Las Vegas is home to a number of wedding chapels that offer weddings under the theme of Elvis Presley, likely with an Elvis impersonator acting as an officiator for the ceremony. Ceremonies featuring the legendary rock-and-roll icon have remained a staple of the Las Vegas wedding industry, which is currently worth roughly 2 billion dollars. However, Loudwire has reported that the Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the company in control of the legacy of Elvis Presely, has now taken aim at these weddings, aiming to prevent all weddings occurring with an Elvis impersonator.

ABG’s action against these Elvis impersonators included a cease-and-desist letter sent on May 19 to various chapels ordering that Elvis impersonators cease the impersonation or leave the chapel. In their letter, they assert that Elvis’ names and titles, “Elvis,” “Elvis Pressley” and “The King of Rock and Roll,” are all trademarks of the group. The letter selected May 27 as the last day before ABG would consider legal action against any chapel who does not follow the order.

One such chapel owner, Kayla Collins of LasVegasElvisWeddingChapel.com, was dismayed at the decision. Loudwire quotes Collins explaining that “We are a family-run business, and now we’re hanging with the big dogs, That’s our bread and butter. I don’t get it. We were just hitting our stride again through COVID, then this happens.”

Another Elvis-themed wedding chapel owner and Elvis impersonator, Kent Ripley, shared similar concerns, asking “They want to protect the Elvis brand. But what are they protecting by taking Elvis away from the public?”

Given the prominence of Elvis themed weddings in the city, many in the wedding industry have thought of this decree from Elvis’ estate as a threat to the prosperity of the Las Vegas wedding industry as a whole. As Melody Willis-Williams, president of Vegas Weddings, explains: “This could be very damaging to our industry. Most of us are small businesses, and we’re up against a superpower with a lot of money. It could kill us in lawyer fees to fight this. Elvis weddings are synonymous with Las Vegas. We keep Elvis alive.”

It has been noted that this order does not apply to weddings which feature a live performance from an Elvis impersonator, due to the fact that such live performances would be legally protected in Nevada.

A film relating to Elvis Presley’s life, titled Elvis is set to release later this year. The singer and rapper Doja Cat has shared a single titled “Vegas,” set to be featured on the movie.