# Las Vegas Marriages



## Fern Modena (Oct 8, 2014)

As of 2 PM on October 9th, 2014, the Clark County Marriage Bureau (Las Vegas, Henderson, etc.) will be issuing marriage licenses to gay couples as well as straight ones. There is no waiting period once a license is obtained.

Jerry and I once went with friends to a wedding conducted at the Court Clerk's Office, which is a block away from the license bureau. I must say that is was nicer than I expected, very respectful and not rushed at all. The bailiff was willing to take pictures, even.

Fern


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## bogey21 (Oct 8, 2014)

Fern Modena said:


> Jerry and I once went with friends to a wedding conducted at the Court Clerk's Office, which is a block away from the license bureau. I must say that is was nicer than I expected, very respectful and not rushed at all.



As one who got married a number of years ago at the Court Clerk's Office, I second the above comment.  Our marriage was handled with dignity and wasn't rushed.

George


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## Karen G (Oct 8, 2014)

Our daughter and her husband were married at one of the drive-through wedding chapels on 8-8-08. Their actual wedding was on the beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, but they didn't relish getting blood tests in Mexico, having their wedding in Spanish before a Mexican judge (& paying a translator) to make it a legal union that would be recognized anywhere. 

So they did the legal wedding in Las Vegas before we all went down to Cabo. It was actually a very sweet ceremony. Both sets of parents and siblings stood around the car while the officiant was inside the drive-through window conducting the ceremony. We all went out to dinner afterward. It was a fun memory.

Another funny part of this:  They met at a singles small group at our church. Our son-in-law was leading the group, so our daughter can now say that she married her Bible study leader at a drive-through wedding chapel in Las Vegas.


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## Karen G (Oct 8, 2014)

It looks like the ruling for Nevada and Idaho has been blocked according to this story just out.


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## Passepartout (Oct 8, 2014)

Karen G said:


> It looks like the ruling for Nevada and Idaho has been blocked according to this story just out.



I think the final result is just delayed. The plaintiffs have until tomorrow p.m. to explain how the 9th District decision harms them.


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## Ron98GT (Oct 8, 2014)

But why get married at the court house when there are so many wedding chapels up and down the strip? We got married at the Little Chapel of the West, which used to be in front of the Hacienda, back in 1984.  

How about a themed wedding?

http://www.vivalasvegasweddings.com/

Note that the preceding link also mentions same sex marriages, that site update was quick.


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## Fern Modena (Oct 8, 2014)

The final result of the court's action is delayed so that the states involved (Idaho and Nevada) may make one more response, by tomorrow afternoon. Only Idaho is actually protesting the court's action. Since the court's original action was for Idaho and Nevada together, they were bound together in the current ruling as well.

The court can do one of several things. It can decide that Idaho's response has no merit, and return things to where they were when the Appeals Court ruled (meaning gay marriages may being), they may decide that the full Appeals Court must hear the case (this is what Idaho wants...only a portion of the court made the original decision), or it may decide that the Supreme Court should hear the case. It may also sever Nevada from the above actions, meaning the result would be the same for Idaho, but Nevada would be free to start issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.

Fern



Karen G said:


> It looks like the ruling for Nevada and Idaho has been blocked according to this story just out.


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## Fern Modena (Oct 8, 2014)

Jerry and I had our 25th Wedding celebration at Little Chapel of the West. It is still in the same location as it was in 1984, but the casino across the street is now Mandalay Bay (which is where the Hacienda used to be).

Fern



Ron98GT said:


> But why get married at the court house when there are so many wedding chapels up and down the strip? We got married at the Little Chapel of the West, which used to be in front of the Hacienda, back in 1984.
> 
> How about a themed wedding?
> 
> ...


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## DaveNV (Oct 8, 2014)

Given the gazillion-dollar industry Vegas weddings are, I'd think Nevada would want to jump on allowing same-sex weddings.  Expecting something tacky and over-the-top, I went to a neice's wedding at Valley of the Falls (?) at Mandalay Bay a few years ago.  It was a beautiful wedding, tasteful by all accords, and in a spectacular setting. She and her Army-officer husband were a beautiful couple. She was in a long white dress and he was in his dress uniform.  Awesome day. 

Not to go political here (please don't!) but it struck me funny a long time ago that there are strippers and nudity and legal prostitution and gambling and whatever else "sinful" that is allowed in the state, but same-sex marriage is somehow beyond the scope of what is considered tolerable.  Seriously??

Dave


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## DeniseM (Oct 8, 2014)

Folks - Let's be careful to focus on the travel aspect of this topic, and not go off on a tangent, if you want to keep the thread open.


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## Ron98GT (Oct 8, 2014)

Fern Modena said:


> Jerry and I had our 25th Wedding celebration at Little Chapel of the West. It is still in the same location as it was in 1984, but the casino across the street is now Mandalay Bay (which is where the Hacienda used to be).
> 
> Fern


Actually, in 1984 the LCotW was in front of the Hacienda.  When they demolished the Hacienda to build the MB, they moved the little chapel/church across LV BLVD.  It was at the Hacienda location from 1979 to 1996, before getting moved again.

Interesting, I and the DW have always known the chapel/church where we got married as the Little Chapel of the West, but according to the Internet, including Wikipedia, it's actually the Little Church of the West.   Interesting history of the LCofW, which was featured in Viva Las Vegas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmcjt_8vRhE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Church_of_the_West

http://littlechurchlv.com/chapel-tour/

So, don't get married at the county clerks office, get married at a 70+ year old Historical Landmark (which was actually moved from an old town were Lake Mead is now).


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## VegasBella (Oct 8, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> Not to go political here (please don't!) but it struck me funny a long time ago that there are strippers and nudity and legal prostitution and gambling and whatever else "sinful" that is allowed in the state, but same-sex marriage is somehow beyond the scope of what is considered tolerable.  Seriously??


Well, just a little history lesson here along with some info about Nevada and Clark County. 

- Prostitution is not legal in Clark County (that's where Vegas is). It's legal in SOME Nevada counties but is by no means something that the entire state likes or allows.

[Political comment deleted]

- Nevada is home to a lot of Mormons. I mean a lot. There's LDS history in Vegas: http://parks.nv.gov/parks/old-las-vegas-mormon-fort/

- When it comes to marriage legal issues Nevada is usually a little ahead of the curve or in the middle. Example, Nevada wasn't the first to allow interracial marriage but it was 8th. Nevada also made divorce simpler than many other states and thrived on divorce tourism a bit.

- Gambling is legal in lots of places. It's just not always called gambling. Example: stock market.


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## Fern Modena (Oct 8, 2014)

VegasBellaa, I know you haven't been a TUGger long, but please, please, don't interject politics into my posts. Or any posts. That's the surest way to get a post locked or deleted.

Describing our state's political leanings is the start of the slippery slope.

Fern


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## DaveNV (Oct 8, 2014)

VegasBella said:


> Well, just a little history lesson here along with some info about Nevada and Clark County.



You'll note I didn't say Las Vegas. I said Nevada. I used to live there, and I know and understand the difference between Clark County and the rest of the state.  But that wasn't my point.  My comment was meant more as a tongue-in-cheek WTH? kind of observation.  That other stuff IS legal, but THIS isn't?  It's such a non-issue, given the larger picture of day-to-day life in Nevada.  Making Nevada an all-inclusive marriage destination just seems like it'd be a great business opportunity.

Dave


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## Ron98GT (Oct 8, 2014)

*Marriage in Nevada*



Fern Modena said:


> The final result of the court's action is delayed so that the states involved (Idaho and Nevada) may make one more response, by tomorrow afternoon. Only Idaho is actually protesting the court's action. Since the court's original action was for Idaho and Nevada together, they were bound together in the current ruling as well.
> 
> The court can do one of several things. It can decide that Idaho's response has no merit, and return things to where they were when the Appeals Court ruled (meaning gay marriages may being), they may decide that the full Appeals Court must hear the case (this is what Idaho wants...only a portion of the court made the original decision), or it may decide that the Supreme Court should hear the case. It may also sever Nevada from the above actions, meaning the result would be the same for Idaho, but Nevada would be free to start issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.
> 
> Fern



"The confusion heightened Wednesday afternoon when Justice Anthony Kennedy said his ruling blocking same-sex unions in Idaho didn't apply to Nevada."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/08/same-sex-marriage-legal_n_5954324.html


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## blakebr (Oct 8, 2014)

Karen G said:


> Another funny part of this:  They met at a singles small group at our church. Our son-in-law was leading the group, so our daughter can now say that she married her Bible study leader at a drive-through wedding chapel in Las Vegas.



Do I see a reality TV series in the works here?  

But only if my family can be the next in the series.


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## Fern Modena (Oct 8, 2014)

Dave,
I agree with you. I'm happy that we will now be able to welcome with open arms all who wish to marry. As long as they are humans, anyway 

Fern



BMWguynw said:


> You'll note I didn't say Las Vegas. I said Nevada. I used to live there, and I know and understand the difference between Clark County and the rest of the state.  But that wasn't my point.  My comment was meant more as a tongue-in-cheek WTH? kind of observation.  That other stuff IS legal, but THIS isn't?  It's such a non-issue, given the larger picture of day-to-day life in Nevada.  Making Nevada an all-inclusive marriage destination just seems like it'd be a great business opportunity.
> 
> Dave


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## Karen G (Oct 8, 2014)

blakebr said:


> Do I see a reality TV series in the works here?
> 
> But only if my family can be the next in the series.


 Ha, Ha! I hadn't considered that angle before.


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## DaveNV (Oct 8, 2014)

Fern Modena said:


> Dave,
> I agree with you. I'm happy that we will now be able to welcome with open arms all who wish to marry. As long as they are humans, anyway
> 
> Fern



Yep. My sister-in-law went to a gay wedding in Washington DC over the Summer.  She said the men were E-X-T-R-E-M-E-L-Y well-to-do, (they got married across the street from the White House), and they spent tens of thousands on the ceremony and reception.  I wonder how that would have gone if they'd married in Las Vegas instead.  There is a LOT of money waiting to be earned in this.  As long as they're humans.  

Dave


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## Passepartout (Oct 8, 2014)

VegasBella said:


> - Nevada is home to a lot of Mormons. I mean a lot. There's LDS history in Vegas: http://parks.nv.gov/parks/old-las-vegas-mormon-fort/



Just an aside:
When we visited the old fort, I found my Great Grandfather's name on the wall. He was one of those 29 guys that Brigham Young sent there to establish the fort. Later, after returning to SLC, he founded the communities of Logan Utah, and then Rexburg, ID., and a school to educate his own children.(It was illegal to use territorial funds to educate the children of a 'cult') It has become Brigham Young University, Idaho. My Grandfather was the youngest of his 42 kids.

Jim


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## Fern Modena (Oct 8, 2014)

_:::sigh:::_ Its off again. Wish they'd make up their minds.

Fern


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## VegasBella (Oct 9, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> Making Nevada an all-inclusive marriage destination just seems like it'd be a great business opportunity.


I agree.

That said, Clark County already allows civil unions. And the little chapels here will perform a ceremony regardless of whether or not it's a legal marriage, civil union, vow renewal, or just for fun. So we've already been getting some gay marriage tourism.

(For the record, straight people can get civil unions too. Friends of mine did that. I would have done it if it were an option when I got married. Instead I got married just outside Vegas in Valley of Fire. It was private, outdoors, special just for us. We got our marriage license in downtown Las Vegas right after they built the new licensing center. The licensing process was quick and easy.)

Also it would mostly be Clark County that would benefit from the additional tourism money so I can see why the other counties are less interested in the business aspect.



Passepartout said:


> Just an aside:
> When we visited the old fort, I found my Great Grandfather's name on the wall. He was one of those 29 guys that Brigham Young sent there to establish the fort. Later, after returning to SLC, he founded the communities of Logan Utah, and then Rexburg, ID., and a school to educate his own children.(It was illegal to use territorial funds to educate the children of a 'cult') It has become Brigham Young University, Idaho. My Grandfather was the youngest of his 42 kids.


Wow, that's cool that you have some heritage in Las Vegas. I have lived here most of my adult life yet I have no historical connections. 



Fern Modena said:


> _:::sigh:::_ Its off again. Wish they'd make up their minds.


Agreed. I have friends whose pictures are in the paper on this issue. These particular friends are already legally married but they're super excited about it.
It'll work out soon enough.


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## Ron98GT (Oct 9, 2014)

Fern Modena said:


> Dave,
> I agree with you. I'm happy that we will now be able to welcome with open arms all who wish to marry. As long as they are humans, anyway
> 
> Fern


No Area 51 weddings


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## DaveNV (Oct 9, 2014)

Ron98GT said:


> No Area 51 weddings



HAHAAHAHA!!!  :hysterical:

Dave


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## eschjw (Oct 9, 2014)

*10th Anniversary*

Glad I saw this thread. My wife and I were married at the Little Church of the West on 10/14/04, so we have a tenth anniversary coming up next week. Last year we both missed the date. :zzz: We returned to Vegas for our 5th, but decided to visit Vegas on New Years Eve this year.


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## Ron98GT (Oct 9, 2014)

eschjw said:


> Glad I saw this thread. My wife and I were married at the Little Church of the West on 10/14/04, so we have a tenth anniversary coming up next week. Last year we both missed the date. :zzz: We returned to Vegas for our 5th, but decided to visit Vegas on New Years Eve this year.


We'll be on the strip also for New Years Eve, I have a 2-BDRM at the Jockey Club for the week. Party 

You'll have to go down to the LCotW with your significant other while you're here for your 10th and New Years.


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## Timeshare Von (Oct 9, 2014)

*We Did It!*

David and I got married in Las Vegas back in 2002.  The license process was very simple at the Clark County offices . . . and we enjoyed the "Vegas Chapel" experience (and price).  We did it at the Hollywood Wedding Chapel, but I think they have since closed.


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## BevL (Oct 10, 2014)

I've been to two Vegas weddings.  The first was during a family get-together for our 25th anniversary.  My brother and his fiancé decided to get married the next day!!  Part of the reason was because she was from Brazil and was divorced, he was from Canada and divorced.  He was working in South Africa and she was living in the U.S.  It was going to be a nightmare to get stuff translated etc. to try to get married, it seemed, anywhere.

Not in Vegas.  They went down, got a licence and "Reverend Tim" married them at 11:30 at night at a chapel.

Our daughter got married in Vegas three years ago.  That was held at a lovely wedding venue - it worked out really nicely and going out of town eliminated some family issues that we would have had, on both sides, if the wedding had been held where we live.

It's big business down there, for sure.


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## Gophesjo (Oct 10, 2014)

I performed many marriage ceremonies in Las Vegas, at the Excalibur and at the Monte Carlo.  I would 'work' at one or the other of the chapels only about three days a month (I was an on call minister for them), but some days did as many as ten or eleven ceremonies.  Of all of the ceremonies I officiated, only two were distasteful for me as the officiant.  One of the two was with a really bad Elvis impersonator singing 'Love me Tender,' and the other was where a businessman brought his entire office crew to Vegas for his marriage on a Tuesday morning.  He got toasted before the ceremony and was horribly obnoxious to his bride.

The two chapels were very different, but each quite beautiful.  I especially loved the Chapel at the Excalibur.  It was Camelot like and felt magical.  

My ceremony had to be memorized, and had to be no more than 7 minutes long so that we could get everyone in and out - including pictures - in 30 minutes.  I can still recite the ceremony word for word, even though it has been 16 years since I performed a wedding there.


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## VegasBella (Oct 10, 2014)

Few hours ago the first gay marriage took place in Vegas:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/legal-hurdles-cleared-nevada-sees-first-same-sex-marriage


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## DaveNV (Oct 10, 2014)

VegasBella said:


> Few hours ago the first gay marriage took place in Vegas:
> http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/legal-hurdles-cleared-nevada-sees-first-same-sex-marriage



And so it begins.    Congratulations to the happy couples!

Dave


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