There may be some “Crying in the Chapel” for couples wanting to be married by an Elvis impersonator.
The company that licenses the name and image of Elvis Presley is no longer allowing wedding chapels in Las Vegas to use someone dressed as The King to perform marriages.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Authentic Brands Group sent cease-and-desist letters early last month to wedding chapels in Sin City.
“This couldn’t hit at a worse time. It’s not a good thing,” Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya told the newspaper. “It might destroy a portion of our wedding industry. A number of people might lose their livelihood.”
ABG says “Elvis,” “Elvis Presley” and “The King of Rock and Roll” are protected trademarks, the Review-Journal reported.
The wedding industry generates $2 billion a year, with Elvis-themed ceremonies representing a significant number of weddings performed, The Associated Press reported.
Along with everyday couples who get hitched by “Elvis,” celebrities such as Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, Lily Allen and David Harbour, and Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner also had Las Vegas Elvis weddings, TMZ reported.