Reno Ties the Knot

Flower girls, bridesmaids, groomsmen, piano accompanists, small orchestras, hotel rooms, champagne, more champagne, and lots of people all make for a good wedding. For those that don't want to deal with all the fuss, you've come to the right city.

The lure of fast romance
Since the 1930s, Nevada has served as a marriage metropolis for people all over the world with one thing in mind: quick and quiet ceremonies. Some of the first wedding chapels opened in 1957 and took marketing advantage of a state that had relaxed marriage laws and required no blood tests or a waiting period.

A tradition
During the early 30s and through WWII, the tradition of weddings became a lucrative business for Reno. In 1945, more than 18,000 couples tied the proverbial knot. In the late 70s, Reno welcomed about 40,000 eager brides and grooms to the area. Since then, states have relaxed their marriage laws. But it makes little difference to Reno's wedding economy, as the city attracts people from all over the nation who have similar marriage laws. About 2/3 of those married in Reno chapels travel in from California. No matter if they're couples coming back to renew their vows, young couples searching to be married in the same chapel their parents were married in, or couples itching for an unconventional ceremony, Reno is a city bright with wedding tradition.