Millions of marriage licenses. That’s how many Clark County has issued since 1909. A Little White Wedding Chapel has seen its fair share. Located on the Las Vegas Boulevard this unassuming chapel has become a Las Vegas icon.
Since the early 1950s or maybe 1955 depending on who you ask A Little White Wedding Chapel has been a wedding staple. Charlotte Richards started working there in the late 1950s. She’s presided over more weddings than most people can imagine. Her tenure has outlasted many of the marriages she performed. That includes some very famous ones.
Richards’ story is as captivating as the chapel itself. After heartbreak she found love with Merle Edwards. He rescued her gave her a new life and became her second husband. He was already in the wedding chapel business so bringing her on board was natural.
Initially Las Vegas didn’t have a booming wedding industry. The chapel was one of the only ones outside of casinos. Richards’ entrepreneurial spirit created a one-stop-shop model. That became the industry standard. No other chapel in Las Vegas has the same fame.
Hollywood loves A Little White Wedding Chapel. It’s been featured in countless movies and shows. Rachel and Ross got married there in Friends. Stu and Jade in The Hangover. In reality chapels don’t marry people after midnight unless it’s pre-scheduled. They also don’t marry intoxicated couples.
What started as a single room has grown. It’s now a wedding village. There’s a gown and tuxedo store hairdresser floral shop and several chapels. There is a gazebo Elvis impersonators limousines and a drive-thru chapel. The drive-thru affectionately called the Tunnel of Love was inspired by a rainy day. Richards wanted to keep couples dry so she created the window.
Since 1991 Richards has performed over 50000 weddings through the drive-thru window alone. The original chapel however remains unchanged. A small room with a pulpit and white pews. It’s a gem from a simpler time. You can feel the energy the history and the hopes and dreams of countless couples. A little bit of magic. A recipe for lasting love is included with every ceremony. It’s a mixture of love kindness gentleness friendship joy forgiveness togetherness and tenderness. Stirred daily with happiness humor and patience served with warmth compassion respect and loyalty.
A Little White Wedding Chapel isn’t just a place to get married. It’s a place where love stories begin and hopes take flight.