How To: Set Up a Wedding Photo Shoot on the Vegas Strip

One of the best “freebies” you get with a Vegas wedding is the huge array of photo opportunities. The decor, the lighting, the atmosphere – they are all built into the casino architecture, the decor and neon lights. Also, a 30 minute walk on the Strip can see you hanging out near a pirate ship, on the canals of Venice and by Roman columns, so why not take advantage?

So it’s no wonder so many couples who elope or have smaller weddings opt to do a “photo tour” of the Strip. It’s a simple concept – you basically have a photographer follow you around to snap a few photos following the wedding or in the days after the wedding. These are also popular for engagement shoots.

I asked Las Vegas photographer Edyta Sokolowska of Exceed Photography a few questions about the Vegas photo tours she does with just-married or about to be married couples, and show off some of her shots from these sessions. She provides some great tips for setting up a photo tour, which is something she’s quite talented at executing!

LVW: Do you recommend the bride and groom pick their favorite casinos and backdrops, or do you steer them on where to go?

Edyta from Exceed Photography: I always ask the bride and groom which locations they love the most. I want to know what they like. But I also very often suggest locations and the order we will be visiting them. The goal is to be the most efficient with a given time and also to create some amazing, unforgettable images for the couple.

LVW: How long are most photo tours? 

Edyta: Two to three hours.

LVW: Seeing as distances on the Strip can be deceiving, do you recommend couples book a form of transportation, like a town car or limo to get them around for their photo tour?

Edyta: I usually recommend to book a limo or town car with a driver. That gives us the advantage of being dropped off at a certain location and then picked up without waiting for valet or going through a parking garage.

Of course there are times that you can skip a need for transportation – e.g., if a couple is interested in part of the Strip where everything they would like to visit is in the walking distance – the gardens and fountains at Bellagio, Eiffel Tower at Paris, Caesar Palace etc. That is also a reason why I always interview my clients about what they like and then suggest the best solution.

LVW: Isn’t it a challenge to shoot, especially on Las Vegas Boulevard where it’s busy all the time?

Edyta: It is quite a challenge to shoot on the Strip because of the traffic, lots of people and certain hotel restrictions. That is why it is always great to choose a photographer who has experience with this kind of shoot. If you know what you are doing you can create very beautiful and intimate images even in a very busy place and a short amount of time.

LVW: Is it better to shoot during the day or at night?

Edyta: It is a personal choice. Las Vegas can be beautiful during the day… but also at night time.

Most of the people love the night time. If it possible I like to give my clients both: start the photo session before sunset and then finish with a bright lights of Las Vegas at night.

LVW: I notice the brides in the photos are wearing sensible shoes – any other recommendations for how to make your Strip photo tour a success?

Edyta: I always encourage my brides to have a change of shoes. For example, some comfortable flip-flops! High heel shoes are beautiful but most of the time it is hard to walk in them; this kind of inconvenience can take away from the whole experience. When we need to walk they quickly put flip-flops on and when we take photos they change them for their beautiful high heel shoes.

---

To see more of Edtya’s work, please visit her blog.

The Strip too busy for you? Check out this Long List of Memorable Spots for Unique Engagement Photos elsewhere around Vegas

 

To see more photos from Strip photo tours, check out these real Vegas wedding bus photo tour blog posts!