Emerald Gardens: An Elegant Las Vegas Wedding Venue

Emerald Gardens is a beautiful wedding venue located in Las Vegas, west of the famous Las Vegas Strip. This location offers a breathtaking outdoor courtyard for wedding ceremonies and is a great alternative if you aren’t interested in the wedding chapels that Las Vegas is famous for. The courtyard features lush landscaping, flower beds, palm trees with twinkle lights, a gazebo, and amazing views of a golf course and nearby mountains.

Emerald Gardens also has a beautiful banquet room that is great for a memorable wedding reception.  The banquet facility offers a glass staircase, mahogany dance floor, granite bar, and views of the outdoor courtyard area.

Packages offered include a ceremony only package as well as packages for a ceremony and reception.  The ceremony only package is offered Monday through Thursday only.
Ceremony packages include the site, an officiant, music, and a bouquet for the bride and boutonniere for the groom. If you prefer not to have your wedding outdoors, they can arrange your ceremony in the reception room. A bridal dressing room and groom’s room are also available.

Reception packages are available for up to 300 include a disc jockey, wedding cake, buffet style or sit down dinner, and choice of bar packages.  The delicious gourmet menu that they offer is extensive and includes everything from Cornish Game Hens with Herbed Wild Rice Stuffing to Virginia Baked Ham with Brown Sugar, Cloves, and Cinnamon Apple Slices.  Emerald Gardens also gives you a lot of choices when it comes to choosing your wedding cake.  They offer many cake flavors and fillings and have many designs to choose from so you can create the perfect cake for your wedding.

Emerald Gardens is definitely worth looking into if you are looking for an elegant and scenic locale for you wedding ceremony and reception.  Their wedding coordinators can assist you and help take the pain out of planning your special day.

Elegant Ways to Say I do in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is known as the Wedding Capital of the World and is famous for it’s wedding chapels, drive thru ceremonies and Elvis nuptials.  Although these popular options are available, there are also numerous other ways to say I do in Las Vegas.  Many hotels, resorts, and other locations in the Las Vegas area offer some very elegant and breathtaking wedding sites.

Lake Las Vegas is quickly becoming a very popular destination for weddings in the Las Vegas area.  Located about 17 miles from the famous Strip, this stunning lake location offers ritzy resorts and amazing views of the mountains, desert, and Vegas skyline.  There are many wedding venues to choose from at Lake Las Vegas.  The Ritz Carlton Lake Las Vegas offers several including a cobblestone courtyard in a garden and a lakeside location with a bridge and gazebo.  They also have a beach venue which provides a waterfall, bridge and a dock in a lagoon which acts as the altar.  The MonteLago Village Resort Lake Las Vegas also has several wedding sites to choose from.  A balcony in a hotel suite, a gazebo, and golf course locations are just a few of the wedding settings offered there.  Another great option they offer are yacht weddings on Lake Las Vegas.  The Wedding Company of Las Vegas offers a wedding package that offers a gondola wedding on Lake Las Vegas and includes helicopter transportation to and from the wedding as well as a helicopter tour of the Las Vegas lights.

Las Vegas is home to many top notch golf courses and country clubs which also provide amazing wedding sites.  At Siena Golf Club, you can have your ceremony on their lawn under a wedding arbor.  You can then hold your reception in their clubhouse or community center which both offer wonderful views of the golf course, a lake, and the Las Vegas Strip.

Mount Charleston is another wonderful alternative for a wedding in the Las Vegas area.  Located about a 45 minute drive from the Strip, this beautiful mountain locale offers not only cooler weather than the Valley but also stunning scenery.  The Mount Charleston Hotel provides packages for wedding ceremonies and receptions.  You can have your wedding ceremony outdoors with all the beauty of the mountain surrounding you.  Receptions can also be arranged outside, or can be held inside the hotel.

Planning your Las Vegas wedding no longer means that you are limited just to wedding chapels, drive thru ceremonies, and Elvis.  These are still great options but they are not for everybody.  If you dreamed of something more extraordinary for you big day, Las Vegas provides you with plenty of options to consider.

California Wine Country: A Perfect Wedding Venue

Are you currently engaged? If you are, congratulations! This is an exciting time in your life and you may want to get started with planning your wedding right away. One of the first decisions that you will have to make is deciding where to have your wedding. If you do not already have a set venue in mind, you are urged to examine California wine country. After a close examination, you may be surprised exactly just how much the area has to offer.

As nice as it is to hear that you should get married in California wine country, you may be curious as to why. For starters, you may live in New York State. If you live clear across the country, it can sometimes be inconvenient to travel and get married in California. With that said, it can also be fun, exciting, adventurous, and romantic. With long distance travel like this, your wedding in California, should you choose to get married there, would now become a destination wedding. Over the past few years, destination weddings have increased in popularity, especially in wine country.

Despite the fact that destination weddings are increasing in popularity and that many individuals choose California wine country as their destination, locals are also urged to examine wine country. As a local, you likely already know that there are over four hundred wineries in the state of California. Many are not only open to the general public, but many also have banquet rooms or other options for hosting wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions, as well as other private events.

Wineries and vineyards are known for their picture perfect looks and feels. There are many that are just breathtaking. When getting married, this is the type of backdrop and scenery that you will want to have. Most wineries and vineyards in California wine country have a beautiful, yet natural look and feel to them. This type of environment created is sought after by many brides and grooms. Most want to have a picture prefect wedding, but most also don’t want to have a “forced,” environment and setting. With wine country in California, this isn’t an issue.

When examining why wine country makes for the perfect wedding venue, it is also important to touch on other features. For starters, you have a number of different options when looking to plan a wedding reception and a wedding ceremony. Of course, you have the option of getting married in a church, but many choose to have their wedding and wedding reception in the same place. It is not uncommon for vineyards and wineries, who are set up to host wedding receptions, to have private and beautiful areas set aside for wedding ceremonies as well. In wine country, it should be easy for you to find a minister who would be willing to travel to your destination.

As for other aspects of planning a wedding, wine country has all that you need. In the wine country area of California, you will find a number of professional photographers, DJs, catering companies, and so forth. In fact, by carefully choosing which winery you choose to have your wedding reception at, you may be provided with a meal options for an affordable price. Some will actually have wedding packages for you to choose from. While you will find some variations, wine country wedding packages, should they exist, are likely to include food and wine.

Finally, overnight accommodations need to be examined. Since California wine country is a well known and popular vacation destination, you will find no shortage of overnight accommodations. Still, with that being said, it is important to plan ahead. During peak travel times, such as on Saturdays or from May to October, many hotels and vacation resorts quickly fill up with reservations. For private and romantic overnight accommodations, you will want to examine bed and breakfasts, as well as private vacation rentals, such a vacation homes and cottages.

As highlighted above, there are a number of reasons why you should at least consider wine country as a destination for your upcoming wedding. Whether you already live in the great state of California or if you are looking to plan a destination wedding, wine country has everything that you could ever want or need on your special day.

Booking a Wedding Entertainer

Why is Wedding Entertainment Important?
A wedding or civil partnership is one of the most special days in two people's lives and a day of celebration shared with family and friends.

The wedding entertainment you choose helps to create and maintain the air of celebration, turning the day into a really memorable event. Entertainment at a wedding or civil partnership has many practical uses as well, such as adding structure to the day and breaking the ice between guests.

A Magician as a Wedding Entertainer

Magic is the ideal form of entertainment for a wedding because it is versatile, flexible and suitable for a mixed family audience. Most people, young and old, enjoy magic and an experienced wedding entertainer will be able to perform for all ages.

Despite being more popular than ever, a lot of people have only ever seen magic on television. Seeing magic performed 'live' is quite a novelty for most people and will make your wedding day even more special.

Close-Up Magic for Weddings

Close-up magic and illusion is the most versatile and flexible form of magical entertainment. A close-up magician doesn't require any special equipment or facilities such as power or a public address system and will usually carry all his or her props in their pockets. Also, it only takes a few minutes for a professional magician to get ready before they start entertaining.

Compared to many of the things that need organising for a wedding, the close-up magician is easy - tell him the date and time, and leave him to it!

A close-up wedding magician will mingle with guests, either seated at tables or standing in small groups, and spend a few minutes with each group entertaining them with amazing magic. It is a great way to break the ice amongst people who have never met before because they come together while enjoying the entertainment.

It also provides a great talking point, even for those not directly involved in the magic at a particular time. While the magician is entertaining one group, everyone else is wondering about the sounds of astonishment and laughter coming from across the room. And those who have already seen the magician are discussing what they have just witnessed and trying to work out 'just how did he do that?!'

Close-up magic can fit into any part of the big day. There can be times at weddings and civil partnership celebrations when not much is happening, especially for the guests. Close-up magic can fill these lulls and turn them into a highlight. For example:

• When guests are arriving at the reception or waiting in the reception line.
• While the wedding party are being photographed
• While guests are waiting for the meal to start.
• Between the courses of the meal (especially if there are a lot of guests to cater for).
• While guests are waiting for the buffet.
• Between the daytime and evening functions.

A professional close-up magician will not be too intrusive and will enhance your special day without detracting from it or taking it over.

Cabaret Magic for Weddings

If you want some really special and unusual entertainment, a cabaret magic show is a great option. A cabaret magic show usually fits in best after the wedding breakfast and is a really effective way to start off the evening party.

A cabaret show is a structured magic act lasting anything from 5 minutes to an hour and can incorporate everything from visual magic (objects appearing, disappearing and changing) to mental and psychological magic (mind control and mind reading) depending on the wedding entertainer you choose.

Most modern performers incorporate a lot of humour and audience participation into their magic, which is what really makes a cabaret show entertaining and makes magic stand out from other forms of entertainment. An experienced wedding entertainer will quite often want to get the newly-wed couple involved during the show but will check that this is OK beforehand. A professional magician will be sensitive to your wishes and will not want to embarrass you.

Unlike close-up magic, a cabaret magician usually requires some extra facilities and time to prepare their act. For larger audiences, a cabaret show requires a stage and public address system, which should be provided by most venues. Some magicians can perform a special act for a smaller number of guests, perhaps up to 20, which doesn't need a stage or sound equipment. This type of act can be performed in one room with the audience sat around the magician.

Finding the Right Wedding Entertainer

There are many challenges when organising a one-off occasion like a wedding, especially if you are not used to organising large events. Booking an experienced professional magician will make it much easier. Here are a few pointers:


Most importantly, make sure you are comfortable with the magician by talking to him or her beforehand. An experienced professional will be able to offer wide-ranging advice as they are likely to have been to many more weddings than you!

The style and personality of the entertainer you choose should fit in with your aspirations for your wedding - after all, you are planning for one of the most special and magical days of your life.

5 Tips To Select The Best Wedding Reception Location

Being disc jockeys, we get the opportunity to evaluate many reception facilities while having little or no bias to "sell" one location over another. Most Brides and Grooms know where they will be holding the ceremony before they decide where to have the reception, so we have compiled five observations that can help you when selecting your venue.

Distance - If people have to drive a long way to get from the ceremony to the reception, some will get distracted or decide to do something else. Try to keep the reception within a 15 to 30 minute drive of your ceremony. If it is not possible to get a reception hall close to your ceremony, make a caravan. Have the Bride and Groom lead the parade, and people will follow you to your reception.

Time - Time is just like the distance issue. If your reception is several hours after the ceremony, people will get busy doing other things and not show up for the reception. Try to start the reception within an hour or two of the ceremony. If you don't want to start your wedding dance at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, have a Meet and Greet mixer before your reception. Serve some punch and get people to mingle. This will be one of the few times that both families will be together. Encourage family members to share stories about your childhoods.

Size - People like their personal space, and they have most likely spent an hour packed into a church for your ceremony. If you let them spread out, they will enjoy themselves more. Make sure your reception hall has plenty of room for your guests. The people renting the location might tell you it holds 200 people, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will hold 200 people comfortably! Make sure to visit the venue before booking.

Climate Control - Having a summer wedding? Is your reception hall air conditioned? If people sweat while just sitting, they won't dance. On the flip side, if they are cold they won't dance either (who wants to dance in a parka?). Also make sure you know who has control of the thermostat so the temperature can be adjusted if needed. Chances are your reception will be warm and stuffy while all the guest are there, but as they trickle out during the night the room will begin to cool down.

Smoking - This is a hot button issue, but if your reception hall is non-smoking, you can fully expect smoker's to leave your reception for 15-30 minutes every hour. If enough of them leave the reception area, you may find a large percentage of your guest just hanging out in the smoking area. This can be a big problem if you have many smokers in your wedding party. You don't have to allow smoking, but it is something you should consider, especially if anyone has any health problems like asthma or allergies that could be triggered by smoke. If you decide not to allow smoking in the reception area, how close is the nearest place for a smoker to go? Is it close enough that you will be able to get needed wedding party members during events like the bouquet toss or garter auction?

Facility coordinators will no doubt bring up several other factors for you to consider when you interview them for your booking, but these are often missed items, especially if they don't favor the potential venue. If you keep the overall picture in mind and work with your wedding planner or event coordinator on the decorating ideas, you will no doubt have an enjoyable and memorable wedding reception.