You might have noticed that my byline has changed. In October, I became Mrs. Robert Freeman. After spending many months planning a sustainable, themed wedding, I realized other event planners may be interested in some of the Las Vegas venues and resources I discovered.
My husband and I decided upon a Prohibition-era theme for our wedding. Setting the stage so guests would experience a different place and time was a challenge. Identifying the right venue and acquiring enough props to create our theme without generating excessive amounts of post-event waste was another.
If you read my column, you probably know that one of my favorite methods for sustainability is historic preservation. Las Vegas has few truly historic assets, but I was delighted to discover The Mob Museum downtown. Located inside Las Vegas’ original federal courthouse and U.S. Post Office, the beautifully restored building contains 41,000 square feet of mob artifacts. The museum also reconstructed the courtroom where the infamous Kefauver Committee hearings took place in 1950. The museum boasts: “The courtroom has been recreated to appear as it did back then, a true portal to a time when the Mob ‘ran the town.’”
The courtroom, as well as the rest of the museum, is available as an event venue. The museum has six different spaces available for varying group sizes, accommodating up to 400 guests. For larger groups, a tent can be added on the property. The entire venue can be reserved so that guests can mingle throughout the exhibits.
My husband and I were very tempted by this venue, as it would have provided an amazing backdrop for our theme. Ultimately, however, we chose a different location.
We selected the Artisan Hotel Boutique as our venue for both wedding and reception. This small, non-gaming hotel just off the Las Vegas Strip on Sahara Ave. is a well-kept secret to many travelers. The Siegel Group recently purchased the aging property and transformed it into a jewel. The eclectic, fine art décor can inspire the imagination to many eras and destinations. From the time that our guests drove through the secluded canopy of lighted trees and were greeted by the waiting valets, they felt as though they had arrived at a swanky speakeasy establishment during Prohibition.
In spite of its diminutive size, The Artisan has several event venues from which to choose. We opted for the gothic chapel for our ceremony, although it was a tight fit for our 60 guests. We hosted our reception in the Mood Restaurant, with its formal seating, beautiful stage and grand piano for live entertainment.
Other venues at the hotel include an outdoor garden and adjacent pool, the bar/lounge and another outdoor patio. Each is unique and provides a backdrop for varying themes.
The Siegel Group also owns the Rumor Boutique Hotel, another small and stylish venue that emerged from a formerly crumbling property. The hotel is located just off Strip on Harmon Ave. and has a flashy, ultra-lounge décor. Rumor offers several event locations, both outdoors and indoors.
Here are a few of the things that we did to keep our event green. Due to the abundant furnishings at Artisan, we spent little on additional event décor, and had little to throw away after the event. We also decided to forego live flowers. Instead, I crafted hand-made paper floral centerpieces for tables in the Mood Restaurant. Much of the paper used was torn from magazines and yielded a beautifully vintage result. Guests were encouraged to take centerpieces home as enduring keepsakes. Bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages for the wedding party were all made from feathers and constructed so as to be reusable as home décor or jewelry.
I love seeing the efforts made in our city to preserve older properties and turn them into backdrops for memorable Las Vegas experiences.
Green Tip for December:
If you are looking for sustainable holiday gift ideas for friends or clients, here are some great resources: Positivepromotions.com; printglobe.com; greenamerica.org; thedailygreen.com; itsonlynaturalgifts.com.
