Elvis-themed wedding chapels face a new fee for the King in Las Vegas

As demand for Elvis-themed weddings bounces back in Las Vegas, the quirky chapels that hold them might be on the hook for a new expense.

Authentic Brands Group, the owner of the deceased rock star’s name and image, is in talks with several Las Vegas wedding venues about imposing an annual fee of a few hundred dollars for a certificate of authenticity, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The talks come after the company sent cease-and-desist letters to about a dozen wedding chapels last month that perform Elvis weddings, as reported earlier in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a threat that had local businesses worried about the future of a unique Sin City tradition.

The fees under discussion would not be for the ceremonies. In fact, impersonators in Las Vegas are protected by a carve-out that exempts them from licensing requirements. Rather, the license would grant permission to use Elvis Presley in the chapels’ marketing and promotional materials.

Authentic Brands said in a statement it has no intention to shut down the chapels. “We are working with the chapels to ensure that the usage of Elvis’ name, image and likeness are in keeping with his legacy,” the company said. 

The city that was a second home to the King is seeing a rebound after the ravages of the pandemic, with conventions, gamblers and jumpsuit-and-pompadour-themed weddings streaming back. The number of visitors through April was 55% higher than last year, according to the city’s convention and visitors’ agency. 

Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” biopic is set to hit theaters later this month, potentially stoking more interest in weddings featuring the singer’s lookalikes.  

New York-based Authentic Brands, founded in 2010 by Jamie Salter, holds licenses for more than 50 brands, including celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and retailer Brooks Brothers. It filed to go public last year and then withdrew the plan after an investment that valued Authentic at almost $13 billion.

It acquired the Elvis brand in 2013. Since then, Authentic Brands has rolled out an Elvis-themed metaverse and opened a four-star hotel at Graceland as part of a makeover of the singer’s former estate. Rod Musum, the general manager of the Graceland Wedding Chapel, said he didn’t get a letter but later got a call from Authentic Brands to discuss a licensing deal. “We're thrilled to be able to say we’re an officially licensed Elvis chapel,” Musum said. “We don’t want to create a stir with the Elvis estate; we want to work with them.’’ Musum, who said Graceland Wedding Chapel performed the first Elvis-themed wedding in 1977, said interest in such ceremonies is recovering from pandemic lows. The chapel charges from $249 up to $799 for Elvis-themed weddings, depending on the number of songs.

“We do feel like we’ve helped keep the brand alive,’’ he said. The chapel is performing 200 weddings a week, about three-quarters with an Elvis theme, “which shows that the Elvis brand is alive and well in Vegas.’’