Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

I do! From drive-thru chapels to Elvis nuptials, six unique ways to wed in Las Vegas

11/11/11 Weddings

Leila Navidi

Ashley Hankinson and Jeremy Hankinson of Brantford, Ontario, wed at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, love is in the air this week as couples flock to Las Vegas to get hitched.

Las Vegas isn't called The Wedding Capital of the World for nothing: From traditional white weddings to quick drive-thru stints to Elvis impersonator-officiated ceremonies, the chapels dotting the corners of the Strip offer something for everyone.

Here's a look at some of the strangest and most uniquely Las Vegas options for tying the knot:

    • Richard, left, and Lisa Dishong, of Harrisburg, Penn., kiss while waiting to be married at the drive thru window of the Little White Wedding Chapel, Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 in Las Vegas.

      Drive-thru weddings

      If you’re like Elvis and want to keep things short and sweet, head downtown to The Little White Wedding Chapel’s Tunnel of Love Drive-Thru.

      The distinctly-Las Vegas option was originally designed to provide easier access for the disabled, who wouldn’t have to get out of their cars. Today, any couple can partake in the option, and it’s become a ceremony style unto itself.

      The Chapel now offers a pink Cadillac so you can cruise up to the window in style, as well as an Elvis-impersonator officiator at the window. Other features include a bouquet, photos and a DVD.

    • Elvis weddings

      The King himself tied the knot here in 1967 to Priscilla in a quickie 8-minute wedding at the Aladdin, and the legacy of that day still lives on in longer, more lavish Elvis-themed ceremonies in Las Vegas today.

      Planet Hollywood, the Aladdin’s successor, offers an Elvis wedding package featuring a singing, jumpsuit-sporting Elvis impersonator officiator.

      The Viva Las Vegas Chapel specializes in an Elvis/Blue Hawaii package, including a themed Elvis chapel with Elvis memorabilia, Hawaiian props and a Priscilla impersonator.

      Serious Elvis devotees can even have Elvis walk you down the aisle thanks to the Silver Bell Wedding Chapel’s package. Additionally, you’ll get a three-song serenade from the impersonator, as well as a souvenir satin scarf akin to those The King famously handed out at his concerts.

    • Denny's weddings

      For those who prefer a stack of pancakes to a traditional wedding cake, Downtown’s Denny’s location is the perfect place to get hitched. Like the diner itself, the Denny’s chapel is open 24 hours a day and features a full bar, a photo booth and, yes, a wedding cake made out of Denny’s Pancake Puppies.

    • Horror weddings

      For some, marriage can be the stuff of nightmares; for others, it’s the stuff of nightmares that brings love together, and that’s where Eli Roth’s Goretorium enters the picture.

      The horror attraction offers a special wedding package featuring a vampire or gore-themed officiator, a blood-and-gore-themed reception area, ghoulish makeup, themed cakes and a tour of Goretorium itself.

    • Jack and Lisa Russell, tourists from Leicestershire, U.K., don protective gear before shooting inside the Las Vegas Gun Range and Firearms Center at 4610 Blue Diamond Road. Guns are a big business in Nevada and an important part of the state’s tourism portfolio. Shooting ranges are popular with tourists who want to fire automatic weapons.

      Gun range weddings

      Las Vegas specializes in shotgun weddings -- literally. Many gun ranges in town offer pistol-packing ceremonies.

      The Gun Store recently opened its own wedding chapel that offers traditional ceremonies, commitment ceremonies, vow renewals, as well as bachelor and bachelorette parties. Wedding packages include an ordained officiant, VIP access to a private shooting range, gift bags and photos.

      On Valentine's Day, Guns and Ammo Garage is offering free vow renewals with Jimmy Mac, the “Pistol Packing Preacher,” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome.

    • Oscar Goodman-officiated weddings

      Downtown's Plaza Hotel is offering several packages in honor of Valentine's Day, but none are quite as unique as the opportunity to have former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman officiate your ceremony with a special martini toast included.

      After the ceremony, couples and their guests can celebrate with a reception at Oscar’s Steakhouse or with a private party in one of the Plaza’s ballrooms or in a penthouse suite. All weddings booked in February will save 20 percent on packages.

    Follow Andrea Domanick on Twitter at @AndreaDomanick and fan her on Facebook at Facebook.com/AndreaDomanick.

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