My Elvis Wedding at Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas

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.

LS and Vic with Elvis-crop.jpg

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!

It Had To Be Elvis

First of all, I happen to be in town while they were shooting Honeymoon in Las Vegas, with Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicholas Cage, James Caan, and every Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas and the planet. One day, the lobby of Ceasar's Palace looked like someone had raided the closets at Graceland. Elvis was everywhere, and in the air!

I was really excited when I discovered there was actually a Graceland Chapel, too. I stopped in to say hello they invited me to return to witness an "Elvis Wedding" for my story.

As I parked and headed to the chapel a 1950’s blue convertable car pulled up and an Elvis in gold lame stepped out. I thought he was the "officiant." But he came up to me, and, I swear, said: “Scuse me, M’am ... but do you know where I can find the Elvis impersonator?”

I thought perhaps in the dessert heat, being pregnant and all, I may have not understood him correctly. “Aren’t YOU the Elvis impersonator?” I asked.

Turned out, he was there to observe the Elvis who was conducting the wedding, because he was going to be filling in for while.

So Gold Lame Elvis and I sat in a pew together, and watched as White Jumpsuit Elvis performed a beautiful ceremony. The couple, from San Francisco, looked so in love. They had only one friend as witness. I remember hearing 7 Elvis songs. Both Gold Lame Elvis and I were bopping to the music and feeling the love in the room.

White Jumpsuit Elvis was warm, funny and really had that Elvis vibe happening. He ended the ceremony with a rockin' rendition of Viva Las Vegas. I really thought Ann-Margret would walk through the door next.

I never forgot this experience. It was such an intimate and joyous moment. Such fun, the way a wedding should be! I told myself, if I ever end up getting married again, I am doing it in Las Vegas.

Life went on. I headed back to New York. My baby boy was born and I was busy raising him. Eventually his father and I split up. I ended up trading journalism for ministry, attending seminary and becoming ordained. And so it was. One day, I fell in love again. In Fact, I met my beloved in Seminary.

So when we decided to get hitched, I really, really wanted Elvis. I officiate unique and personal weddings for others all the time. Unique for me was Elvis.

We decided to get formally married in New York and then take a delayed honeymoon in Las Vegas ... so we could renew our vows with Elvis.

Return to Graceland

I just had to go back to the Graceland Chapel

I was so thrilled to seestill standing there, just as I'd remembered it. And I was delighted to meet Dee Dee Duffy, the new owner, along with her hunka-hunka burning love hubby, Brendan Paul. She became our vow-renewal-wedding-planner and focused on helping us have the wedding experience that was right for us!

It turned out Brendan was so successful as a top Elvis impersonator that the young couple was able to buy Graceland Chapel just over a couple of years ago. Dee Dee, who is so adorable with adorable kids, runs the business end. The chapel is in such great hands -- a family run business with a heart. It was such a wonderful experience for us!

I had discovered there is actually only one ordained Elvis in town, and that would be Rev. Norm Jones. Although I did not realize it until I saw him again, as it turned out, he was the very same White Jumpsuit Elvis whom I observed doing a Graceland Wedding many years before. And he is still available through Graceland Chapels! Amazing!

Dee-Dee was able to hook us up. Four friends of ours flew in from California to partake. My 2 gal pals walked down the aisle holding white roses with Elvis’ face and signature painted on it and Dee Dee loaned me a red bridal bouquet. I loved that it was a loaner!

We renewed our vows in the very same spot I had observed the Elvis ceremony years before, with Rev. Norm Jones officiating.

He did not have a guitar this time, just some taped music and a panel of magic buttons at the podium. He was not in white jump suit, rather he was in black. And he was now the older, a little meatier Elvis with big side burns. Wow, did he do a beautiful ceremony for us. It was fun, it was personal. It lasted more than 20 minutes (we figured it was the longest ceremony in Las Vegas history, but he knew we were both ministers, so he threw in some extras we had requested). We exchanged personal vows. My hubby's were hiliarious, all in Elvis code using Elvis song titles. We laughed so much that it was a pure joy. My friends never had so much fun at a wedding! And at the end, he had us ALL singing Viva Las Vegas.

Our vow renewal with Elvis at Graceland Chapel was such a dream come true. It was kitschy and it was pure Las Vegas fun. (Thanks Dee Dee Duffy and Rev. Norm Jones!). Now I feel we have truly have had our fantasy wedding.

Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway, contributing editor to Wedlok.com, is a leading interfaith and non-denominational wedding officiant. She creates unique ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds and faiths, and is also widely recognized as a bridal stress expert and columnist. She is author of WEDDING GODDESS: A Divine Guide To Transforming Wedding Stress into Wedding Bliss (Perigee Books, May 2005). Visit Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway at www.WeddingGoddessWisdom.com.

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