For all it's famous for, no city hosts the same amount of destination weddings as Las Vegas. People arrive from all over the United States and internationally to have their dream wedding amongst the neon lights or under desert stars, and there are plenty of options for booking a resort stay. The city's Marriage License Bureau issues nearly 80,000 certificates every year, making it one of the busiest in the country. Still, one location stands out among them all - Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport.

Are there any advantages to getting a license at the airport?

Since so many couples travel to Las Vegas yearly, especially in February, around Valentine's Day, the city government decided to set up a popup bureau in Terminal 1 near baggage carousel 5. Given all the busyness surrounding a wedding, those traveling for this purpose should be pleasantly surprised to know they can take care of this vital step before leaving the airport. The airport service usually takes about an hour, making it quick and convenient, allowing more time to make memories in the city.

Photo: Harry Reid Internatoinal Airport

Las Vegas began providing this service in 2018, other than a brief pandemic-related pause a couple of years ago. Typically, the popup site is only available during February but is responsible for hundreds of licenses. And for those who want to make the process even quicker, there's a pre-application online, so all you need to do is pick up the certificate upon landing.

According to Forbes, couples who purchased their marriage license at the popup bureau in 2020 could take advantage of several benefits. For example, Sky Diamonds, a local jeweler located just across the street from runway 1L/19R on the south side, provided newlyweds with free ring cleanings and gave away a $500 gift card.

Bags2Go offered half-price bag storage services, and the airport's gym also gave two passes for the cost of one to those who had recently obtained their marriage license at the airport. And to ensure couples a happy send-off from Las Vegas, newly married couples flying out on Southwest were given priority boarding and a decorated bottle of champagne.

Notable instances of weddings at airports and onboard a plane

It's not the first time marriage and aviation have crossed paths. In 2017 a couple tied the knot at 35,000 feet while flying from Cincinnati to Washington DC, then held their reception at the Delta Air Lines Sky Club lounge in Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The festivities were a double celebration for the groom, who had also just acquired Delta Diamond Medallion status with the airline. Again in 2019, Delta was involved in a wedding when a corporate communications manager for the airline married her husband at the Sky Club lounge in Concourse B of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Last April, Simple Flying published an article about a wedding that was saved by and celebrated among passengers on a Southwest flight from Dallas to Phoenix. Initially, the couple planned to fly from Dallas to Las Vegas to get married, with a chapel booked for a couple of hours after their flight should have landed. But due to local weather, the flight was eventually canceled, leaving the couple stranded at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

That's when an ordained minister, who just happened to be on the canceled flight, helped save the plan. The three of them rebooked on a flight to Phoenix, and a flight attendant that noticed what was going on got others involved to make it memorable. Improvised music, wedding photos by a professional photographer flying with equipment by chance, and a notebook-turned-guest book signed by all the passengers helped make the miracle wedding at 37,000 feet a success.

What do you think of the Vegas airport's marriage certificate service? And would you get married at an airport or onboard a plane? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: Washington Post, Forbes