Company to Las Vegas Chapels: No More Elvis-Themed Weddings

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas chapels of really like that use Elvis Presley’s likeness could uncover themselves turning out to be Heartbreak Lodges.

The licensing firm that controls the identify and image of “The King” is buying Sin Town chapel operators to quit applying Elvis in themed ceremonies, the Las Vegas Overview-Journal documented on Monday. Authentic Manufacturers Group despatched stop-and-desist letters in early May perhaps to various chapels, which are expected to be compliant by now.

With Elvis so closely tied to Vegas’ wedding day market, some say the transfer could decimate their organizations.

“We are a spouse and children-operate small business, and now we’re hanging with the big canine,” claimed Kayla Collins, who operates LasVegasElvisWeddingChapel.com and the Tiny Chapel of Hearts with her husband. “That’s our bread and butter. I never get it. We had been just hitting our stride yet again as a result of COVID, then this takes place.”

Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya, who led a advertising campaign selling Las Vegas as a wedding ceremony location, reported the get for chapels to end applying Elvis could not have occur at a even worse time for the sector.

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The city’s wedding day market generates $2 billion a 12 months, and officials say Elvis-themed weddings symbolize a substantial range of the ceremonies executed.

“It may well damage a portion of our wedding day business. A number of people today could eliminate their livelihood,” Goya mentioned.

One chapel past weekend had its Elvis impersonator adjust alternatively into a leather-based jacket, jeans and a fedora for a “rock ‘n’ roll” themed ceremony, the Overview-Journal described.

Graceland Wedding ceremony Chapel, which performs 6,400 Elvis-themed weddings per calendar year, has not been served a warning however, in accordance to supervisor Rod Musum.

In the stop-and-desist letter, the organization reported it will halt unauthorized use of “Presley’s name, likeness, voice image, and other things of Elvis Presley’s persona in ads, products and otherwise.” The letter also claimed “Elvis,” “Elvis Presley,” “and “The King of Rock and Roll” are guarded trademarks.

In a assertion Wednesday, Genuine Manufacturers Group claimed it has solid associations with Elvis tribute artists and supporter festivals. There is “no intention to shut down chapels that provide Elvis offers in Las Vegas.”

“We are trying to find to partner with every single of these compact enterprises to be certain that their use of Elvis’ name, impression and likeness are officially accredited and licensed by the estate, so they can go on their operations,” Reliable Brands Team mentioned. “Elvis is embedded into the cloth of Las Vegas heritage.”

The licensing business oversees the estates of massive names like film star Marilyn Monroe and boxer Muhammad Ali and 50 shopper makes.

The buy must not translate into lawful motion against Elvis-themed phase demonstrates in Las Vegas these types of as “All Shook Up” because impersonating anyone for stay performances these kinds of as shows is viewed as an exception under Nevada’s right of publicity regulation, according to Mark Tratos, a regional legal professional who aided generate the statute.

“An Elvis show is a performer essentially entertaining many others by re-developing that individual onstage,” Tratos claimed.

Presley grew to become indelibly joined to Sin Metropolis in the ’60s and ’70s. His 1964 motion picture, “Viva Las Vegas,” yielded a title observe that turned the city’s unofficial topic. In July 1969, Presley famously redefined the Vegas residency with his stay stage comeback at the Las Vegas Intercontinental Resort. What started as a four-7 days gig turned into a lot more than 600 displays and lasted until finally December 1976.

Presley himself obtained married in Las Vegas in 1967 to wife Priscilla, cementing his association with Vegas weddings.

Kent Ripley, whose company is called Elvis Weddings, claimed he has never run into this situation in 25 yrs of carrying out as Elvis.

“They want to guard the Elvis manufacturer. But what are they preserving by using Elvis away from the community?” Ripley questioned.