I performed my first wedding ceremony.  I was extremely nervous because I didn’t want to mess up their Big Day.  “He’s more nervous than we are,” the bride mentioned.  I started to calm down after she said that because they were so carefree.  I didn’t forget their name which was good, but I did forget what to say afterwards.  I had to refer back to my notes, but I finally got through it and turned it back to the official Reverend for him to make it certified. 

Since it was my last day, I’ve decided to run the whole process from beginning to end.  I first went out to handbill Vegas Wedding’s brochure to couples coming in and out of the Marriage Bureau for a couple of hours.  Then during the previous two days, I was practicing to drive the limo in order to pick up and drop off the couples.  Then I learned how to take photographs of the bride and groom before and after the ceremony.  Then I learned how to make bouquets and boutonnières for the bride and groom.  Lastly, making sure the ceremony runs smoothly. 

Vegas Weddings is open from 8AM until Midnight every single day of the year.  The busiest time is Valentine’s Day and throughout the year performs 6,000 weddings.  Couples from around the world come to get married in Las Vegas and during my week I saw a wide variety of couples from China to Australia.  We coordinated weddings for couples that are 19 to 70 years old.  The most interesting couples weren’t marrying in the chapel, but at the Commissions Office.  They would get their marriage license at the courthouse across the street and come in to basically sign a marriage certificate and make it official.  That would cost $50, but did I not know how well Reverends get paid.  A Reverend’s wage is strictly based on donations, but people are very generous on their wedding day.  The Reverend just hands the couple an envelop and I’ve seen $100 bills begin donated by each couple.  I’ve seen our Reverends perform 3 ceremonies an hour, so imagine that.  “Is that money taxable?” I asked our Reverend.  “Yes, but I’m the only one that knows how much money is in the envelop,” he laughs.

December 2, 2008

The Real Estate Agent that I worked with in Boise suggested I contact her cousin to show me around Las Vegas.  Apparently, her cousin wanted to interview me last night to see if I was cool enough to hang out with.  If I didn’t pass the test, then I would sabotage his “Mr. Las Vegas” image.  I think it was pretty amusing.  He was telling me all about the lifestyle in the Las Vegas area.  There are many college students that come here for one weekend and make thousands of dollars to pay for school.  People are always in the mood to spend money when they come here.  One of the pictures I took shows a man that would continuously gamble if he never got tired.

I am slowly learning all aspects of working at Vegas Weddings.  The first two days, I learned how to coordinate weddings, take people on tours of our facilities, and answer any questions about our wedding packages.  Today, I had been trained to pick up and drop off couples to and from their hotel in a limousine.  Tomorrow, I will learn all about the flower arrangements and by the end of the week; that’s right, I will be Reverend Daniel.

November 30, 2008

I drove into Las Vegas this morning to start my first day of work.  Before starting my day, I went to the YMCA and was really impressed with their facilities.  I thought I could take some time to enjoy it, but when I went back to my locker, I noticed my shoes were moved.  I knew something was wrong and my wallet was taken.  I ran out of the locker to find the guy that I think stole my wallet.  I went to the front desk and they had my wallet.  How could this all happen in 2 minutes?  They found my wallet upstairs, but most of the contents were gone. 

I didn’t let this event ruin my first day of work.  I was introduced to the career of a Wedding Coordinator.  Five different couples were married at the chapel today and each one of them was different.  One couple came into the lobby like it was ordering a pizza.  It was amusing that the bride asked what the date was while she was filling out paperwork.  Even though they seemed so cavalier about getting married, they ended up crying during the ceremony. 

I’m learning how to pitch a several options for couples as they call or stop in.  The most expensive package at the chapel runs around $700.  Most couples don’t bring guests, which makes it easier to book more weddings back-to-back.  Coordinating weddings is something I’ll be learning more about during the next couple of days.

I am staying in one of the hotels/casinos this week because it’s a part of the culture in Las Vegas.  One thing I was surprised to see was that there are no more coins used for the slot machines.  No more sound of money around here unless you go to the older casinos.