Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world so naturally there are lots of venues for a wedding, in different styles and price ranges. Now, I don’t want to knock on ‘quickie’ weddings cause there are different stokes for different folks. But I want to highlight a few of my favorite off-the-Strip wedding venues in the Las Vegas area. Here are just a few venues that are unique, off-beat and different than you're typical Vegas style wedding.

1) Smith Event Center at Symphony Park : Though it's not even finished yet, I antisapate this to be one of my favorite wedding venues. I can't wait to photograph a wedding there! Big classic theatre design with lots of event rooms makes this venue ideal for a large wedding. The Smith Center will be a hub of all things art and they will be offering the facility for weddings as early as March 2012.

2) Red Springs at Calico Basin Red Rock Canyon: Red Rock Canyon is well known for it's beauty, but did you know you can have you're wedding there?! It's one of the beautiful places of Southern Nevada. Red Springs has the best of both; the red rock and sand contrasted by tall green grasses and desert flower. Perfect place for a small, simple, minimalist nature wedding. They don't have a great website so the best way to start getting information about having your wedding out there is to call 702-515-5371. 

3) Keep Memories Alive Events Center: This wonderious building was designed by the world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. It looks like a metal crushed paper and is ultra, urban cool. It is located in the jazzed up, artsy area of downtown Las Vegas; right by the new Las Vegas Symphony Park where the Smith Center will be.

4) Springs Preserve: The Springs Preserve is a 180-acre cultural institution. It's like a museum, desert garden, art gallery and park all rolled into one. It's the perfect place for a desert wedding. It even has a interpretive trail system that meanders through a scenic wetland habitat.

5) Boulder City Train: I took my little son here just for a fun afternoon train ride, but once I learned that they offer weddings; I've been obsessed with the idea! Just imagine a train themed wedding with both the ceremony and reception all the train. They have closed dinning cars and plush seated cars as well as a few open air cars. Plus a great train museum for everyone to see once the train is back at the station. Everything, including the traveling train, has such wonderfully perserved vintage appeal. My head is reeling with possible detail and photography ideas!

6) Lake Las Vegas: Lake Las Vegas is a desert oasis. Just 20 minutes from Las Vegas, this area offers mountain views and the lake front all from your hotel balcony. There are quite a few wonderful hotels that offer weddings packages in Lake Las Vegas and all of them are pretty great and offer wonderful photo opportunities around the lake.

The Ravella Hotel

The Loews Resort

The Golf Club South Shore

Montelago Village Resort

Hope those few venues getting you thinking differently.

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