posed with my grandma and her Elvis shades (I'm a big Elvis fan so all my relatives put on Elvis sunglasses/sideburns at the end of the ceremony to surprise me haha) Richard was a complete sweetheart and I can't thank him enough for making our ceremony so perfect! I wish I would have remembered to give him a big hug at the end of the ceremony

Our Stratosphere Photographer-she had a chip on her shoulder from go, not sure if she just didn't want to be there for the whole whopping 30 minutes she was paid to be there or what, but she was rude and not very pleasant to work with. (I'm not saying it was necessary, but I mean how hard is it to be nice for 30 minutes on people's wedding day!) She wouldn't let any of our relatives take any pictures with flashes on, therefore nobody who took pictures besides her pictures really turned out in the chapel. We were then rushed out of the Chapel and up to the Stratosphere Observation Deck, which is fine cause we were going up there anyways and she took some more pictures, however she managed to get the "No Smoking" sign in most of our pictures. However, I will say just because she was a (fill in the blank) it didn't bring us down one bit...Richard (the minister) the gorgeous chapel, and THE VIEW of Las Vegas...completely made up for her attitude =D

The next day we went to view our pictures and pick the ones for our package (we were to get (1) 8x10 and (3) 4x6's with our package) each additional picture was priced ridiculously high for example (1) 4x6 was $10 each! YIKES...we bought 9 more...so it was $96 and some cents with tax! Anyways our 8x10 was a beautiful picture of us on the observation deck overlooking the strip...with the "No Smoking" sign next to us and I asked if they could please crop out the "No Smoking" sign because I can't see that hanging on our wall with the sign you know...LOL and the woman told me that she wasn't sure...WHAT?! I could crop that out easy with Photo shop myself! Give me a break..anyways she told me she thought they could after a few minutes of looking at it, but that it would have to be shipped to us and that would be an additional $15 for shipping and handeling! I asked when she thought that would get to us and she said probably within 4 to 6 WEEKS! Are you kidding for a fricken picture that came with our package an EXTRA $15 and it would take 4-6 weeks to get it! Geesh....anything to make a buck I guess...I'm REALLY glad we did the Las Vegas Strip Photo Tour with Toner Photography (Check out that review!) though for our wedding pictures...we would have only had a couple professional pictures if we went with Stratosphere pictures alone. YIKES!

We absolutely LOVED the Chapel and the Observation Deck of the Stratosphere and we would get married there all over again given the chance!!!

Jake & I-Husband & Wife (Chapel in the Clouds)

Jake & I checking out the view of the Mountains from our Chapel!

Another view of the Mountains from our Chapel

Us on the Outside Observation Deck of the Stratosphere-LOVE the view!

The view of the Las Vegas Strip is even MORE impressive at night from the Observation Deck of the Stratosphere!

Jake & I with the Las Vegas Strip below us!

imdawn · October 17, 2009

Hair & Makeup-Makeup in the 702

Las Vegas Wedding Makeup

A couple of my pictures are actually on their website in their gallery!

I HIGHLY recommend Makeup in the 702 for your wedding makeup and hair!

Megan did an AMAZING job on my makeup! They came to my hotel room and had everything with them! At first I thought that the services were a little pricey, but once they handed me the mirror and I looked at myself-WOW WORTH EVERY CENT!!! I have never tried airbrush makeup or fake eyelashes (I have really deep set eyes) Megan put those eyelashes on me and for the first time in my life my eyes actually popped! I was also impressed by how well the airbrushed makeup looked-it was amazing-I was somewhat broke out, because like most brides, I was stressed prior to my wedding day and our Las Vegas vacation, but you could NOT TELL AT ALL once Megan worked her magic on me...I actually asked her if she would be willing to come to Michigan with me to redo my makeup for our Reception haha =D The makeup held up the entire day and night too as promised-we had a Las Vegas Strip Photo Tour, which involved several stops and LOTS of walking in a heavy wedding gown in 95 degree heat..the makeup didn't budge, I cried during the ceremony-the makeup looked FLAWLESS, and it literally did not come off until I TOOK IT OFF with makeup remover....PERFECT! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!

I asked Whitney (who did my hair) to please do the "Carrie Underwood" half up-half down look with curls/side swept bangs..she did a great job-looked JUST LIKE THE PICTURE! It stayed pretty well too...I wish I had a curling iron about 3 hours later cause half of my hair started to go straight, but I think overall it still looked amazing and I still got a TON of compliments and nobody but me noticed of course =D These girls know what they are doing!!! A+ VERY SATISFIED!!!!!

About 10 hours or so after makeup and hair was done (after the Las Vegas Photo Strip Tour, the wedding/crying, HIGH winds on the Observation Deck of the Stratosphere...you wouldn't know it...wish I had someone to airbrush me ALL the time haha)

imdawn · October 17, 2009

Photographer-Toner Photography (Las Vegas Strip Tour)

Toner Photography : Click to Enter

We are on page 15 of the Portfolio

Michelle Toner Photography: May 2009

We were married on May 26th, 2009 (you can see a few pics on her blog as well)

If you do nothing else in Las Vegas when you get married-GET MICHELLE TONER TO TAKE YOUR WEDDING PICTURES!!! She is the BEST!

We did the 2-Hour Las Vegas Strip Photo Tour, because we wanted wedding pictures done before our wedding on the Las Vegas Strip and Michelle with Toner Photography made it happen! She picked us up at our hotel, we went to the different locations that I had picked out prior to the tour, and then dropped us off at our Ceremony location (which was the Stratosphere-we got married at the Top of the Stratosphere).

On the tour, we went to the Famous Las Vegas Sign, New York-New York Bridge, The Paris, and the Bellagio..we were also lucky enough to get some shots of the Bellagio fountains going off in the background..Michelle timed it just right she is AMAZING! Did I mention that President Obama happened to be in Las Vegas on OUR WEDDING DAY!?! yea...that made for some interesting traffic..but let me tell you Michelle knows her way around Vegas and can get you to where you need to be! If you are going to Las Vegas to get married I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Toner Photography!!!!!!! =D

Our pictures came back and I was stunned-we seriously looked like we could have stepped out of a Bridal Magazine! Michelle takes amazing pictures! =D