Elvis is almost synonymous with Vegas weddings, an industry that rakes in around $2 billion a year for Las Vegas. One wedding chapel in Vegas, called Graceland Wedding Chapel, says that they hold more than 6,400 Elvis-themed weddings each year.
That's a lot of jumpsuits!
Unfortunately for them, the licensing agency Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which licenses Elvis Presley's image, has sent letters to several Las Vegas chapels telling them to stop using the Elvis image in their wedding ceremonies.
This basically kills the Vegas wedding industry, where many of the businesses have Elvis in their names, including the Elvis Chapel, Elvis Weddings, and Las Vegas Elvis Chapel, all of whom have been notified by ABG to cease using Elvis's name and image.
In the cease-and-desist letter, the company said it will halt unauthorized use of "Presley's name, likeness, voice image, and other elements of Elvis Presley's persona in advertisements, merchandise and otherwise."
ABG has the trademark for the words "Elvis, "Elvis Presley," "and "The King of Rock and Roll."
Kayla Collins, who runs the Las Vegas Elvis Wedding Chapel, said this move could destroy their family business.
"That's our bread and butter. I don't get it. We were just hitting our stride again through COVID, then this happens." Collins said.
Maybe it's time for the Vegas wedding industry to branch out and have different celebrity impersonators perform ceremonies. I'm sure there has to be a market for Jonas Brothers or Justin Bieber or BTS-themed weddings.
And yet, nothing quite says Vegas like that sequined jumpsuit.
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