There are few locations around Las Vegas that rival the beauty of Valley of Fire. Its no wonder that so many brides and grooms want to seal the deal in the Valley of Fire State Park. The seriously glorious views of the park are an incredible backdrop for any wedding ceremony. That being said, I’ve seen a ton of couples shy away from having their wedding ceremony or wedding photos (or both!) at Valley of Fire — and thats because the process of finding any Valley of Fire wedding photo information is extremely murky.
Not only is there a lack of information readily available on the internet, most of the information is scattered, general, and almost non-existent.
Whenever a client reaches out to me to book a session at Valley of Fire, its always been a bit difficult to answer any questions for the clients because I’ve gotten so many varying answers on the process of setting up a photo session at Valley of Fire that I haven’t been sure what the correct answers were. I hate not having proper info, and so I took it upon myself to make a trip out to Valley of Fire to seek out some information to help prospective couples have a clear picture on how to set up having their wedding, or their wedding photos, taken in Valley of Fire.
What To Know
So first thing is first, if you’re wanting to have your ceremony held within Valley of Fire, you’re going to have to use an all-inclusive company that contracts with Valley of Fire. These companies usually provide the officiant, decor, and photographer/videographer. As of this writing, Valley of Fire currently contracts with around 40 all-inclusive companies, and these companies are the only vendors allowed to hold an actual ceremony within Valley of Fire.
I’m sure there are lots of reasons why officials at Valley of Fire have decided to exclusively use specific all-inclusive companies for wedding ceremonies within the park, but I can guess it probably has to do with all the paperwork involved in obtaining all the proper permitting and insurance for each wedding ceremony, then regulating everything to ensure everyone is following the rules.
So what does this mean for you as the bride and groom?
If you’re wanting to bring your own vendors (like me!) to Valley of Fire, you’re going to have to find an all-inclusive company that allows you to add your own vendors in addition to, or substitution of, the all-inclusive company’s offerings. This also means that you can’t plan your ceremony without using one of the all-inclusive companies that work with Valley of Fire. (Check out Valley of Fire’s official website for information on which companies you can use to plan your ceremony)
So hey, Danette, is the Amberlight Collective one of those all-inclusive companies? — this question may be floating around your head right now, and the answer is, No, no I am not. I provide wedding photography, and wedding photography alone. So, I’m definitely not all-inclusive (although I do aspire to someday attempt to both officiate and photograph a wedding ceremony at the same time — dressed as Elvis, of course). This means that if you want to use me as your wedding photographer for your wedding ceremony at Valley of Fire, or any other photographer like me who is their own independent business, you’ll have to first go through one of the all-inclusive companies that allow you to bring your own photographer.
And this, friends, is about the point where couples are scared away from having their wedding photos taken at Valley of Fire.
What if we don’t want to use one of those all-inclusive companies, Danette?
I am so glad you asked. There is a solution. Well, kinda. You can’t have your ceremony in Valley of Fire without using one of those all-inclusive companies, but you CAN have your wedding photos taken within Valley of Fire either before, or after your actual wedding ceremony, using your own photographer, so long as your photographer is properly insured and obtains the correct permitting from Valley of Fire officials.
Permits and Fees
Valley of Fire’s commercial photography fee is $50 for 15 people or less (including the photographer and any assistants). For any state park around Las Vegas, there will ALWAYS be additional fees for wedding ceremonies or commercial photography because the Bureau of Land Management requires permits for every photo session done within any of their parks and on their lands. Luckily, Valley of Fire’s permit fee is pretty reasonable compared to some of the other state parks around Vegas (compared to Red Rock’s $221 minimum permit fee, Valley of Fire looks like a steal!).
Luckily, you as the couple won’t have to worry about the permit process if you decide to hire your own photographer to take your wedding photos in Valley of Fire. The park requires working directly with your photographer to obtain all the proper permitting. This means all you need to do is request a copy from your photographer for your records.
Tips For Planning Your Wedding Photos In Valley Of Fire
To recap, here are a few tips while planning your wedding photos in Valley of Fire:
- To have a wedding ceremony within Valley of Fire you need to use one of the 40 all-inclusive companies that contract with Valley of fire
- If you want to bring your own photographer to shoot your ceremony, you’ll need to find an all-inclusive company that allows you to bring your own photographer (instead of using the companies in-house photographers)
- Commercial Photography permits are $50 for 15 people or less (including your photographer and any assistants they may have) — the price shoots up to $200 for 16-30 people
- Valley of Fire works directly with your photographer in obtaining all proper permitting
- Your photographer must be properly insured in order for them to obtain proper permitting from Valley of Fire
- Your photographer can help you decide on a specific location for photos within Valley of Fire, and give recommendations on which locations are best for your photos
And last but not least, if you’re still looking for a photographer to shoot your epic wedding photos, check out the rest of our website, or inquire now!
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