‘Til Death Valley Do Us Part

For a truly one-of-a-kind celebration, say “I Do” at The Oasis at Death Valley. As destination weddings rise in popularity, couples are looking for more and more unique places to get hitched. According to The Knot—a wedding news and planning website—destination weddings make up roughly 20 percent of all nuptials. And, if a destination wedding is on your bucket list, skip the Elvis impersonators and slot machines of Vegas and tie the knot at The Oasis at Death Valley.

Death Valley is the perfect location for anyone willing to trade the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas for the wide-open desert and star-filled skies that put the bright lights of The Strip to shame. Just two hours from Vegas, couples and their guests can enjoy a unique wedding experience,” says Amber Shields, the resort’s catering and events sales manager. “It’s a little oasis right outside the big city, and a whole different world,” she says. “People can come here for a relaxing, hassle-free wedding in a unique location.

You often see people getting married in mountains and other natural areas. But Death Valley has something different. Here you’re in this lush green environment surrounded by stark, imposing mountains. ”Death Valley’s guests will hardly have to rough it, especially after a host of recent improvements at the resort. The addition of 11 two-room casitas will let newlyweds spend their honeymoon in style. Savor a lavish dinner and valley views from the inn’s beautifully renovated dining room, an elegant spot both for rehearsal and wedding meals. And the Mission Gardens—the new wedding and events venue at the four-diamond The Inn at Death Valley—combines the romance of Old California with the valley’s natural beauty.

Open to the desert skies and surrounding mountains, the gardens are enclosed by Spanish-style, white-washed adobe walls that feature decorative details crafted from Mojave Desert stones. Blooming bougainvillea growing along trellises add a splash of color, while a seasonal creek and towering palm trees are reminders that The Oasis at Death Valley truly lives up to its name.

Although the Mission Gardens are a brand-new feature at the resort, when you first walk inside you may just feel as if you’ve stepped back into California’s past. Because while the garden may not have the centuries-old heritage of the state’s famous missions, it does have an authentic history all its own: the walls you see are not new construction. Instead, after a 1920s adobe building (once the resort’s old laundry facility) burned down in 2014, the surviving walls were saved, then renovated and creatively reimagined to stand as the enclosure for the gardens.

The ceremony, of course, is the main event for any wedding, but the entire party will quickly discover that The Oasis at Death Valley makes for a perfect getaway. A new wellness center gives couples the option of easing their pre-wedding jitters with a vigorous workout, followed by a soothing massage. Or for total relaxation, just settle into a cabana by the spring-fed pool. And for any bride or groom who still needs a shot of courage, there’s also a poolside bar. You can also escape into Death Valley’s dramatic landscapes.

Go out for a romantic evening carriage ride (just try to do that in Vegas!), or explore the desert by horseback with Furnace Creek Stables. Then wake up early and head out to Zabriskie Point, where the inspiring sunrise will spectacularly herald the arrival of your wedding day. Add it all up and The Oasis at Death Valley makes for an unforgettable destination wedding.

Still need proof? Just take a look at this review from Weddingwire.com: “I wanted a hassle free destination wedding and that is just what they gave me. They took care of everything and even added in a few nice touches that made the whole experience excellent. The room they gave us was just perfect also. I’m so glad we were married there so we can return to such a wonderful place year after year and remember a beautiful wedding. What a special place!”

How to Explore

The Oasis at Death Valley is situated in a lush oasis surrounded by the vast and arid desert of Death Valley National Park, California – just 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada and 275 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. This is one resort with two hotels – the historic, AAA Four Diamond, 66-room Inn at Death Valley and the family-oriented, 224-room Ranch at Death Valley. The resort includes natural spring-fed pools, an 18-hole golf course, horse and carriage rides, world-renowned stargazing and is surrounded by Death Valley National Park’s main attractions The entire resort has recently completed a $100 million dollar renovation, including the addition of 22 private, luxury casitas.For information and reservations, visit oasisatdeathvalley.com or call 800-236-7916.For more bucket list travel experiences available from the Xanterra Travel Collection^®, visit xanterra.com/bucketlist.