Graceland Wedding Chapel Elopement - Nashville TN Wedding Photographer

Michelle and I have been friends for the last two years through photography. When Michelle asked me to photograph her and Dereck’s Las Vegas elopement, I was so excited. I knew it would be such a blast and full of fun. Little did I know how much fun we would have during our quick weekend trip to Las Vegas.

Michelle and Dereck met while in college. They happened to have a class together despite being in different majors. Michelle thought he was the quiet, kind of weird kid, who sat quietly in the back of the classroom. Dereck thought she was the loud girl who was always full of things to say, and comebacks for everyone. Neither of them were wrong about each other, but what they didn’t know is how much they liked one another.

That was several years ago, and eventually, they started dating and have been together for quite a while now. Dereck proposed about two years ago, and let me tell you, their wedding planning has been a rollercoaster. Originally, they were going to get married near home in Toledo, Ohio. Things changed, and they realized that neither of them really wanted that. I am so proud of the two of them for choosing what they want, rather than what is expected of them.

The two stuck to their original date of Leap Day, February 29th, 2020, which is so fun. Everything else though? Well that all changed. They decided that they were going to go to Las Vegas, Nevada to get married. Something small with just close friends and family members. More importantly, it would be a ton of fun.

Michelle and Dereck decided that they were going to get married by Elvis, which, how could you not love? Nothing says Vegas more than getting married by Elvis, which was exactly what Michelle intended. On their wedding day, we all gathered outside of Graceland Wedding Chapel, waiting for it to be their turn. That is the thing about Las Vegas weddings, you don’t get the venue for the day. It is quick in and out, but also, there is something so fun about it.

Dereck waited in a side room of the chapel so he wouldn’t see Michelle before she walked down the aisle. Before long, everyone was inside and we watched as Elvis walked Michelle down the aisle while singing, “Can’t Help Falling In Love”. I watched as excitement and joyful tears filled Michelle and Dereck’s eyes. They were about to get married.

The ceremony was full of Elvis jokes, impersonations, and heartfelt vows from the two of them. Although it was quick, it was perfect. After the ceremony, we parted ways with the majority of the group so we could head out for couples portraits. We wandered the city streets to find the perfect spots just for them.

Since this was a destination wedding for me, I flew into town two days before the wedding. This gives me time to scope out locations and get a feel for the city itself. Luckily, I had a route in mind for the two of them to capture the perfect portraits.

We headed down the street, towards Fremont Street, which is filled with so much excitement and noise of people on vacation for one reason or another. By the time we reached Fremont Street, we were all ready for food. If you know anything about Michelle or Dereck, they love pizza. So we found the perfect little pizza spot for them to grab a few slices and recoup before the rest of our events. Once we had finished eating, the two did a love lock ceremony at Fremont Street’s Container Park. This was the perfect representation of unity between them.

The rest of our weekend was filled with fun, laughter, and wandering The Strip of Las Vegas where we were staying. We had many crazy adventures that I am sure we will all talk about for years to come, but everyone had a blast. This was the perfect way to celebrate their love and marriage!

Venue: Graceland Wedding Chapel

Wedding Dress: Torrid

Suit: Men’s Wearhouse

Accomodations: The Venetian

Hair and Makeup Artist: Makeup by Olena