Sunrise Las Vegas Elopement | Red Rock and Mandalay Bay

Sometimes, I hear stereotypes about Las Vegas elopements being cliché or not sentimental.

I’m here to say that this elopement proves that idea WRONG.

Addie and Tim first met when they were teenagers. They knew each other for years before finally starting to date. They made it official on April 27, 2014, and got married on their 9th dating anniversary!

A few years into their relationship, they had to endure some long-distance. They sat down, weighed the pros and cons, and ultimately flipped a quarter to determine if they’d chance it. Heads, they’d stay together. Tails, they’d call it.

Obviously, it landed on heads, so that quarter made an appearance on their wedding day!

We started the day around 4:30 a.m. as they got ready together in their Mandalay Bay suite. Addie helped Tim get dressed, and she kept her dress a surprise until we got to the desert. One thing I really love about Red Rock at sunrise is how quickly the light and colors change as the sun comes over the horizon. You’ll start off with the blue tones on the mountain, and once the sun rises over the mountain, it washes everything in a golden glow! These two had their first look, exchanged their personal vows, and we danced in the sunlight as the day started in Vegas. We jetted back to Mandalay Bay for a few more portraits and to get breakfast before their ceremony.

These two chose to get married in the Shark Reef aquarium at Mandalay because early in their relationship, they took a trip to Vegas and spent the entire day in this exact aquarium! So when they found out about the possibility of getting married there, it was a no brainer.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to photograph their ceremony because of the very strict rules Mandalay Bay has about photography. But after their ceremony, we headed over to 7th and Carson to celebrate with a mid-morning brunch with their wedding guests!

Are you ready for your own sunrise Las Vegas elopement? Let’s do this!