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Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas

Combining revelry with romance, this 2,500-suite hotel and casino caters to the needs of every bride, from the bachelorette party (Rio is home to the Chippendale revue and two nightclubs) to the solemnity of sacred vows.

Location: short drive from the Strip

Wedding Packages: Six wedding packages are available, beginning with "Masquerade," in which the bride walks down the aisle to traditional recorded music carrying a single rose, identical to the groom's boutonniere. After the ceremony, which is captured for posterity in 4X6 photos (a minimum of 10 photos also includes studio portraits of the couple) the newlyweds can drink a toast to their happiness with a bottle of Rio champagne as they flip through their wedding photo album. A wedding planner is on hand to attend to the needs of couples who choose this cost-conscious, 30-minute celebration of love, which can take place Sunday through Thursday.

The "Carnivale" package, the hotel's most lavish presentation, begins with a limousine escort to the courthouse to pick up the marriage license. If this step of the journey has already been taken care of, simply enjoy the sights of the city in a one hour ride before heading to the chapel or the outdoor Palazoo Garden.

A wedding coordinator has seen to the details surrounding this one hour package, in which a piano is played in the background as the maid of honor, carrying a nosegay of garden flowers and the bride, holding a bouquet consisting of a dozen roses which match the rose tucked into the groom's lapel, make their way down the aisle.

For a lasting memory of the day, both the ceremony and reception are recorded in a video package and in 36 photos, which are placed in a Rio wedding album. Guests can sample pieces of a multi-tier wedding cake at the reception, after which the newlyweds can retire to their upgraded suite for a two night stay.

The royal treatment continues the following day with breakfast in bed, a Swedish massage and dinner a deux.

Receptions: Whether a couple's taste is inclined toward a cozy get together in a lounge atmosphere or a sophisticated ballroom soiree, a poolside party on Ipanema Beach or a garden gathering, Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino provides a romantic ambiance complete with a multi-tier wedding cake, a champagne toast and standing and cocktail tables.

The Chapels: A palace of neutral tones sets the stage for refined romantics to say "I do" in one of the hotel's three chapels. In each room, brides walk down a sand-hued carpet past guests seated on ivory brocade covered chairs accented with coffee-colored bows.

Small groupings of 50 or less can witness the nuptials in the Gardenia Chapel, where silk renditions of the fragrant flower overflow from urns which flank the couple on either side as they declare their love before a backdrop of ivy and gardenias intertwined upon a gate.

A white piano provides an added touch of elegance to The Roses Chapel, which can accommodate 100 guests. Decorated in a similar theme as The Gardenia, silk rose arrangements cascade from urns and drape a trellis that frames the bride and groom during the ceremony.

The Lily of The Valley Chapel, which can hold up to 130 attendees, mirrors the beauty of the other rooms in its style of furnishings, with Corinthian columns and potted ferns added to further accentuate the delicacy of the silk floral arrangements.

Custom wedding ceremonies are also available. Nuptials can be broadcast live for those unable to attend for an added fee.

Outdoor Weddings: Couples who would rather have nature as their cathedral can request one of three outdoor sites. The bright lights of Vegas sparkle like stars from the heavenly vantage point of the 50th floor terrace, while couple who would like a more "down to earth" locale can choose to have their nuptials poolside on Ipanema Beach or on the verdant grounds of the Rio Secco Golf Course.

For more information:

• Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino
  3700 W. Flamingo Road
  Las Vegas, NV 89103
  (702)777-7986 or Toll Free at (888)746-5625

Photo courtesy Las Vegas News Bureau