When Jon and Christine began planning their destination wedding in Fabulous Las Vegas, the image of drive-thru chapels and shot-gun weddings were quickly replaced by affordable luxury and a venue that could completely discredit the stigma often associated with a Vegas wedding. The couple saw this locale as the perfect destination for friends and family traveling from all over the country to share in their special day.

Jon and Christine truly lucked out while planning their special day, as it took them only two days on a quick trip to Vegas to get all the details sorted out. But what really saved them was their stunning venue. The 2810 Estate slept around 30 people so all of Jon and Christine’s closest friends were able to spend the entire weekend together under one roof. For the couple, the weekend was about quality time with the ones they loved. “It was important to us that people didn’t just come to Vegas for a 4-hour wedding.

The bride made sure to tie in some creative DIY aspects like the centerpieces, signs and garter, but the most significant were the paper cranes she made. “ It’s Japanese tradition for the bride to make 1,001 cranes in the year leading up to the wedding, which I did and strung them across the railings on the bridge where we had our ceremony,” says Christine.

“Had we had our wedding in Montana, it would have been huge!” explains the bride. “We wanted to be able to spend time with each and every person that came, and not feel like it was an assembly line to say hi. Plus, I can’t think of a venue that would compare to ours, and that was one of the best parts for us! When all was said and done, Christine and Jon saved a significant amount of money, coming far under the $25,000 average for a wedding, by having a destination wedding with 65 guests. “We wanted a wedding that we would actually enjoy attending ourselves, and we definitely succeeded!”

Photographer: Jacilyn M. Photography, Ceremony/Reception Site: 2810 Estate, Florist: English Garden Florist, Cake: Cupkates by Kate, Hair: Mosaic Salon, Gown Designer: Casablanca Bridal, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Dockers Alpha Collection, Rentals: RSVP party rentals