Can I just walk into a chapel in Las Vegas and get married? 

The quick answer to that is "Yes". 

But the realistic answer to that is "Yes, as long as you have everything you need to get married".

You will obviously need someone to marry, but you will also need the local marriage license. This will allow the officiant (a minister, justice of peace, judge, mayor, captain of a ship) to marry you in Clark County. The place to get your marriage license and certificate is at the Marriage License Bureau on Clark and 3rd street in downtown Las Vegas. You can also book one in advance online thru (http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/Depts/clerk/Services/Pages/MarriageLicenses.aspx). 

So, if you think your appearance is acceptable - yes you can get married in costumes and shorts and... most importantly you are not under the influence of drugs and alcohol (it's actually illegal in Las Vegas), then you can go ahead and get married. 

Las Vegas is still a classy town, where people can drive into town in a twenty thousand dollar Toyota and on the way back home can be in a $250,000 gray hound bus. So whether you want to just spend a relaxing weekend and get hitched with a simple ceremony in mind or come in with all your friends and family with a well thought out and planned out epic wedding, there are still certain things that one should remember. 

Local's are tolerant of tourists behaving badly. It actually is a local past time, tourist watching and making fun of how tourists behave themselves. But locals are only tolerant to a certain point. 

Do not assume you can be drunk all the time 24/7. You still can't drive if you are and there are certain business establishments that will not let you in - especially wedding chapels. No, you can't be drinking and getting married at the same time. That is a myth portrayed in Hollywood and many TV shows. 

If you are with a friend who can't control themselves in public while intoxicated - dump them. Leave them in the hotel room where they will be safe, and so will be the rest of the city. You will also be doing your dignity a huge favor. 

You need a marriage license. Yup! You can't just stumble into a chapel and expect to stumble out being Mr. Smith's Mrs. You still have to go to the wedding license bureau and present two forms of government issued picture ID - and pay the $60 (as of Mar. 2011)

Rent a car - Yup! Do rent a car. In the films, it seems as if the hotels are really next to each other. There are two parts of the strip, there's downtown (Freemont Street) and there the main Strip (Bellagio, MGM, Venetian, Paris, Ceasars etc.) It takes a few hours to see one side of this strip. It's still 4 miles from Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere Hotel. There's always the bus, also known as The Deuce  ($7 a day, Mar. 2011), that saves your feet, gives you time to sight see and relax. 


Oh, and did I tell you that parking at the hotels are free? Always look for the self parking areas. They are, except for the downtown hotels, they are free. 

Valet parking in Las Vegas. Park in style! It's complimentary. But please, don't forget to tip your valet. It's Las Vegas, not Jersey City.