According to my new special sources at Westminster Abbey, Kate Middleton will become Mrs. Prince Will at this altar. It is called the High Altar.

She will glide into the Abbey through these grand doors. Of course, there should not be snow there in April!.

Then she will walk down the aisle that many Kings and Queens haved walked down for their coronations. It is the aisle her beloved walked down for his Mum's funeral. It is the aisle that she will, perhaps, walk down when she and Will become King and Queen of England some day.

During normal touris hours in Westminister Abbey, the main altar and the front door are blocked from each other by a small chapel area that prevents you from walking straight down the aisle from the front door. That area will be freed up on the big day on April 29.

I took a test run down that aisle while in London last week, walking just through the area with wooded seating that faces the aisle. She will habe all eyes on her! There are some chairs up front in small rows. I am betting that the royals will bring in better furniture for this event!!

I was told that Westminister Abbey can hold over 8.000 people, due to the special seating areas that were built for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Some of these folks would be way up in the royal bleechers if Kate and Will were to have such a large guest list.

Posted December 10, 2010 9:18 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

In London last week for the Royal Premiere of the new Narnia movie--Voyage of the Dawn Treader--I had a chance to stop by Westminister Abbey. It is the one place I most wanted to visit.

A) Because I wanted to pray there and get a sense of the sacred and ancient energy of worship, coronations, weddings and burials.

B) I had to see where Kate Middleton would walk down the aisle when she marries her beloved Prince William on April 29, 2010 (more on that later!).

The live tours were finished for the day but along with the entrance fee they give you a very cool phone-like device that acts as a very user friendly tourist guide. You walk around with it to your ear. Just push a button to hear the narration on any particular area by actor Jeremy Irons. They also have a lot of guys dressed in robes to answer questions.

Westminister Abbey is a tourist attraction but it remains a house of worship. They hold regular worship services daily and offer an officiated moment of prayer every hour. Two times a day they offer special prayers at the shrine of Edward the Confessor, the Royal Saint.

The call to pray for happened soon after we arrived. A lovely female priest with a soft and loving voice stood in the pulpit close to the main altar and offered a sweet, kind prayer to God. "We pray that we know your presence," she said, and then made a special request for help for those impacted by the snow and a request that all the prayers and petitions of those who had been there that day be heard and fulfilled.

She then invited people to Edward the Confessors chapel, just behind the High Altar, for a slightly longer prayer experience. The chapel is surrounded by the high tombs of Kings and Queens, all with effigies atop. Edwards remains, said to be responsible for miracles, are build into the center of the chapel. Built into the side of the structure that encases him is a place for people to drop down to their knees and pray for his intervention--once a very common site because his devotees wanted to get as close as possible.

But these days, we sit in chairs, as a clergy person leads us through a prayer asking for his help on a manner of worldly and personal issues, and especially, in protecting the Queen. It is a responsive prayer, so we all can partake, and afterward we are invited to continue on with our personal prayers in silence. Everyone cleared out, but I stayed. The energy in that chapel was unlike anything I have every experienced. It was healing. And I noticed a bowl of prayers on the altar in front of Edward's remains.

The clergy woman leading the service stayed as until my prayers were done. Her name is Rev. Marja, and she explained that she is a Church of England priest and has a congregation in Wales, and she is just here for a week. Westminster Abbey invites visiting clergy from all over the UK to lead the prayer services for a week. They stay in a nearby flat and offer themselves in service.

I spoke at length to one of the men in robes. I was fascinated to see how similar Church of England is to the Catholic Church. I know Henry VIII split from the Catholic Church and formed the Church of England so he could ditch a few wives and by bypass the no-divorce rule of the Catholic Church. Just did not realize so many of the element of the Catholic faith remained, such as saints.

He told me that Westminster Abbey is knows as a "Royal Peculiar." It is a place of worship that is directly under the jurisdiction of the British Monarch. The Abbey, in fact, is a symbol of the connection between Church and State. Just found it fascinating to know that the Queen and the Dean of the Abbey call the shots.

It is a magnificent and holy place. You can find the burial spots for the most famous royalty through the ages, as well as famous authors. Even Sir Lawrence Olvier call it his final home.

No photos allowed in the Abbey. Edward the Confessors Chapel above comes from ThePapalVisit.org.

Posted December 9, 2010 10:44 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Today my hubby Rev. Vic and I celebrate the three year anniversary of our Elvis Wedding. It was a wedding that was many years in the making.

It all began about fifteen years ago, when Bridal Guide Magazine sent me to Las Vegas to write an amusing article on the wedding chapels on the Strip.

I visited just about all of them. Back then, I was a full time journalist and 7 months pregnant. As I walked in and out of chapels doing my research, concerned chapel administrators and ministers offered me a seat, a glass of water, and a recommendation that my wedding should take place sooner than later. They thought I was a pregnant bride. It truly was a hoot.

Always love to share the story, which was first posted on Wedlok.com.

Posted January 18, 2008 6:42 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By. Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Watch out Las Vegas!

New York City is officially throwing its (groom's) hat and (a wedding veil) into the ring and taking on Las Vegas to compete as a the top spot for destination weddings.

For years, the office of the Marriage Bureau in the New York City Clerks Office in lower Manhattan has offered dingy, unromantic little room as their "wedding chapel." There, couples would line up in the dozens to get hitched for $27 dollars (up from $5 dollars as of 20 years ago).

Despite the lack of pizzazz, it has it's own kind of offbeat charm, and couples and entire families have been spotted (especially Fridays) waiting for their number to be called and to be ushered into the tiny chapel for a ceremony so short they'd take a breath and it would be over.

Officials have called in the same decorator who decorated New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's town house. He's been given the task of designing a more "romantic" space, something that will be a little more appealing to brides and grooms, especially those coming from out of town to tie the knot here.

Continue reading "New York City Creates it's First "Las Vegas-Style" Wedding Chapel" »

Posted October 30, 2007 4:42 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Michelle Pfeiffer said recently on a UK TV show that if George Clooney ever weds he will have to pay her $100,000, even before he starts plunking down cash for a big million dream wedding.

Apparently, Clooney bet Pfeiffer $100,000 that he would never tie the knot. They stared together in the romantic comedy One Fine Day and have been friends since.

“I bet him he would get married and he keeps inflating the bet - from 100 dollars to 100,000 dollars,” Pfeiffer told talk show host Jonathan Ross last Friday.

She thinks he will wed someday, anyway. But just in case, good thing Madame Tussauds Las Vegas offers a chance to wed bachelor George.

They have a terrific interactive attraction called "Marry Clooney.” There, you can step into a real wedding gown and into an authentic Vegas wedding chapel environment, and wax poetic with the hunky movie star as you share vows and pose for photos.

George will not protest - in fact, he won't say a word since he is present in the form of a wax figure wearing a tuxedo -- but it will be fun just the same!

Posted October 8, 2007 6:32 AM by Charlotte Rose | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Looking for a fab Las Vegas wedding experience? Just think of the photo opportunities with this one!

Madame Tussaud's in Las Vegas, located in the Venetian Hotel and Casino, is now offering dream weddings inside their famous house of wax figures.

They already have an "In Your Dreams" Wedding Chapel on the premise -- now home to the fun attraction called the "Marry Clooney" in which you can get pretend hitched to George Clooney's wax figure. You slip on a wedding dress and nuzzle his wax figure. Then send photos to all your friends (honeymoon night not available)!

The chapel is already in place for Clooney and company, so why not let real, live, non-wax brides and grooms say " I do" there? Now you can reserve the chapel for your wedding.

Part of the package is, "With These Stars I Thee Wed." This allows you to invite two of the Madame's wax figures to your wedding. Wax witnesses, or, you might say, "celebrity guests" can be selected from a special list. Those available for your wedding include: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Elizabeth Taylor and Tony Bennett, or, the dead wedding guest special, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.

The package starts at $1,195.00.

Ready to sign up, or find out more about your wax wedding opportunities? Visit http://www.mtvegas.com/weddings.html.

Call 1-800-292-1177 or email weddings@madametussaudslv.com.

You can also hold a reception for about 130 in the Spirit of America Room. For more information on the reception, call Madame Tussaud's Las Vegas Events Department at 702-862-7805.

Posted September 27, 2007 8:10 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

If you are coming to town to marry on 7-7-07, here's some practical advice for your romantic occasion: Remember to leave extra time to get your marriage license!

Although Vegas is known for the ease of the wedding license process, the lines will be longer!

Don't wait until the last minute. You will need to think ahead a tad more than usual. If your wedding is, say, 7:07 am on Saturday, July 7, 2007, you will need to get your license the day before.

We just spoke to the Marriage Bureau and they said they will maintain regular hours (the hours that became effective on 8-30-06) and they will not be open 24 hours this weekend.

They said they have "no idea" how many couples will converge on their offices this week, but they have staffed up to help keep the flow going.

There is no blood test required. The cost is $55. For all the information you need, including acceptable ID and rules and regulations visit the website for the Clark County Marriage Bureau.

Continue reading "Where to Get Your Las Vegas Wedding License on 7-7-07" »

Posted July 5, 2007 2:15 PM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

We may not see anything but brides and grooms in Las Vegas this Saturday, the wedding day otherwise known as 7-7-07.

Couples are getting married enmasse around the country, but Las Vegas is a particular favorite.

This joint will be jumping! Media is covering all the commotion here like crazy, with stories all over the world.

Las Vegas chapels are being discussed as THE PLACE TO BE on 7-7-07. From the small chapels on the strip to the big hotel and casinos, weddings are in the air.

* Charolette Richards of the Little White Chapel says she already has over 400 weddings booked that day and is expecting more people to "walk in" or "drive through" her famous Vegas chapel.

* The Garden Chapel at Flamingo Las Vegas is preparing for 77 couples who will marry at one of 7 venues on the property.

* Mandalay Bay and Caesar's Palace will be hosting wedding with over 60 couples.

* The Venetian is booked with back-to-back 30 minute gondola rides and had to open another bridge in their indoor Venice-style water way to accommodate the couples who want to marry there on that day.

We'll keep you updated as we count down to the BIG DAY!

Posted July 3, 2007 8:30 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Some people are saying that 7-07-07 will be the most popular wedding date of the century.

Wedding venues across the nation say the 7-07-07 wedding date has booked up fast as couples set their sights on pledging their love on a "lucky day."

You can just imagine what a popular day that will be in Las Vegas, especially since 7-7-7 is a winning jackpot!

Ever wonder why else the number 7 is so hot? We have 7 wonders of the world, 7 seas and 7 continents. Superstitions abound about the numbe. From the religious and spiritual perspectives, here are some of the reasons it is considered sacred.

In the Bible. The number 7 is a perfect and important number.

From the Jewish perspective: The number 7 is prominent in the Torah and the Zohar. God rested on the seventh day of creating earth, and hence, sanctified and deemed Sabbath on day seven. There are seven blessings over the wine are recited under the huppa during the marriage ceremony.

From the Catholic perspective: There are Seven sacraments, we have Seven Deadly Sins (Lust, Gluttony, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, and Pride) and Seven Virtues (Chastity, Moderation, Liberality, Charity, Meekness, Zeal, and Humility).

From the Christian perspective: In the New Testament, Jesus tells Peter he must forgive "seventy times seven."

From the Native American and Wiccan traditions: Their are 7 directions: east, west, north, south, Above, Below and Within. There are 7 sacred ceremonies.

From the Hindu tradition. There are 7 energy centers in the body called chakras. They represent both physical and energetic centers and they are: root, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, crown. In the Hindu wedding ceremony, the most important part is Saptapadi, the 7 steps around the sacred flame as 7 blessings are chanted.

From the Japanese Shinto religion: There are "Seven Lucky Gods" who preside over fortune.

In mythology: Innana, the Babylonian Goddess Queen of Heaven, had to descend 7 levels to the underworld stripping her jewels, clothes, crown, and ego (7 items in all) along the way in order to rescue her beloved Tamuz from the depths of hell.

Lucky 7

From sports to the stars: 7 comes up sacred again. In astronomy and astrology there are 7 planets that can be seen with the naked eye.In baseball, there was only one number 7 - Mickey Mantle.

Gambler's luck. In the game of craps, 7 wins in any combination. Lady Luck is a character who wears dice for earrings and they always have the number 7.

As you can see, ancient and popular thinking would seem to make 7-07-07 a helluva wedding date, a triple chance at good luck! If this is your wedding day, may it be a lucky roll of the dice!

Continue reading "Why is 7-07-07 Such a Hot Date for a Wedding?" »

Posted June 13, 2007 7:50 PM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Everyone is talking about 7-7-07. Some call it "the luckiest day of the millennium."

Couples around the country are booking this wedding date like crazy. Las Vegas will host a huge number of nuptials that day. Come to town and you will likely see a sea of white dresses, tuxedos and limos parading along the Las Vegas Strip!

The Garden Chapel at Flamingo Las Vegas noticed a surge in wedding bookings for this day a while back and decided to shoot for the best luck possible. They came up with a very cool idea!

They will host 77 weddings on 7/7/07. They will utilize 7 venues on property, including a number of poolside weddings, to accommodate all those lucky couples.

Some local Las Vegas couples are among the lucky 77 but Kris LaBuda, Flamingo Garden Chapel Manager, tells us that 94 per cent of the couples are coming in from out of town to wed.

LaBuda and staff are gearing up to be “Wedding Central” on this day. On very busy Saturday during the peak of Las Vegas' wedding season there would be about 31 weddings. So they will be handling more than double the love -- and logistics!

We asked Kris LaBuda 7 questions about the Big Day:

Continue reading "The Flamingo Las Vegas Will Be Wedding Central on 7-7-07" »

Posted May 18, 2007 8:06 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

On happy note, love sizzled in the air in Las Vegas yesterday as thousands of couples took a gamble on marriage and got hitched on Valentine's Day. Congratulations to all the newlyweds!

There are about 122,000 or more weddings in Vegas each year and a huge percent of them on the holiday of hearts! It was BUSY! Some people just flew in and out to exchange "I dos." Some are still hanging around to enjoy the town, and the honeymoon!

Chapels filled with couples in love. Venues throughout Vegas offered special wedding perks and packages. Elvis sang his heart out. Hotels were crammed with instant-honeymooners who moved from chapel to wedding night, with maybe a little celebratory meal in between.

The clerk's office -- which recently underwent a budget cut and change in hours -- was open for 24 hours to accomodate the Valentine's Day crowd. With $55 cash, and a dream, couples lined up for hours awaiting their turn to fill out the paper work for a marriage license. Then off they went... to get married.

Sigh. This is what Las Vegas is all about!

If you missed it this year, no worries. The great thing is you can visit anytime and easily tie the knot.

Since the other thing Las Vegas is all about is gambling, check out your marital odds at Vegas Wedding Odds, a goofy website that can tell you if yours match is made in heaven.

Continue reading "Thousands Get Married In Las Vegas on Valentine's Day" »

Posted February 15, 2007 8:41 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Brendan Paul with his little Elvises.

The first time I met with Dee Dee Duffy to go over wedding details, we were chatting in her office while her hubby Brendan Paul was finishing up a wedding. I’d never seen him in person.

Wow. When he walked out of the chapel, I couldn't not take my eyes off him. I just could not believe how striking Brandon is in person. Trim, tall, very sexy... Very Elvis!

I wondered how brides can focus on their husbands when Brandon is performing their ceremonies. It’s safe to say he is definitely the hottest Elvis in town. And many say he is the best. You will find him doing more than weddings!

He now has his personal website at BestElvis.com. Check out that Black Leather Elvis photo.

Posted January 24, 2007 2:16 PM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Yesterday, my hubby and I celebrated the two year anniversary of our Elvis Wedding. It was a wedding that was many years in the making.

Rev. Laurie Sue, husband Rev. Vic Fuhrman & Rev. Norm "Elvis" Jones

It all began about fifteen years ago, when Bridal Guide Magazine sent me to Las Vegas to write an amusing article on the wedding chapels on the Strip.

I visited just about all of them. Back then, I was a full time journalist and 7 months pregnant. As I walked in and out of chapels doing my research, concerned chapel administrators and ministers offered me a seat, a glass of water, and a recommendation that my wedding should take place sooner than later. They thought I was a pregnant bride. It truly was a hoot.

Many of the chapels were a little (or a lot!) kitschy in 1991 and to be honest, people thought getting married in Las Vegas was something that was done on a lark (you know, the way Britney Spears did). There was this "myth" that in the wee hours, after meeting at a bar and perhaps imbibing a bit too much, couples would stumble into chapels to get hitched. In those days, you could still get a license in the middle of the night. And Las Vegas was famous for quickie celebrity marriages.

I myself was shocked to learn that most brides and grooms were not drunk – and they ain’t supposed to be! – and that couples actually planned weddings and invited friends and family. It was so much fun visiting all the famous wedding chapels on the Strip, and along the way I had an Elvis experience that really knocked my socks off!

Continue reading "My Elvis Wedding at Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas" »

Posted January 19, 2007 9:05 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Wedding Goddess Wisdom

Here's an idea for any bride who would like to share the cost and the aggravation involved with planning a wedding: Share that walk down the aisle with a relative or two, and do it in Las Vegas.

That's what three sisters from Colorado did this past weekend, when they tied the knot in a triple ceremony at Victoria's Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas (www.avictorias.com) followed by a reception for about 100 at El Caribe Hall.

The Weingart sisters - Christy, 30, Amanda, 25 and Lindy, 27 - became engaged, in that order, and decided to share the important occasion with one another and save on wedding costs for themselves and their guests.

So they choose Las Vegas as the place to join six hearts and start three marriages.

All three daughters were walked down the aisle by their Dad for the simultaneous "I dos."

Another brilliant idea from the Colorado trio -- who all work in the family business -- was registering for their dream honeymoons - instead of new dishes and towels. They worked with www.TheBigDay.com, a honeymoon registry that allows guests to contribute to the honeymoon costs directly, as a wedding gift.

There is one thing the sisters did insist on: Separate honeymoons!

After the three twosomes were happily hitched, Las Vegas-style, they headed off to Cancun, Jamaica and one undisclosed location.

Posted August 7, 2006 4:17 PM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Although I never was married at The Little Church of the West, I too attended weddings in the historic, oldest existing structure on the fabulous Las Vegas Strip. The western style, cedar "church" was built in 1942 and quickly became popular among Hollywood stars. Mickey Rooney, Betty Grable, Harry James, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Judy Garland, Cindy Crawford, and many other celebrities chose the Chapel to have a Vegas memory.

The Chapel was moved four times to allow for the expansion of hotels; the latest being the Mandalay Hotel and Casino and the Four Seasons Hotel. With each move, the simple design; creaky dark wood floor and seats, white flickering candles and white bows, remained in contrast to the ornate Las Vegas Strip. It Works! The memories for locals, visitors, and celebrities continue. Maybe all Vegas weddings don't last forever, but memories sure do.

Posted January 16, 2006 12:35 PM by | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Ever wondered what a fairytale wedding would be like? If you’ve wandered through The Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes, you’ve been an observer — perhaps a very curious observer — to just such an occurrence.

With picture perfect surroundings and the romance of an Italian wedding, who wouldn’t want to be married at The Venetian?

Of course, you get what you pay for, and true to form, weddings at The Venetian aren’t cheap.

Still, it’s a once in a lifetime, once upon a time, and they lived happily ever after moment, so why not indulge?

The Venetian Weddings website has all the info. Andiamo amore!

Posted January 10, 2006 11:53 AM by | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This