Wedding Vendors
Venue: The Venetian Las Vegas – Chapel Weddings
Reception Venue: Smith & Wollensky – Las Vegas
Wedding Dress: Enaura Bridal
Groom’s Suit: The Black Tux
Florals: Venetian On-Site Florist
Donna & Dan’s Venetian Las Vegas Wedding –
A Destination Elopement with Style, Soul & a Dash of Desert Dust
Okay, this one was special.
Donna and Dan’s destination wedding at The Venetian in Las Vegas was honestly one of the most unforgettable experiences we’ve ever had. From the intimate ceremony in the Venetian Chapel to running wild through the desert the next day at Valley of Fire for their post-wedding portraits, this entire trip felt surreal in the best way.
Vegas was never on my list of places I thought I’d shoot a wedding. But when these two reached out (thanks to their friends Liz and Erik, an amazing couple we photographed in Philly a few years ago), everything just clicked. Donna and Dan aren’t from Vegas, they picked it for the adventure. And good thing they did, because the energy, the views, the people… everything about this wedding was on another level.
From our first video call, we connected right away. Donna is actually a photographer herself, so from the start, she knew she wanted something creative and different. She loved what we did for Liz and Erik’s wedding and was excited to bring that same energy to her own. And for us? It was such a cool full-circle moment to photograph another wedding with that same amazing friend group.
Chelsey and I flew into Vegas with one goal — to make this wedding feel like them. Not like a copy of every other wedding that happens in the same space.
Which brings me to something important if you’re planning a wedding at The Venetian: they have in-house photographers who are the only ones technically allowed to shoot in the chapel, unless you pay a very high fee to bring your own. Most couples just go with the default. But that also means… same team, same photos, same angles. Over and over again.
Not Donna and Dan. They knew they wanted more than that. They wanted real moments, creative angles, photos that felt like them. So they paid that extra fee to bring us in, and let me tell you, it was worth every penny. We were able to see The Venetian through fresh eyes and capture it in ways we’d never seen done before.
It was a total dream to photograph, and even more of a dream to be part of their day.
Getting Ready at The Venetian, Las Vegas
Chelsey and I flew into Vegas two days before the wedding because when couples bring us in for a destination wedding, especially something this special, we go all in. We’re based in Canada, and Donna and Dan brought us down to the U.S. for their wedding. That kind of trust means a lot to us. We always want to make sure it’s worth it for them, and honestly, for us too. So we do everything we can to make the entire experience next level.
The day before the wedding, we spent time scouting The Venetian. We had already looked at a ton of photos online to see what most photographers were doing in the space. It was all kind of the same. Same angles, same locations, same shots. We didn’t want any of that. We walked around the whole property with fresh eyes, looking for creative ways to shoot that felt personal to Donna and Dan.
They were already in Vegas with their crew, hanging out by the pool. We dropped in to say hi and of course brought the camera with us. We grabbed a quick photo with everyone by the pool, which turned into a fun little pre-wedding moment. Most of their people already knew us from Liz and Erik’s Philly wedding. Donna was actually one of the bridesmaids at that one. It felt like reconnecting with old friends, not showing up for a job. Everything just felt right.
On the wedding morning, the energy was high right from the start. Donna and Dan were still together when we got there. Just enjoying a calm moment before the day kicked off. When it was time, Dan went over to a groomsman’s room to get ready with the guys. Chelsey went with him, and I stayed with Donna and the girls. Their suite at The Venetian was unreal. Big space, beautiful light, and lots of room for the natural chaos that comes with a wedding morning. Everyone was relaxed. There was music playing, people laughing, a few running around helping each other get ready. And every single person was totally comfortable having a camera around, which made it easy to capture things naturally.
Donna looked amazing. She didn’t have a professional glam team, just her closest people helping her out, and she looked like she stepped out of a magazine. Her sister, who was also the maid of honour, owns the bridal company Enaura. She designed Donna’s dress and also made Liz’s dress back at the Philly wedding. The style this family brings is next level. The dress was stunning. Clean, modern, and totally her.
The whole morning had this relaxed, happy energy. Everyone in that room had made the trip to Vegas because they truly wanted to be there. You could feel that. It was the perfect start to an unforgettable day.
First Look and Private Vow Reading at The Venetian
Donna and Dan knew they wanted to do a first look before the ceremony so we could jump right into portraits afterward without feeling rushed. Instead of running around the hotel to find a location, we realized the answer was right in front of us. Their bridal suite at The Venetian was absolutely perfect. Big, beautiful, private, and full of natural light. There was no need to go anywhere else.
They wanted something intimate and personal, and this was it. We set them up in different parts of their hotel suite. Dan was in the living room and Donna was in the bedroom, standing just on the other side of the wall. They were side by side, close enough to hear each other, but still out of view. Without seeing each other, they read their vows aloud, separated only by that wall. It was one of the most emotional moments of the entire day.
There were tears. There were laughs. It felt like everything stopped for a second while they poured their hearts out. It wasn’t a performance for guests. It was just them, in their own little world. And even for us, behind the cameras, it was hard not to get caught up in it. You could feel how real their connection is. As soon as the last words were read, it was time for the first look. Dan turned around, and the second he saw Donna, you could see it hit him. She looked stunning, and he just melted. Total tears. No holding it back. That’s the kind of emotion you don’t get when you skip the first look.
Honestly, if you’re thinking about doing a private vow reading before your ceremony, this is your sign. It was one of the most beautiful ways to build anticipation and ground the day in something really personal.
And from there, we rolled right into their couple portraits. Which was a whole new level of fun.
Wedding Portraits at The Venetian Las Vegas
I was seriously pumped for this part of the day. The moment we stepped out of their suite, I knew we were about to create something special. The Venetian has so many unreal portrait locations that honestly, we could have spent two full days shooting there and still not hit every spot. So we had to be intentional. We picked the places that Donna and Dan loved the most, and the ones we knew would bring that mix of creativity and romance they were looking for.
We started in the Grand Canal Shoppes area — the section with the indoor canals, gondolas, and those famous little bridges. It’s designed to feel like Venice, and it actually does. The gondolas floating through the water, the cobblestone walkways, the architecture… it’s like stepping into another world. The ceiling is painted to look like a real sky at sunset. It’s not edited in. That warm orange glow you see in the photos? That’s how it looks in real life. It’s insane.
We shot on the bridges with the gondolas passing underneath, and every time we stopped for a photo, people around us were clapping and cheering. That’s the energy you get walking through The Venetian in a wedding dress. Everyone becomes part of the celebration, and it’s such a fun vibe.
After that, we moved to one of the grand indoor staircases, near a dramatic waterfall feature that runs down between two massive columns. The space looks like a movie set, and again, that sky ceiling above us just made everything feel dreamlike. These photos needed no filters. They’re raw, real, and absolutely stunning.
Once we wrapped inside, we stepped out onto the terrace for some quick portraits outside. That space is lined with tall, iconic pillars that feel strong and bold in every shot. We couldn’t stay out there too long because the Vegas heat was no joke, but Donna and Dan were down for it. We made the most of every minute.
Ceremony at The Venetian Chapel
After portraits, we headed straight to the Venetian Chapel where the guests were already seated. The energy in the room was something else. It was intimate, emotional, and filled with people who truly cared about Donna and Dan. You could feel it from the moment we walked in.
The ceremony was beautiful. Emotional in the best way. There were tears — a lot of them — and not just from the couple. Friends and family were crying, including the guys. It was that kind of ceremony. One filled with real love, real emotion, and a deep sense of connection. Everyone who flew to Vegas to be there was fully present in that moment. It felt like the kind of wedding you remember forever.
The lighting inside the chapel was also incredible. Soft, warm, and cinematic. It made everything feel elevated and timeless. Every frame coming out of that ceremony just looked and felt special.
Once they said, “I do,” we stepped outside for a few quick portraits in front of the beautiful fountain just outside the chapel. The light was perfect, and the joy in the air was still going strong. We took a mix of family photos and small group shots, and then made our way through the Venetian hallways for some bigger group portraits.
Anywhere you stop at The Venetian feels like a backdrop out of a movie, but we found this one hallway with an ornate, colourful ceiling that pulled the whole scene together. The architecture, the light, the energy of the people — it all added up to some of our favourite group photos of the day.
Reception at Smith & Wollensky – Let the Party Begin
The reception was something I didn’t fully expect — in the best way possible.
The energy was off the charts from the moment the entrances started. Every single person who walked in brought it. No one was holding back. Friends were cheering, dancing, hyping each other up. And when Donna and Dan entered the room, the place exploded.
They came in with champagne in hand, ready to party. Donna, in true Donna fashion, went all in — so much so that she ended up spilling champagne right on her face during the entrance. And instead of trying to fix it or getting flustered, she just laughed it off, wiped it with her hand, and kept dancing. That right there says everything about her energy. Nothing was going to stop her from living every second of that night. It was pure joy, and the photos from that moment are some of my absolute favorites.
The speeches were next, and they were next-level emotional. Every single one hit hard. People were laughing, crying, holding each other. You could feel how close this group is. From family to friends, everyone had something heartfelt to say, and it showed how deeply Donna and Dan are loved. Chelsey and I both got choked up more than once — it was impossible not to feel it. This reception was a full celebration of love, friendship, and real connection. And honestly, it was inspiring. The way this group treats each other, the way they show up and support, it’s rare. You don’t see it like that every day.
After dinner and speeches, the party kept rolling. Donna and Dan planned an after-party at a club later that night. We were planning to join and grab a few more shots, but the venue had some strict rules and wouldn’t allow any cameras inside. At that point, we were wiped — it had been a full day of shooting nonstop — so we left them to dance the night away with their friends, off-camera.
But that wasn’t the end of our time together. The next day, we hit the desert for one of the most insane shoots we’ve ever done. That story deserves its own space, so keep an eye out — the Valley of Fire day-after session is coming in part two of this blog.
Donna and Dan, thank you for trusting us with such an unforgettable experience. Photographing your wedding at The Venetian and celebrating with you in Vegas was something we’ll never forget. Your energy, your love, your people — everything about this day was magic.
If you’re planning a destination wedding in Las Vegas and want photography that’s creative, emotional, and real — especially if you’re getting married at The Venetian — we’d love to connect. We don’t do cookie-cutter. We do you.
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