A Little White Wedding Chapel Explained

36.1553°N -115.1497°WA Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada has been the site of many quick celebrity weddings. It is noted for its Drive-Thru Tunnel of Vows.^{[1] [2]} The chapel was built and opened in 1954 by Arvid and Neva Barnhart^[3] .

Charolette Richards bought the chapel in 1981. She came into the wedding business through marriage with Merle Richards, owner of Little Church of the West. Merle and Charolette Richards together opened Algiers' Little Church of the West in 1968.^[4] . The couple later divorced, and Charolette went into business on her own with Little White Chapel. She has presided over the marriages of Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Michael Jordan, Dame Joan Collins, Britney Spears, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore.^[5] Mrs. Richards sold the chapel in 2022 to Cliff Evarts and Melody Willis-Williams.^[6]

The chapel has been featured on such TV shows as WWE Raw, Supernatural, Friends and Good Morning America.^[7] Michael Ross and Naomi Defensor, two cast members on the 2011 season of , participated in a mock wedding at the Chapel during the June 1, 2011 season finale of that series.^[8]

Similarly named Las Vegas wedding chapels, such as The Little Church of the West, The Little Chapel by the Courthouse, and the Chapel of the Flowers are often confused with A Little White Wedding Chapel. The Little Chapel by the Courthouse was also owned by We've Only Just Begun Inc. (Charolette Richards).

Notable weddings

• Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward (January 29, 1958)
• Judy Garland and Mark Herron (November 14, 1965)^{[9] [10]}
• Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow (July 19, 1966)^[10]
• Patty Duke and Michael Tell (June 26, 1970)^[11]
• Joan Collins and Peter Holm (November 3, 1985)^[12]
• Bruce Willis and Demi Moore (November 21, 1987)^[10]
• Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy (September 2, 1989)^[10]
• David Faustino and Andrea Elmer (January 24, 2000)^[13]
• Natalie Maines and Adrian Pasdar (June 24, 2000)^{[14] [15]}
• Stone Cold Steve Austin and Debra Marshall (September 13, 2000)^[16]
• Eva Longoria and Tyler Christopher (January 20, 2002)^[17]
• Britney Spears and Jason Allen Alexander (January 3, 2004)^[18]
• Henry Thomas and Marie Zielcke (May 10, 2004)
• Rufus Hound and Beth Johnson (April 2007)^[19]
• Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon (October 6, 2007)^[20]
• Peaches Geldof and Max Drummey (August 5, 2008)^[21]
• Christina Milian and The-Dream (September 4, 2009)^[22]
• Jordan Chan and Cherrie Ying (February 14, 2010)^[23]
• Nik Richie and Shayne Lamas (April 18, 2010)^[24]
• Charlie Brooker and Konnie Huq (July 26, 2010)^{[25] [26]}
• Russell Peters and Monica Diaz (August 20, 2010)^[27]
• Sinéad O'Connor and Barry Herridge (December 8, 2011)^[28]
• Eugenia Martínez de Irujo and Narcís Rebollo Melció (November 17, 2017)^[29]
• Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner (May 1, 2019)^[30]
• David Dobrik and Lorraine Nash (May 16, 2019)^[31]
• Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez (July 17, 2022)^[32]

See also

• List of wedding chapels in Las Vegas

External links

• A Little White Wedding Chapel

Notes and References

1. no byline (November 2004). "Getting Hitched in a Vegas Chapel", Cosmopolitan 237 (5): 104.
2. McCann, Dennis (2002-02-10). "Couples in Las Vegas take chance on true love", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, p. H1.
3. http://vintagelasvegas.com/post/168560546299/little-white-chapel Vintage Las Vegas
4. https://vintagelasvegas.com/post/188048256809/1968 Algiers’ Little Church of the West
5. Mansfield, Susan (December 1, 2004). "Elvis, Sinatra and Britney were all married there. Now the Little White Wedding Chapel is coming to Scotland", The Scotsman, p. 36.
6. https://weddings.vegas/archived-content/iconic-las-vegas-wedding-chapel-sold/ Wedding Capital of the World
7. Haas, Jane Glenn (February 15, 2004). "Vegas vows 1-2-3", The Orange County Register, p. TCenter.
8. http://www.mtv.com/videos/real-world-las-vegas-ep-12-addicted-to-love/1664470/playlist.jhtml "Leaving Las Vegas"
9. Hall, Michelle (October 18, 1998). "Hit the jackpot! Movie-set ambience, natural attractions prove gold is not all that glitters in Las Vegas", Boston Herald, p. 61.
10. http://www.vegaschatter.com/tag/Little White Wedding Chapel "Who Knew Drive Through Wedding Ceremonies Were So Romantic?"
11. https://s3-assets.eastidahonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/29150007/Patty-Duke-2.jpg Eastidahonews
12. Hatton, Spencer (November 26, 2006). "Why rent a castle when you've got the King?", Yakima Herald-Republic, p. B1.
13. Jones, Oliver. "Married ... With Children's David Faustino Divorcing", People magazine, February 6, 2007
14. http://www.nyrock.com/worldbeat/06_2000/062600.asp "Dixie Chick Natalie Maines Weds Adrian Pasdar in Early Morning Vegas Ceremony"
15. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023215957/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1472621/natalie-maines-gets-hitched.jhtml "Natalie Maines Gets Hitched"
16. https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b1/4e/9c/b14e9ce0dfd88ee9907f980de8f4fd5b.jpg Pinimg
17. Web site: Going to the Chapel...in Vegas. Maloney. Michael. Sheila Steinbach. March 12, 2002. Soap Opera Update. 20. 31 May 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20131211103044/http://tylerchristopher.com/tylerarticles/archives/archive-032002.html. 2013-12-11. dead.
18. Web site: Mike Fleeman . Britney Spears Married in Vegas . people.com . January 3, 2004 . 2007-02-11 . December 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181215174137/http://people.aol.com/people/articles/0,19736,627413,00.html . dead .
19. http://uktv.co.uk/dave/homepage/sid/7882 Rufus Hound
20. Web site: You are invited to our Vegas wedding.... https://web.archive.org/web/20080819044817/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/you-are-invited-to-our-vegas-wedding-894520.html . 2008-08-19 . limited . live. 14 August 2008. The Independent. 31 May 2012.
21. News: Peaches Geldof has married . Die Welt . August 13, 2008.
22. Web site: Christina Milian & The-Dream Elope in Vegas . September 8, 2009 . . 10 September 2009.
23. News: Jordan Chan and Cherrie Ying's extreme funny and emotional wedding . 2010-02-14 . 2010-02-16 . September 12, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160912195119/http://asianuniverse.net/forums/Jordan_Chan_Cherrie_Ying_s_extreme_funny_emotional_w_t214026.html . dead .
24. Web site: Shayne Lamas and Her New Hubby Post Matching Tweets . April 20, 2010.
25. Web site: X Factor's Konnie Huq and Charlie Brooker eloped to Las Vegas for secret wedding . mirror.co.uk . August 29, 2010 . 29 August 2010.
26. Web site: Marriage License, County of Clark, Nevada . 30 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110811064524/https://aivitals.co.clark.nv.us/webinquiryinternet/DocDescMain.aspx?sk=20100726000520940&ref=5609d551-ce0f-4ad3-aca0-0de6c76fc042 . 11 August 2011 .
27. Web site: Russell Peters on Monica Diaz divorce: 'There were no hard feelings'.
28. Web site: Sinead O'Connor Ends Sixteen-Day Marriage.
29. http://www.lavanguardia.com/gente/20171128/433272217351/eugenia-martinez-de-irujo-narcis-rebollo-boda-las-vegas.html La Vanguardia
30. News: Goldstein . Joelle . Michaud . Sarah . Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner Get Married in Surprise Vegas Ceremony After Billboard Music Awards . May 2, 2019 . People . May 2, 2019.
31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHPrkc44oDg&t=20s (May 18, 2019)
32. Web site: Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck wed in Las Vegas drive-through . July 18, 2022 . July 18, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220718003951/https://www.stltoday.com/news/national/jennifer-lopez-ben-affleck-wed-in-las-vegas-drive-through/article_6845902f-3bf4-5830-a53b-9756a905d401.html . dead .