It's no secret that the demand for traditional and destination weddings has ballooned since the early days of the pandemic when Coronavirus spurred a wave of event postponements. Since then, the total number of weddings planned in the US jumped by 30 per cent to 2.5 million last year – a number not seen in the country in four decades. And, with wedding vendors inevitably raising their prices to handle the new wave of demand, not every couple finds the idea of a traditional wedding quite so romantic. In fact, a 2022 US survey of engaged couples showed that 62 per cent were interested in the idea of a scaled-back elopement.
While it's not the only place you can pull off a low-key vow ceremony, Las Vegas has made a lasting reputation for its speedy and stress-free nuptials. In the shadow of the Las Vegas Strip alone, there are over 50 Las Vegas wedding chapels to choose from – almost all of which hold a bit of nostalgia for the era when the city's casinos and spotlit stages sprung from the desert and into the American subconscious. That aura of spontaneity and flash remains today for anyone who wants to get hitched in a hurry, whether they're A-list celebrities or the average traveller.
Below, we peek into some of the most famous Las Vegas wedding chapels – and one more modern pop-up option – as captured by Sin City-based wedding and elopement photographer Gaby J.
One of the best-known Las Vegas wedding chapels has had some help from its famous friends: Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Britney Spears, Demi Moore, and Michael Jordan have all said vows at A Little White Wedding Chapel, which opened in 1951. It's also known for its drive-up window, dubbed the Drive-Thru Tunnel of Vows. But not every trip through this iconic spot is so speedy though: Roxanne Brown, a web designer who got married at the chapel in 1996, hoped for a drive-through wedding but was turned away for not having a Las Vegas marriage license (Nevada requires couples to pick one up together, with no waiting period required). She eventually settled for the indoor chapel ceremony instead and says she and her partner look back on the day fondly because it was just the two of them.
Louisa Levison, a travel public relations representative who lives in upstate New York, says it's the first place that came to mind when she and her husband, Tom, decided to elope in November 2020 – and to bring a group of friends along for the ride.
“Not only is it an iconic chapel, but it’s perfectly located just a short ride from the main Vegas strip,” Levison says, adding that there was a short line of couples waiting to be wed at the famous chapel. “Getting married in the middle of the pandemic with no family present was definitely challenging, but doing it at The Little White Chapel made light of a tough situation and has given us everlasting memories and a fun story to tell the grandkids.”
If finding an Instagram-worthy and female-owned setting is on your list, Sure Thing Chapel, owned by duo Victoria Hogan and Amy Lee, fits the bill. It promises an in-house showgirl “Surely,” who officiates the retro ceremonies and the only female Elvis impersonator in the Vegas chapel circuit. An analogue photo booth delivers keepsakes that are equal parts cheesy and romantic, and pets are welcome in the property if you're hoping to bring your dog as a witness.
Graceland Wedding Chapel, which dates back to 1939, is the oldest wedding chapel in Las Vegas. It's billed as the first chapel to conduct an Elvis-themed wedding ceremony – back in 1977, just after the Las Vegas resident and rock icon died. Musicians such as Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Ray Cyrus, and members of Def Leppard, KISS, Deep Purple, and the Thompson Twins have all tied the knot here.
There's no shortage of King of Rock-themed options. At the mid-century retro Elvis Chapel, which offers vow renewals and pink Cadillac-themed packages, an Elvis impersonator officiant also serenades couples during ceremonies and infuses the vows with references to The King.
Every venue seems to offer the American kitsch you come to Vegas for, but many have cosy corners with their own unique romance as well. Viva Las Vegas Chapel has wed over 100,000 couples with the help of Elvis, Blues Brothers, Dracula, King Tut, and Merlin impersonators – but a consistent favourite among all the madness is getting married in their Garden Chapel, which can accommodate a small crowd of your closest friends as witnesses, surrounded by string lights and rose bushes.
Las Vegas' wedding chapel scene, classic as it may be, is also constantly being reinvented in new ways, with desert and downtown pop-ups entering the space. Hogan, of Sure Thing Chapel, built a teardrop trailer-turned-wedding altar for Flora Pop's Instagrammable mobile elopement ceremonies and receptions held all around the Vegas area – everywhere from the region's national parks to Vegas Strip rooftops.
Gaby J is an elopement, wedding, and lifestyle photographer based in fabulous Las Vegas. With over 12 years in the industry, she has established herself as one of the top photographers in the US, known for her candid and photojournalistic style of documenting weddings, elopements, and other special occasions. Follow her on Instagram at @lasvegaselopement.