The Best Las Vegas Wedding Venues for Photos: A Photographer's Guide

Every venue in Las Vegas has a look, and after 18+ years of photographing weddings here we know exactly where the light falls at 5 pm at Caesars Palace and which corner of the Bellagio Conservatory is empty on a Saturday. This is not a list of the most expensive ballrooms. It is our photographer's guide to the Las Vegas wedding venues that photograph best, on the Strip, off the Strip and out in the desert.

Strip resorts with iconic backdrops

Bellagio

The fountains at night are the single most requested photo in Las Vegas, and the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens change their display with the seasons, so no two weddings look alike. The wedding chapels are elegant and quiet, and the hotel's terraces frame the fountains from above. Book a portrait slot at dusk, when the fountains, the sky and the hotel lights balance.

Caesars Palace

Roman columns, statues, fountains and the Garden of the Gods pool oasis give you a European-estate look ten minutes from your suite. The columned facade at night is our favorite Caesars portrait, and the ballrooms handle large Jewish and Israeli weddings with room for a real hora.

The Venetian and The Palazzo

Gondolas, canals and the St. Mark's Square streetscape photograph like a destination wedding in Italy, indoors and in perfect light at any hour. The bridges over the canal are a natural spot for the first look.

Wynn and Encore

Flower-filled atriums, mosaic floors and manicured gardens make Wynn one of the most polished settings on the Strip. The color palette is rich and warm, which flatters every skin tone and every dress.

Resorts World

The newest large resort on the Strip is bright, modern and glossy, with clean architecture and enormous LED facades that turn night portraits into something out of a music video.

Off-Strip resorts with mountain and lake views

Red Rock Resort, Summerlin

Twenty minutes from Red Rock Canyon, with the mountains in view from the terraces and pool areas. Couples often pair a ceremony here with portraits in the canyon itself before the reception.

JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort, Summerlin

Waterfalls, lush gardens and winding paths make this the greenest wedding backdrop in the valley, a welcome contrast to the desert for couples who want lawn ceremonies and garden portraits.

Green Valley Ranch, Henderson

Mediterranean architecture, an outdoor lawn for ceremonies and a relaxed backyard-of-the-valley feel. Families from Henderson and Green Valley love that guests avoid the Strip traffic.

Lake Las Vegas

Lakeside lawns, a Tuscan-style village and desert mountains on the far shore. Sunset reflections on the water are the signature image here, and the setting feels a world away from the casinos even though it is only thirty minutes from the airport.

Only-in-Vegas character

The Neon Museum

Dozens of restored vintage signs in an outdoor boneyard. It is a small-wedding and portrait venue, and once the signs light up after dark the color is unmatched anywhere in the city.

Springs Preserve

Desert botanical gardens, trails and event spaces minutes from downtown. Cactus gardens and late-afternoon light give you a natural, Southwestern look without leaving the city.

The classic chapels and Fremont Street

For couples who want the fun of old Las Vegas, the chapels along Las Vegas Boulevard and the lights of Fremont Street deliver kitsch and color in the best possible way, especially for elopements and vow renewals.

Desert ceremonies: Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire and Mount Charleston

Red Rock Canyon (thirty minutes west), Valley of Fire (an hour northeast) and Mount Charleston (forty-five minutes northwest, with pines and winter snow) are the three great outdoor ceremony settings around Las Vegas. Each requires a permit for ceremonies and commercial photography and each has its own best hour of light; our Red Rock Canyon photo guide and Las Vegas elopement guide cover the details.

Three questions to ask any Las Vegas venue about photos

• Where are we allowed to photograph? Resorts limit photography in casinos, pools and some lobbies, and some public areas need advance permission. We map the portrait route with the venue coordinator before the wedding.

• What time is sunset on our date? A ceremony that ends about an hour before sunset gives you golden light for portraits and blue hour for the fountains and neon.

• How is the ballroom lit? Colored uplighting and dim stage light are normal in Las Vegas; an experienced photographer brings their own light for the first dance and the hora so skin tones stay natural.

Whichever venue you choose, we have almost certainly photographed there before. Browse our Las Vegas wedding photography portfolio, watch our wedding highlight films, and tell us your venue and date to check availability.