If you and your beloved are planning on exchanging your vows at some point in the coming year, you may be understandably apprehensive about planning and orchestrating the ceremony and reception. While some couples love the hustle and bustle of the planning process, others prefer to craft a different experience. If you fall into the latter category, you and your soon-to-be spouse should consider eloping to Las Vegas. Besides great nightlife and an over-the-top glamorous ambiance, Las Vegas has many other attractions for couples who come there to tie the knot. Following are five of them.

The Mohave Desert

Just a few short miles from downtown Las Vegas, the Mojave desert offers a tranquil respite from the bright lights of the city. Although the desert is beautiful any tome of year, it's particularly enthralling if you're lucky enough to visit it just after a spring rain shower when the fragile desert wildflowers. The Mojave desert also contains a substantial number of ghosts towns that once served as mining communities, and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Located 17 miles from Las Vegas, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area features sandstone peaks, vibrant red rock formations, and an authentic Western ghost town. If you love to bike, hike, or go rock climbing, you'll love the opportunities for outdoor recreation that this area offers.

Local Chapels

Another advantage to getting married in Las Vegas is the large number of local chapels available in which to exchange your vows, allowing you and your beloved to enjoy a highly personalized wedding experience. For instance, you can choose a chapel that has an outer space theme, one that provides the mysteriously beautiful ambiance of a deep woodland grotto, or one at a site like http://www.alittlewhitechapel.com where your wedding ceremony will be performed by an Elvis impersonator. The Church of Elvis is a classic Las Vegas tradition, offering a variety of services, including

• Drive-through wedding ceremonies.
• Witnesses.
• Professional wedding photography.
• Costume rentals.
• Bridal bouquets.
• DVDs of the ceremony.
• Live Internet streaming of the ceremony.

Pretty much any wedding venue that you and your beloved desire is available in Las Vegas, so get together for a brainstorming session with your fiance and let your imaginations roam wild until you find the wedding of your dreams.

International Shopping

Although many people think of Las Vegas as an oversized provincial small town, it's actually an international city with a thriving retail scene that encompasses everything from outlet shopping to luxury boutiques. Be sure to bring an extra suitcase or two so that you'll be able to easily take your purchases back home.

Sun

Las Vegas receives a substantial amount of sun even during the winter, making it an excellent wedding destination for those who live in areas that receive significant seasonal gloom. Temperatures are particularly pleasant during the spring and fall months. Summer days are often hot during the middle of the day, but that's when you and your beloved duck into air conditioned places or simply relax by the pool

Free Drinks

Las Vegas loves lovers, and if you and your beloved wear "Just Married" t-shirts out on the town following your wedding ceremony, you may be treated to free drinks in the city's best establishments. Hit up the best bars and establishments for a night of fun.

Although a Las Vegas wedding provides an excellent way for you and your beloved to have a personalized wedding without a substantial amount of fuss, it's still important to do a minimal amount of planning in order to ensure the best possible experience. Booking hotels and chapels in advance will help ensure that everything goes smoothly.