Love, Elvis, & legal loopholes: The real story behind Nevada elopements

Nevada is famous for nuptials in a hurry—but how did it get that way? Discover Nevada’s fascinating elopement history.

When you ask a Nevadan, or really any American, to describe a “Vegas wedding,” there are a few images that will probably come to mind. They’ll likely think of the bright lights of the strip framing a happy couple kissing, an officiant dressed as Elvis, and maybe even a drive-through wedding chapel. But most of all, they’ll think of elopements, whether that’s an impulsive decision to get married after a whirlwind romance, or a quick trip to the Silver State to “make it legal.”

But how did Nevada become America’s elopement capital? Why have thousands of people, from classic Hollywood icons like Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, whose wedding pictures are an enduring example of vintage charm, to current Governor and First Lady Wes and Dawn Moore of Maryland, who were married by “Elvis” himself before the future governor deployed to Afghanistan, come to Nevada for runaway romance? And how can you and the one you love elope in Nevada today?

Well, with “wedding season” in full swing, there’s no better time than the present to take a look at the history—and current state—of Nevada’s famous elopements.

When and where to wed in the West

While it may seem like Nevada and elopement have always gone hand in hand, the tradition actually has its roots in a specific historic event, one that may not sound very festive: the Great Depression.

In 1931, with the Depression in full swing, the Nevada state legislature reformed the laws around marriage in the Silver State as a way to encourage tourism. This measure was part of a package of legal reforms aimed at promoting tourism and boosting the state’s economy during a time of hardship. Another key measure passed at the same time was the legalization of gambling.

These reforms included eliminating two of the requirements that many states still had in place for marriage: a mandatory waiting period and a blood test for both parties. With this, same-day marriages became a possibility throughout the state. The idea of a Vegas elopement, in particular, was helped along by Las Vegas’ growing status as a celebrity and nightlife hotspot, only a few short hours’ drive from Los Angeles.

Legendary silent film actress Clara Bow became one of the first to take advantage of the new laws when she secretly married fellow actor Rex Bell in Las Vegas in 1931; the two would eventually become full-time Nevadans, with Bow taking up ranching and Bell becoming the Silver State’s lieutenant governor.

By the 1940s, several celebrity couples had married in Vegas, and wedding chapels like the Little Church of the West and A Little White Wedding Chapel were quickly becoming local landmarks.

Making or breaking a marriage

While Nevada elopements are a fun and interesting historical tradition, they’re not the only practice associated with the state. While Nevada was making a name for itself across the country as the place to start a marriage, it was also becoming famous as a spot to end one.

Alongside the liberalized laws and lenient requirements around marriage, Nevada also had some of the most relaxed laws in the country around divorce, especially before no-fault divorces became nationally available.

In fact, Nevada’s history as a place to end a marriage actually goes back further than its fame as a place to start one. In Nevada in the early twentieth century, prior to World War I, a person seeking a divorce needed only to have been resident in the state for six months, and did not need to provide evidence of abuse for a divorce to be granted, making the state home to some of the most liberal divorce laws in the country. In 1931, this was shortened to only six weeks, as part of the same initiative that made elopements possible.

If Las Vegas was the state capital for marriage in the early to mid-20th century, the state capital for divorce was always Reno. In fact, so-called “divorce colonies” for those seeking to establish residency popped up around the city, and a “Reno divorce” became a popular phrase in American English. The divorce colonies of Reno feature prominently in movies like the classic film “The Women,” and even a mystery in “Charlie Chan Goes to Reno.”

The King … of wedding officiants?

Now, it wouldn’t be a proper discussion of Nevada elopements without mentioning their king, also known as the King, Elvis Presley. While Elvis himself did marry Priscilla in Las Vegas, it was not an elopement, but a carefully planned and heavily publicized ceremony and reception at the Aladdin hotel. The association with Elvis and elopements features the rock and roll legend not as the groom, but as a guest of honor, or even the officiant!

The Las Vegas tradition of “Elvis weddings” originated at the aptly named Graceland Wedding Chapel, one of the oldest wedding chapels in Las Vegas. It was previously known as the Gretna Green Wedding Chapel, after a famous elopement destination in Scotland. Presley himself visited the chapel in 1967 while planning his own wedding, and ten years later, following the singer’s death in 1977, they changed their name to Graceland Wedding Chapel and began offering Las Vegas’ first Elvis-themed weddings.

These “Elvis weddings” proved so popular that they have become not only a signature offering at the Graceland Chapel but an iconic Las Vegas wedding tradition. Today, Graceland Chapel offers a variety of Elvis-themed wedding packages, including one featuring a pair of “dueling Elvises” to serenade the happy couple. However, if you forgot to pack your blue suede wedding shoes, don’t worry—more traditional options are also available.

“Going to the Chapel” today

So, what happens if you want to elope in Nevada today? The good news is, you absolutely still can!

To this day, marriage law in Nevada is relatively simple and straightforward. You and your partner must be at least 18 years old and obtain a license from the marriage bureau in the county where you intend to get married—in Las Vegas, this is the Clark County Marriage Bureau. The license costs $102. You can download and print the license application online, but will need to hand it in with your partner in person.

Once you’ve submitted the application, provided there are no impediments, you’ll receive your license, and you’re good to go! You can have a courthouse wedding, a drive-through wedding, or whatever you choose.

Want to take it to the next level? There are companies that specialize in elopement packages, offering assistance with accommodations, photography, decorations, and more. Whatever you choose, just remember, the most important part of any Nevada elopement is that you’re marrying the one you love.

Related: Vegas celebrates 70th anniversary as wedding capital of the world