Simplicity & Natural Settings Will Be a Weddings Trend Post COVID-19

According to TheKnot's 2019 Real Wedding Study, “The average cost of a wedding in 2019 was $33,900 (including the engagement ring, ceremony and reception).” This is a median price tag for the entire United States, with even higher numbers in large cultural hubs like Miami, which has traditionally seen higher household incomes and more extravagant celebrations than other parts of the U.S. With Miami being hit especially hard as nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and other hospitality and tourism services shutdown, couples looking to tie the knot during fall and winter 2020 and into the early months of 2021 will likely seek out nuptials that are romantic and memorable, but more modestly priced.

One of the most popular wedding destinations in the world, Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, is a great option for South Floridians who want to ditch the east coast tropics for the mythical desert setting of the southwest. Before you start thinking Las Vegas strip, drive through chapels and Elvis impersonators, we're talking about Las Vegas' picturesque surrounding mountains, desert and canyon terrain and all of their breathtaking beauty as the backdrop to a more affordable destination wedding celebration. Some of these natural locations around Las Vegas allow couples to take their wedding vows surrounded by million-dollar views in intimate settings, and for nominal rates that will be more fitting to the economy we will all be facing going into the autumn months and beyond.

“With the toll that this coronavirus pandemic is taking on our economy, once this crisis passes, many couples will simply not be in a position to spend tens of thousands of dollars on their weddings. They’ll be looking for alternatives that are just as special, but for more modest rates,” says Las Vegas destination wedding and elopement expert, McKenzi Taylor.

McKenzi’s company, Cactus Collective Weddings, is in the unique position of offering all-inclusive micro-wedding and elopement packages around Las Vegas’ iconic natural outdoor settings that range in price from $1,870 to $3,300. The company has access to these remote locations at some of Las Vegas' most famous outdoor natural wonders through exclusive arrangements with the city of Las Vegas which allows them to obtain permits for these wedding locations.

To help couples who will be reeling financially in the coming months, but who wish to marry at the end of 2020 and into the beginning of 2021, McKenzi Taylor and her team are making wedding packages that much sweeter by offering couples credits towards their transportation and bridal hair and makeup.

In addition, McKenzi adds that “getting married in an outdoor, natural setting is kinder to the environment, and we can all use a bit more of that right now. If nothing else, I hope what we are collectively going through will make us all want to be better stewards of our planet.”

Natural outdoor settings mean less need for artificial decorations that get thrown away after a wedding, and less use of energy, from lighting design to air conditioning and heating. It reduces waste down to almost nothing.

From locations with names like Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, Cactus Joe’s Blue Diamond Nursery and Floyd Lamb Park, to name a few, this unique experience offers a seductive combination of earthy, adventure-filled, romantic serenity. According to McKenzi, “It’s bringing things back to nature, and the focus is 100% on the two people who are getting married. What’s more romantic than that?”

Dream Las Vegas Wedding Destinations

Valley of Fire is ninety minutes from the Las Vegas Strip and boasts a myriad of stunning red rocks that gives the desert a fiery glow at sunset, hence its name, Valley of Fire.

The dramatic Red Rock Canyon landscape in the famous Mojave Desert, just 20 minutes from Las Vegas, is breathtaking and powerful with its unique red rock formations created millions of years ago. There are even historic dinosaur tracks left behind.

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Local, original and romantic, Cactus Joe’s Blue Diamond Nursery is one of the largest cacti nurseries in the region and offers a quaint, hand-built pink chapel and a beautifully landscaped desert garden.

Floyd Lamb Park at Tules Spring is a unique wedding location for couples seeking tranquility and a park setting where ducks, geese and peacocks roam free. Gorgeous lakeside views surround the park, with shady trees with lush greenery throughout. There is also a gazebo for an outdoor ceremony and amazing views of the sheep and Spring Mountain Ranges.

“We’re happy to provide a beautiful alternative for couples who won’t be able to plunk down $30,000+ for their wedding a few months from now. Let’s all get back to simplicity.”

Cactus Collective Weddings is moving forward with a flexible approach to booking Las Vegas destination weddings and elopements, allowing couples to reserve their weddings now, while allowing them to wait until the month of June to commit to their wedding date.

You can learn more Cactus Collective Weddings Las Vegas destination wedding and elopement packages at Cactus-Collective.com.

Story by Allison Kugel