pink weddings magazine » 55
WEDDINgS ABROAD
‘Ron Decar and Jamie
Richards have always
welcomed any couple who
wanted a ceremony, legal
or otherwise, to bind their
lives together in love.’
understood that couples wanted to be able to express
themselves in wedding ceremonies unique to them. After
purchasing a historic chapel right on Las Vegas Boulevard,
Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel became a thriving reality.
Even with all of the outrageously fun themed wedding
options, it’s still possible to book an elegant-yet-reserved
traditional wedding at Viva Las Vegas Weddings. ‘We cater
to everyone’s taste,’ says Ron. ‘The main thing for us is
creating the most memorable wedding possible.’
The chapel lends itself to tradition, with the luxurious
ambiance of an old Spanish-style mission. Yet, with a bit of
showbiz magic, it can be quickly transformed to
accommodate the staging for its themed weddings. Jamie
adds, ‘There’s so much visual flexibility at our venue. The
band The Killers even did some filming and a photo shoot
here because it’s like no place else!’
Asked about some of his most memorable weddings,
Ron lights up immediately. ‘I was the Elvis presiding over
the wedding of Noel gallagher (of the rock band Oasis) and
Meg Mathews back in 1997. It was in all the tabloids the
next day! Las Vegas is known as The Wedding Capital of the
World, so we see a lot of stars and music legends here.
And, of course, we see a whole lotta Elvis…’
Ron agrees, ‘Marriage is an important part of who we
are and what we do. When we first opened the chapel, we
hoped that one day – in the spirit of our nation’s promise of
equality for all – we would be able to perform legal
weddings for any two persons who wanted to share their
lives as one. That day has now come.’ Putting on his best
Austin Powers Wedding voice, Ron quips, ‘We’ve come a
long way, baby!’
Back in the ’90s, Ron was a professional singer in the
Folies Bergère at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. During
those years, Jamie was an ice skater and dancer at other
production shows on the Strip. Eventually, Ron found
himself switching from tuxedo to Elvis costume during his
off hours from the show. He’d travel from one chapel to
another along the Las Vegas Strip, singing and performing
wedding ceremonies as Elvis. Jamie, meanwhile, managed
the finances and the hectic schedule.
Eventually, Ron (who had always been an entertainer)
began to realise that if he owned his own chapel, he could
draw on his background in show business to produce
thrilling, unforgettable weddings with a much broader
range of themes. As a team, Ron and Jamie wanted to
produce traditional and themed weddings so enchanting
that they would be like theatrical productions. They
