Love me tender, love me true.*
(*restrictions may apply)
Oh, marriage.
The sacred vows. The glowing, pristine bride. The promise of unending love.
The classiness that comes along with the “Hound Dog” package — available only at the A Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas. That package includes an Elvis officiant and comes in at $275.
But before all you gays out there excited to tie the knot in that holy shrine, you might want to seek out other venues. Apparently, the King has to answer to the King of Kings, because the A Elvis Chapel in Sin City won’t do same-sex weddings. First of all, I’m not the grammar police, but shouldn’t that be AN Elvis Chapel? Also, secondly, really? Are you serious? You marry drunk idiots at 2 a.m., but Rick and Steve would be too much?
Well, TheBlot Magazine reached out to the chapel and spoke with Dave, not the owner, but confident that he could speak for them, told us that A Elvis Chapel was a “Christian company.” And since a federal appeals court struck down Nevada’s ban on same-sex marriage earlier this month, the chapel’s owners and various Elvi under their employ thought their freedom of speech was being “compromised,” whatever that means. Dave went on to explain that “We have certain biblical beliefs we have to be right with God about.” I asked, what the King has to say about all this? Dave explained that he couldn’t speak for Elvis. I’m guessing a man that spent half his life in gold lamé was probably cool with the gays.
But I’m proud of A Elvis Chapel. Taking a firm stand for what it believes in. And what it believes in also could include the “Double Trouble” package. Wedding fun that includes skinny, Blue Hawaii Elvis and also barbiturates, fat-and-dead-on-the-toilet-bowl Elvis. Before you balk at the $695 price tag, know that that also includes a DVD of the ceremony. So. Or don’t stop there, the “Viva Las Vegas” package, available for just $795 (that’s the weekday rate, mind you) includes Elvis walking you down the aisle. Sanctity of marriage indeed.
But you know what says the sanctity of marriage to me the most at the chapel of burning love? Having your private nuptials broadcast for the entire world to witness live via webcam. Seriously, watch for yourself.
Apparently, the chapel may be on the wrong side of the law with its refusal to wed gays and lesbians. As KLAS-TV in Las Vegas points out, the chapel is not at all a church or place of worship and cannot claim exemption as such under Nevada’s Public Accommodation Law, which has guaranteed equal protection to gays and lesbians in regard to public services since 2011. Judging from the tasteful wedding packages above, they are, in fact, a business and cannot refuse service to LGBT patrons.
But never mind all that legalese. I’m just relieved we have the good folks at A Elvis Chapel standing firm on the front lines of this social issue.
Brock Thompson is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine.
