We Still Do (In Vegas, With Elvis)
We celebrated our twenty second wedding anniversary on December 1, but in a way, we had already marked the occasion in a very memorable way months before. When we took our trip to Las Vegas for the Lionel Richie concert back in October, I told Clint I wanted to do the most Las Vegas thing I could think of while we were there: go to a chapel and get married by an Elvis impersonator. And because he is my partner in life, he was fully on board with the idea. Vegas vow renewal, here we come!
I had no idea what to expect but the whole experience turned out to be a lot of fun and much sweeter than I could have predicted. The morning of our ceremony, the Little Chapel of Hearts limousine picked us up at our hotel and drove us down Las Vegas Boulevard to our destination. I picked out my bouquet and we talked through our preferences for the ceremony—song options, whether or not I wanted to walk down the aisle with Clint or alone (I chose to have him walk me down the aisle this time, just to keep me company), and the like. Our Elvis greeted us and chatted with us for several minutes to break the ice, and then it was time for the service.
Going to the chapel….
The license plate on our limousine.
As we walked down the aisle, Elvis sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Surprisingly, he did a great job with the ceremony and it was very genuine and warm . We did have to laugh when, during our vows, Clint had to promise to always “love me tender” while I, in turn, vowed to never leave him “stranded at the heartbreak hotel.” We exchanged our rings again and Elvis pronounced us husband and wife—what a moment in a marriage!
Outside the Little Chapel of Hearts, right on the Las Vegas strip.
An Elvis-blessed union.
Viva Las Vegas, newlyweds!
We took our wedding pictures, I turned in my rented bouquet, and we walked out the chapel doors and onto the strip. A group of tourists spotted us and collectively clapped and yelled out their congratulations, which added to the fun and spectacle of our moment. Never one to shy away from attention, we pumped our fists in the air for them and I called out, “We do!”
Our fantastic limo driver offered to take us to the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign for another photo opp, and we enthusiastically accepted his offer. It turns out (and luckily for us) photography is a hobby for him, and he took some great pictures.
What a fun experience!
We decided to keep our little re-marriage a secret for the time being, so we came home and managed not to tell our families or friends, choosing to surprise everyone with our Christmas card photo this year instead. What happens in Vegas…winds up on your Christmas card!
Married and Bright!
The only thing that did not seem right was that our other immediate family members—our dogs—were missing from the event, and we couldn’t allow that. So we did what any normal dog owners would do: bought the dogs Elvis jumpsuits, glasses, and a wig, and took their picture for the back of the card. Nothing but a hound dog? I don’t think so.
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but this picture? Priceless.
Sure, it was unconventional, and I supposed some may even use the word tacky, but life is too short to be taken seriously. We got lots of joy out of the vow renewal and the Christmas card, and I hope you do, too.
Twenty two years later, we still do!