Marriage in Vegas, in its many forms, is a type of manifest destiny. It is a gloriously frenzied romance. With all the pomp, glitz, and glamour one can conjure, marriage in Vegas is untethered. And rightly so, the 400 year-old institution of marriage should not be laden with formalities and wait times; but, first and foremost, it should be a visual expression of love. 

The wedding is the big day when two souls consummate their love and friendship– two souls who have met long ago in the cosmos and shared in the same truths. Once again they meet, and they are driven uncontrollably to stay in each other’s company for the satisfaction that it brings. The fervent desire to be together culminates in a ceremony destined for two like-minded souls. It only makes sense that so much of a city consists of chapels or spaces dedicated to highly stylized weddings.

As I walked the landscape of the Vegas wedding rows, I captured venue after venue of eternal promises. Each space offering something unique to appeal to two lovers who simply packed their bags and arrived ready-to-go. The options for marriage spaces and themes are plentiful enough to make a serious attempt at appealing to the infinite visions of beauty and love. 

I use visions, not versions, of beauty and love because for me it begins and ends with what light lets in. The winter desert sun and florescent lights illuminated all the places — motels, chapels, or drive-thrus– where two souls join in matrimony and grow their wings for flight into eternity. The scenery is enough to drive one mad with desire, declare one’s love, and get married.