US: Las Vegas chapel that does Elvis-themed weddings says marrying gays is ‘against God’s law’
A number of wedding chapels in Las Vegas are refusing to marry same-sex couples, despite equal marriage becoming legal.
Same-sex marriage came to Vegas this month, after a judge struck down Nevada’s same-sex marriage ban.
The wedding capital of the world wasted no time in advertising its services to gay and lesbian couples, taking out full-page advertisements in newspapers to promote itself as a wedding destination.
However, despite the city’s 24-hour wedding culture and long history of runaway marriages, a number of the city’s chapels have refused to hold ceremonies for gay couples.
Dolly Deleon, the owner of the Vegas Wed Chapel – which offers Hawaiian and Elvis themed weddings from 9am to 11pm – told 8NewsNow that she won’t marry gays because she’s a born again Christian.
She said: “My faith won’t allow me… I would be a hypocrite if I said I’m a Bible-believing person and yet I would perform marriage that believe is solely against God’s law.”
Meanwhile, the Elvis Wedding Chapel has also ruled out marrying same-sex couples, but refused to discuss the reasons.
A spokesperson said: “I’m not going to tell you. It’s just there’s really no story here.”
Tod Story of the ACLU said: “The difference between a church and a place of worship and a wedding chapel, is that a wedding chapel is a business so that is covered under the Public Accommodations Law of Nevada.”
