Divorcees party it up in Las Vegas

The newly divorced toast their freedom -- and trash their ex-spouses -- at ever more elaborate gatherings in the nation's party capital.

By Lark Ellen Gould | Special to the Los Angeles Times

February 24, 2008

For parting partners, Las Vegas can be the Shangri-La of the quickie divorce. It takes only six weeks to no-fault freedom, and if you know how to play the game, it can take as few as 16 days.

Now the city is seeing a new kind of ex-spouse rising from the dust of division: the celebrant.

FOR THE RECORD:
Divorce parties: An article on Las Vegas divorce parties in Sunday's Travel section incorrectly attributed ideas on what to do at such parties to Donna Bogatin of blog.insiderchatter.com. Bogatin did not herself suggest activities such as sending out divorce notices, holding a divorce party with vengeful party favors and burning the marriage license. She had merely summarized that advice on another of her blogs, blogs.zdnet.com/micro-markets, and linked to its original iteration by Alabama divorce attorney Lee Borden at divorceinfo.com.

Divorce parties are the coming-out celebrations of the new adulthood. In a country where the issuance of divorce papers runs neck and neck with marriage licenses, some celebrating singles are taking their rites of passage to Las Vegas and toasting their new freedom with all-night parties spent with cadres of friends.

"Divorce parties in Vegas have been exploding over the past two years, probably thanks to people like Shanna Moakler," says Andrea Eppolito, director of special events and catering for Sushi Roku and Boa, scene-stirring restaurants at the Forum in Caesars Palace.

Moakler, the 1995 Miss USA and "Dancing With the Stars" contestant, recently celebrated her split from drummer Travis Barker with a group of gal pals in an all-night soiree at the Bellagio. The well-publicized event helped reinforce Vegas as a post-divorce playground.

ANDREA EPPOLITO INNOVATIVE DINING GROUP (702) 733-7373, Ext. 4
www.innovativedining.com

STRIKER VIP (866) 848-2847
www.strikervip.com

LAS VEGAS VIP (800) 834-2784
www.vegasvip.com

VEGASHOTSPOTS.COM (866) 925-2091
www.vegashotspots.com

NITE TOURS INTERNATIONAL (877) 600-6483
nitetourslasvegas.com

Eppolito got into the act a few years ago when she threw her own divorce party with a cake and girlfriends, a therapeutic event that she said allowed her to put the past behind her.

Divorce parties are not cookie-cutter affairs, she notes. Some people want a rollicking good time with a limo and a trip through the ultra-lounges in town while others want a large suite, a catered pajama party with popcorn and ice cream, and a lineup of spa appointments the next day.

Men are slower to come to the divorce-party table, and those who do want to keep it light and bawdy.