Getting the best deals on popular vacations: Las Vegas packages and more

by KPVI Channel 6

With a world full of travel options, a generous handful stand out as the most popular destinations in the world. For most vacationers, the appeal of these destinations is a no-brainer: Because they're designed to accommodate tourism and cater to travelers' every wish, they make for virtually foolproof vacations. Since stress is the last thing you want on vacation, going to a popular destination makes for even smoother sailing. 

But because travelers are so drawn to popular places like Las Vegas, Hawaii and Mexico, prices can often skyrocket. It's a simple matter of supply and demand, but it can put a dent in your pocket book. However, if you're craving a getaway in one of those destinations, you can still beat the inflated prices and find a vacation that fits your budget. 

Vegas – There are few travel destinations where your hotel has so much effect on your stay as in Vegas. You can choose to stay at a casino hotel or something less large-scale, depending on the experience you're seeking. By searching for Las Vegas packages on travel sites like Travelocity.com, you can find the best deals on hotels, and at the same time add on car rental and tickets to shows like Disney's The Lion King. Bundling items together in a package can help cut costs all around. 

Hawaii – While Hawaii is a perennially popular destination for American honeymooners who have an excuse to splurge, even families on a budget can find a way to visit the 50th state, thanks to Hawaii vacation packages. Oahu, home to Honolulu and the famed Waikiki Beach, is always popular, as is Maui, but vacation packages can also offer you deals on less-visited islands like Kauai or "the big island" of Hawaii. Explore which hotels are offering rates in your budget, or look for airfare and hotel combination packages that can save you as much as 50 percent. Hawaii cruises are another great way to save – if you can find a nicely priced cruise, consider the fact that it combines accommodation, entertainment and transportation all in once price. 

Mexico – You can thank your fellow Americans who flock to Mexico year after year – they've laid the groundwork that makes this international destination a relatively hassle-free experience. Popular resort destinations like Cancun and Cabo San Lucas offer a wealth of attractions for travelers of all stripes. Adventurers can explore Mayan ruins or go deep-sea fishing, while those looking for relaxation can hit the beach or the golf course. Many Cancun and Cabo vacation packages offer deals on all-inclusive resorts, which take all of the guesswork out of your vacation. With meals, drinks, swimming, spas and other amenities on site, you can sit back and enjoy some south-of-the-border bliss without a care in the world. 

If you're looking to save even more, keep in mind that prices on tickets, hotels and other necessities often dip during low season in popular destinations. In some cases, "low season" is summer, which is often optimal travel time for families. While that means spiking temperatures in some destinations, in other tropical locales, weather stays steady throughout the year, so you can enjoy the destination as much as during any other time of year – but at a discount.

April 15, 2011 at 6:00 am by Shawn Alff

Las Vegas is a mirage, a city founded on the idea of turning your fantasies into realities—for a price. How else could an oasis in the middle of the desert explode into one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world except by offering relaxed laws when it comes to entertaining your every vice. Consequently, Sin City has developed a reputation for dicey decisions, excess, buffets, hotels built like adult theme parks, gambling, prostitution, infidelity, and oddly enough, weddings.

Over the years marketing gurus have tried to brand Vegas as the marriage capitol of the world but a more fitting moniker is the eloping capitol. Weddings are big business in Vegas, with around 315 ceremonies performed daily. The licensing laws have even been relaxed to facilitate quick nuptials. While it’s possible that a good many of these newlyweds are drunk, naive, habitually impulsive, or Mormons who drive over from BYU and get married for the weekend so they can have spiritually sound sex, not all them can be insane for choosing Vegas as the launching point for their marital lives. Vegas may not be the best place for a religious wedding, but it is ideal for couples who want to throw the dice, chug a glass of wine during the ceremony, and have some dirty fun on the best day of their lives.

Reasons to Get Married in Vegas:

-Nontraditional and Themed Ceremonies: In Vegas, nontraditional ceremonies are the tradition. There are probably more Elvis impersonators marrying couples in Vegas than priests. You can have any kind of ceremony you dream up, so long as you can pay for it. You can get married with a blessings in Klingon and Vulcan, in a castle, on a pirate ship, under water, while running a marathon, or even while bungee jumping off the Hoover Dam.

-Cost: If you want to have a $100,000 ceremony, Vegas can certainly accommodate you, but the city can also help you out if you’re skimping on the ceremony to save for a certain unplanned visitor who may be staying with you for the next eighteen years. Even a barebones wedding in your parents’ backyard will cost more than most all-inclusive vacations. The average wedding in the U.S. costs around $22,000, but a Vegas ceremony can happen for as low as $1,000-2,000, including travel expenses.

-Relaxed Marriage Laws: In 1931 the government passed laws allowing couples to obtain a marriage license with no waiting period or blood test.

-2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wedding: For couples on their second or third spouse, Vegas offers a convenient location where these marriage veterans don’t have to worry about inviting all of their friends and family to yet another service. That and some churches still refuse to marry a person for a second time, leaving the couple to seek a more accepting venue.

-Marriage Renewal: If you’ve already been married long enough to watch your peers be married for a second time, it’s time to renew your vows. But if you’ve already had a big traditional wedding, you may want a chance to have the real wedding of your dreams complete with a topless pastor and a gift bag of casino chips.

-Quick and Easy: Vegas has over 100 chapels, many of which are open 24-hours a day. There are even drive-thru chapels with five minute services. Most locations already have everything set up and ready to go, including suit rentals, photo packages, and fake flowers. Almost all of them now offer to broadcast the wedding online so friends and family back home can watch.

-The Everything Party Package: Vegas is for couples who like to keep partying continuously from the bachelor party straight through the honeymoon. The days before the wedding the groomsmen can hit one of the many strip clubs on Industrial Road while the bridal party can take in a classy male revue like the Thunder Down Under. You can have a conventional reception at a hotel banquet hall, or your wedding party can just overrun one of the many swanky bars on the strip. Then, instead of dealing with the stresses of rushing off to a honeymoon destination, you can simply order up bloody marys and hit the pool.

What You Need to Know:

Getting Licensed: Before you can get hitched you have to obtain a marriage license from the Las Vegas Wedding Burea, which is located downtown and just off the strip at 201 Clark Ave. For your marrying convenience, it’s open from 8 a.m to 12 midnight, 365 days a year. A license will cost you $60 cash so change your chips at the casino before you go.

Marriage Credentials: While the requirements to get married in Vegas are much less stringent than other states, there are still some rules. You must both be legally single and have one valid form of ID, a Social Security number, and you must not be any nearer in relation than 2nd cousins. Persons as young as 16 can get married, but anyone under 18 must have parental consent. No blood test or waiting period is required and you can fill the application out online to expedite the process. Same sex partners can’t legally marry here yet, but almost every chapel and hotel will gladly host a commitment ceremony.

The Perfect Days to Avoid: If you’re a spontaneous romantic who wants to fly the cocktail waitress you just met out to Vegas, propose on the plane, then get married an hour after you land, you may want to pick days other than Valentine’s or New Year’s Eve. These are the busiest days of the year for Vegas weddings.

Brides-to-be can now instantly access a comprehensive listing of over 827 Vegas Wedding packages in the newly released “Ultimate Guide to Vegas Wedding Packages” (http://www.PlanAWeddinginVegas.com ), thanks to its creator, Les Tyler, who herself was a bride in Vegas last year.

Getting married in Vegas is fun, fast and it's a whole heck of a lot less expensive than your traditional wedding ceremony and reception (more money for shopping, shows and slots!).

The ease of planning a Vegas wedding (on both your sanity and your wallet) counts for a lot these days, especially in this economy where the average traditional wedding costs well upwards of $25,000. Couple this with the fact that getting a Clark County marriage license is easy (no waiting period, no blood tests and overall, no hassle), it’s easy to see why over 91,890 couples got married in Las Vegas last year alone.

From Tyler’s experience planning her own wedding in Las Vegas, she decided to create the guide for brides-to-be to help them save both time and money while searching for (and selecting) a Vegas wedding package.

Each listing features up-to-date detailed information about pricing, package inclusions, contact information and vendor terms and conditions for hundreds of Vegas chapels, casinos, resorts and other vendors.

“When you're on a timeline, it's nerve-wracking trying to visit all of the different websites and compare packages,” says Tyler. “There’s just no way that the average bride has enough time to evaluate hundreds of wedding packages offerings so this guide easily shaves off weeks of research.”

Hundreds of Ways to Get Married in Vegas:

Believe it or not, the classic "Vegas Chapel" is still a great option for a stunning wedding in Vegas as the majority of them are actually really beautiful and have stunning grounds for outdoor ceremonies. Besides, with all-inclusive chapel wedding prices ranging from $87 to well under a thousand, it's an awesome deal compared to what you'd fork over for a traditional ceremony and reception.

But getting married at a classic Vegas chapel with your name in lights on the marquee isn't the only wedding package option, though.

If walking down an aisle isn’t your cup of tea, you can get married in a Hummer Limo while cruising down the Vegas Strip. Then there’s the option of exchanging vows in a helicopter over the Vegas lights. And for those couples who don’t mind a bit of a longer flight, there’s even the option to tie the knot on the floor of the Grand Canyon during the magical sunset hour.

One hotel resort even offers a wedding package that lets you get married underwater (with Mermaids!), but for those who aren’t too keen on donning scuba gear, you can choose to have your ceremony surrounded by 1.3 million gallons of seawater and 15 species of sharks in the Shark Reef. And of course, we hear Elvis still keeps busy marrying lovebirds down at chapel row near the northern end of the strip.

“Brides tell me all the time, 'I had no idea you could get married beside the Mirage’s Volcano on the Strip! (or roll down the aisle in a vintage 64 Pink Caddy while “Elvis” officiates”, or hundreds of other creative wedding options)'. And so I always reply, 'If you can dream it, Vegas can do it!'” Tyler laughs.

For more information on the “Ultimate Guide to Vegas Wedding Packages”, please visit http://www.PlanaWeddinginVegas.com. Les Tyler can be reached at info(at)planaweddinginvegas(dot)com.

Les Tyler 
PlanAWeddinginVegas.com 
 

By : Michael Majestic

LAS VEGAS — Like ancient Mayans at a towering temple, the army of dancers in the final scene of Cirque du Soleil's "Viva Elvis" bowed to a floating image of the King as if he were a god. And in a way, he actually did represent their salvation.

"Elvis is the heart of this city," the show's Col. Tom Parker character (and narrator) said in an emotional, sermonic tone. "Las Vegas is and always will be the home of the king of entertainment."

You couldn't believe much of what the real Col. Parker said, but after a three-day tour of all-things-Elvis in Vegas I was willing to buy those closing lines of Cirque du Soleil's newest mega-production. Never mind that Memphis is the home of Elvis Presley, and Graceland tops the Cirque empire in terms of spectacles.

Still, the garish yet surprisingly heartfelt and rocking "Viva Elvis" show underlined the many traits Vegas shares with Elvis' latter years: The all-American quest for a second act, the bloated excess, the gaudy jumpsuits and the Parker-infused idea that money is the real king, especially over art.

These similarities are as evident now as they've ever been in Las Vegas, where the aforementioned excess has led to some of the highest unemployment and foreclosure rates among U.S. cities.

By Chris Riemenschneider

Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

(March 17, 2011) To mark the 20th anniversary of Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons, Disney has announced special wedding packages plus a unique campaign showcasing the happily-ever-after stories of real life couples who have tied the knot at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland and aboard Disney Cruise Line.

"The 'Bringing the Fairy Tale to Life' campaign is a tribute to all the brides and grooms who have shared their special day with us," said Korri McFann, Worldwide Marketing Director of Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons. "We are honored to have our guests recall cherished memories during Disney's 'Let the Memories Begin' campaign, where Disney is sharing real home videos and photos submitted by guests."

Couples will be highlighted in print and online advertisements as well as at Behindthefairytale.com.

In honor of the platinum year, Disney has also created a specially priced wedding package perfect for vow renewals: the Memories Collection. Throughout the 20-month celebration, couples are invited to create new memories through intimate ceremonies at Walt Disney World Resort. The Memories Collection includes up to six guests, including the couple, a floral bouquet for the bride, solo violinist, transportation (three-hour limousine charter) and a professional photographer for one hour.

Ceremony locations include: Conch Key Marina at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Narcoossee's Landing at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Luau Beach at Disney's Polynesian Resort.

Disney has been making memories come true for couples and their families for two decades with a variety of wedding offerings. Traditionally recognized as a top-ranked wedding and honeymoon destination, Walt Disney World Resort currently hosts more than 1,000 couples tying the knot each year. Beyond Disney's Wedding Pavilion, nuptials at Walt Disney World Resort also take place in outdoor garden settings, gazebos and courtyards, as well as indoor resort locations. All told, more than 40,000 couples have married at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland and aboard Disney Cruise Line.

To celebrate 20 years of happily-ever-afters, Disney has partnered with Alfred Angelo to create a Platinum Anniversary wedding gown so that brides everywhere may be a part of the celebration.

The Memories Collection is priced at $1,991 in honor of the 1991 opening year of Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons, and will take place on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. More information: DisneyWeddings.com or 321/939-4610.

– Posted March 17, 2011

VEGAS.com

Vegas Vacation Special Book a three night air and hotel package at select MGM Resorts properties between now and April 7, 2011, for stay dates between now and Sept. 8, 2011, and receive two free show tickets. Details at VEGAS.com.

Paris Las Vegas – Up to 25% Off Your Stay Book a room marked with the Up to 25% Off Your Stay offer at Paris Las Vegas for a four night stay between now and April 1, 2011, for stay dates between June 1, 2011, and Aug. 31, 2011, and get up to 25% off. Details at VEGAS.com.

Silverton – 20% Off Your Stay Book a room marked with the 20% Off Your Stay offer at Silverton Hotel & Casino for two nights between now and April 30, 2011, for stay dates between now and April 30, 2011, and receive 20% off your stay. Details at VEGAS.com.

Mexico.com

Palace Resorts – $100 Off Book a room or flight and hotel package at any of the 11 Palace Resorts and receive $100 off orders of $1,000 or more. Use promo code PALACE100 at checkout. Book between now and March 31, 2011, for travel dates between now and Sept. 20, 2011. Details at Mexico.com.

About Mexico.com Mexico.com offers a large selection of Mexico hotels and air; hotel packages to the top Mexico destinations. The site provides extensive destination specific content about everything Mexico has to offer including great deals on the top Cancun hotels including Cancun All Inclusive Hotels. Other top destinations include Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Mazatlan, and Riviera Maya. Also find detailed information on Mexico activities, nightlife, and golf. A state-of-the-art contact center provides bilingual customer support, expert information and sales 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to complement the information and travel booking capabilities.

Methacton Community Theater has joined forces with the Center Square Golf Club to once again bring live dinner theater to the Norristown and Collegeville areas. Opening on Friday at the Center Square Golf Club in Worcester is the romantic comedy “Four Weddings and an Elvis” by local playwright Nancy Frick. The show will be preceded by a full-course buffet dinner and is offered on Friday and Saturday evenings, March 11, 12, 18 and 19, with cocktails and appetizers beginning at 6:30 p.m.


In addition to the evening offerings, there are two matinee dining performances available on Sundays, March 13 and 20, beginning at 1:30 p.m..The Center Square Golf Club is located at 2620 Skippack Pike (Route 73), Worcester, between Berks and Whitehall roads.Methacton Community Theater has been active in the community for more than 30 years, performing throughout Worcester, Lower Providence and the Collegeville/Trappe area.


In the summer of 2006, MCT lost its storage and performance space in the old Perkiomen Valley Middle School and had to search for new performing venues. MCT began offering dinner theater to the area in the fall of 2008 with “For Goodness Sake,” also by Frick and “Accidents” by local playwright Arthur Fischman in 2009.

What would be your dream wedding? One on horseback or Harleys? Perhaps a disco or Star Trek theme?


Do you want Elvis? Fat or thin? The Hawaiian Elvis or the comeback Elvis?


The possibilities are endless and audiences are invited to attend four funny weddings…Las Vegas style!


Sandy, played by Phyllis Blair of Royersford, is the four-times-married, three-times-divorced owner of a small Las Vegas wedding chapel. Sandy has been providing weddings to the people and visitors of the Las Vegas area for 17 years and has seen it all, but only a rare few have captured a special place in her memories and her heart.There’s the wedding of Bev and Stan, played by Brenda Hunsberger of Collegeville and Geoff Randall of Schwenksville. Bev and Stan are jilted spouses seeking revenge by planning to beat their exes to the altar.

Next is the wedding of the arrogant, publicity-seeking stars, Vanessa Wells and Bryce Cannon played by Karen Sarkissian of Devon and Chuck DeLong of Newark, Del. These aging celebrities from the TV adventure show “The Surfin’ Secret Agents” of 30 years ago are deeply in love…with themselves. Then there’s the wedding of the gentle, mild-mannered mailman Marvin Marvel, played by David Moyer of Trooper, to his tough ex-con blushing bride Fiona, played by Ashley Rurode of Eagleville. Marvin and Fiona met on the Internet and couldn’t be more in love. Throw in an Elvis (Eric Merlino of Wilmington, Del.), Elvis wanna-be Lou DeGeorge (Ed Zeiser of Bryn Mawr), Fiona’s escaped convict ex-boyfriend (Jason Bell of North Wales) bent on stopping Fiona’s wedding, and a final surprise wedding audiences wouldn’t have guessed.

“Four Weddings And An Elvis” is under the direction of Jay Farrelly of East Norriton.


Advance ticket purchase is recommended, but not required.


The price for the general public is $40 per person and includes appetizers, dinner, beverages (coffee, tea, etc.), dessert, tax, gratuity and the show. A cash bar will be available.


Reservations, ticket purchasing and further information, including the buffet menu, can be obtained by calling the theater at 610-489-6449 or visiting www.methactoncommunitytheater.org.

Posted on 03/14/11 at 7:01am by Benzinga.com

On the heals of being named a ‘Best of the Knot' pick for 2011, McElroy Weddings releases its 2011 Demo Reel and continues to provide brides and grooms with an exceptional product.

Burlington, MA (PRWEB) March 14, 2011

From Rhode Island to New Hampshire, Cape Cod to Boston, the videographers of McElroy Weddings saw couples from every faith and ethnicity celebrate their special day.

“Our couples have been ecstatic with our work,” said owner and videographer Benjamin McElroy. “They gave us rave reviews, affording us the honor of being a Best of the Knot selection.”

“For every couple that books videography with us, there is a couple who asks me how video is different from a photographer,” Ben explained. “The truth is, photography is able to capture the events of a wedding day very well, but great videography can go beyond the still and put the emotions of the day on display. Nobody regrets having a quality videographer.”

In fact, when asked to decide between looking at their grandparent's wedding photos or their wedding video, 61% of brides would prefer to see the video. Also, 98% of newlyweds polled would recommend videography to prospective brides. Source Weva.

1 STYLE & TECHNIQUE

McElroy Weddings sets itself apart from other area videographers with Ben's commitment to only use professional, high definition cameras, professional microphones, and a unique cinematic shooting and editing style.

“All of our videographers, including myself, pay close attention to detail and together with thoughtful editing, we really portray the emotions and character of the bride, groom, and the wedding party.”

2 PROFESSIONAL SOUND

At all McElroy weddings, the groom or officiate is given professional, wireless microphones, discretely worn on the lapel so that no vow is lost. In the reception, audio can be run directly from the DJ or live band to the camera so toasts, music, and dancing are at their best quality and never over-whelmed by room noise.

3 MULTI-CAM AND ACCESSORIES

McElroy Weddings also offers the opportunity for brides to have two or more camera angles during the ceremony and reception. In addition, videographers have access to portable lighting, small dollies, and other accessories to maintain McElroy's cinematic, dynamic style.

4 DELIVERY ON BLU-RAY OR DVD

While finished weddings are traditionally delivered on DVD, McElroy Weddings offers delivery on Blu-ray Disc. Custom menus featuring the bride and groom are constructed for both DVD and Blu-rays and the wedding day is organized into chapters. Typically, final wedding discs are edited into six chapters.

5 WEDDING TRAILER

The wedding Trailer chapter is an artistic blend of video from throughout the day that serves to summarize and highlight the best moments and the setting of the wedding. Set to a song of a couple's choice, trailers can take on different tones from epic and dramatic to subtle and relaxed, from energetic to calming.

6 PRE-CEREMONY

Also set to music, the Pre-ceremony chapter is comprised of footage of the bride and groom before the ceremony. Often, the most touching videography comes from filming a groom smiling nervously as he dresses in his tux or playful interactions between a bride and her bridesmaids.

“In the Pre-ceremony, We often find many touching or funny moments that can be just as important to capture as the ceremony itself because they are deeply personal and have excellent insight into the emotions and character of the wedding party,” Ben described. “This is something else that we offer over our competitors.”

7 CEREMONY & RECEPTION

In the ceremony and reception chapters, McElroy Weddings' goal is to portray the events as close to the actual proceedings as possible.

“We strive to re-create the reception and ceremony exactly how the bride and groom remember them. That means we like to use the natural audio and only cut out pauses and transitional moments.”

8 PHOTOS

Perhaps more aptly named ‘photo documentary', the photo chapter follows the wedding party as they take formal photos. More than stills, photos come alive, but moments between the poses are caught as well: The limo ride to the formal site, stunning panoramas of the location, family moments, and the first glances between newlyweds.

9 CREDITS

The credit chapter lists important names (Bridal party, officiate, parents, grand parents, etc.), favorite quotes, and messages set to a song of a couple's choosing. In true Hollywood fashion, additional footage from throughout the day is also included in the credits. The footage includes clips that may have been left on the editing room floor or clips that come from different angles in multi-cam wedding packages.

10 CUSTOMIZATION

But the most important aspect of a McElroy Wedding is the high level of customization. Starting with being able to choose a price package that fulfills a couple's individual needs to choosing the songs for the various chapters as well as other content.

“Every wedding is unique as the couples and our videographers and editors treat them as such,” Ben said. “When you book with us, you can be assured that you're getting a keepsake that you'll be proud to share for years after.”

About McElroy Weddings:

McElroy Weddings, a division of McElroy Films, is an award-winning high definition wedding videography company serving Massachusetts and New England.

Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/press-releases/11/03/p922243/top-10-reasons-why-wedding-videography-is-the-ultimate-wedding-keepsake#ixzz1GayzcwjZ

By: Christina Cheddar Berk
News Editor Published: Tuesday, 8 Mar 2011 | 11:43 AM ET

There's something new on the menu at McDonald's in Hong Kong: weddings.

Since January, the fast food chain has been offering wedding packages to customers at three Hong Kong locations, and according to a report in Time magazine, the demand has been brisk.

Weddings in Hong Kong traditionally are elaborate affairs, with many courses of food and a series of costume changes. Naturally, the expense of such a wedding banquet can be tough for young couples to manage, and ever since a 2006 law cleared weddings to be held in secular locations, there has been a trend toward entrepreneurs offering a variety of seemingly offbeat options for couples that want to say "I do."

Still, McDonald's [MCD  75.54    -0.75  (-0.98%)   ] is the first fast food chain to serve up wedding celebrations as a standard offering.

McDonald's basic offering, the "Warm and Sweet Wedding Package," accommodates as many as 50 guests and costs less than $1,300. For another $165, the bride can rent a gown of pearly white balloons.

Weddings also can include goody-bags stuffed with plush McDonaldland characters, or a pyramid of cartoned apple pies to serve as the cake.

A McWedding shouldn't be that surprising, given that more US companies are trying to grab a piece of the nearly $2 billion that is spent on weddings each year.

On Monday, I reported that Costco [COST  73.62    1.43  (+1.98%)   ] was expanding its wedding business to include wedding gowns.

I've also seen reports of couples hosting their weddings in locations such asWhole Foods [WFMI  58.27    0.40  (+0.69%)   ], T.J. Maxx [TJX  Loading...      ()   ]and Home Depot [HD  37.04    0.42  (+1.15%)   ].

Those locations are sometimes inspired by the couple's history—it could be the place they met or a spot they went while they were dating.

So raise a milkshake and toast the happy couples.