Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Renewing Your Vows
Yes, you can do that too. At any of the chapels in Vegas. Simply show up, no
license necessary, and book a spot. Elvis can officiate if you wish, or you can do
it seriously with a minister. Do I need to mention once again, how easy it is to
express your love in Nevada? Sad that it's the state with the highest divorce rate
in the nation.
Graceland Wedding Chapel
55
(619 Las Vegas Blvd. S.;
%
800/824
-
5732
or 702/382
-
0091; www.gracelandchapel.com; basic ceremony
$
65; Sun-Thurs
9am-9pm, Fri-Sat 9am-midnight)
was never owned by Elvis—the former owner
did ask the King for permission to use the name—but it has real rock-and-roll
cred nonetheless, having housed the weddings of Jon Bon Jovi (and his vow
renewal ceremony); Billy Ray Cyrus; and members of the Thompson Twins, Def
Leppard, Deep Purple, Kiss, and the countless other musicians who favor the
place (you'll see their framed photos in the front). One of the oldest chapels in
town, housed in a free-standing 1922 church complete with a little steeple, it's a
simple-looking place of wooden pews (seating up to 34), wood walls, and a dove-
themed stained glass window. It may be most famous for its “Elvis, Elvis, Elvis”
ceremonies where not one, but three “Elvi” marry you: young Elvis, middle-aged
Elvis, and fat addicted Elvis. In fact, Graceland claims to be the first chapel in
town to have hosted an Elvis ceremony, though that's difficult to prove. Fresh or
silk flowers for the bride to carry are provided free of charge.
A Little White Wedding Chapel
5
(1301 Las Vegas Blvd. S.;
%
702/382
-
4983; www.littlewhitechapel.com; basic ceremony
$
55 chapel,
$
40 drive-through;
Sun-Thurs 10am-midnight, Fri-Sat 24 hr.)
is perhaps the most famous—or noto-
rious—wedding chapel in town, as this was where Britney Spears consecrated her
first marriage, pictures of the bombed-looking bride sweeping the news media.
They haven't yet gotten around to memorializing that auspicious event; instead,
their large Las Vegas Boulevard sign touts the fact that Michael Jordan and Joan
Collins married here (I did a double-take at that one . . . until I realized that they
didn't marry one another). “We do Elvis, Johnny Cash—you know, the tradi-
tional Vegas weddings here,” Rosanne, the chatty receptionist told me. Definitely
a wedding mill—for all the good and bad that implies—Little White is tops for
one-stop shopping. Along with four kitschy, frilly onsite chapels (some featuring
velvet love seats instead of pews), it has a huge tux and bridal gown rental store,
an onsite florist and every wedding souvenir you could ever want, right at the
counter. This is also the chapel that gave the world the first “drive-through” wed-
dings; today couples motor through a “tunnel of love,” its ceiling painted with
clouds and cupids. (Rosanne warns against driving through in a taxi, though. “It's
terrible,” she says. “The grooms usually spend the ceremony watching the
meter.”) While service here can be a bit brusque—they've got a lot of couples
to usher in and out, 24 hours a day on weekends—and the lack of a real waiting
area is annoying, if you're looking for that over-the-top, gaudy Vegas
