Elvis Presley’s estate is cracking down on impersonators who officiate weddings at Las Vegas chapels.
Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which reps the estate in licensing deals, recently sent out cease-and-desist notices. It aims to end the unauthorized use of “Elvis Presley’s name, likeness, voice image, and other elements of Elvis Presley’s persona.”
ABG owns trademarks on “Elvis,” “Elvis Presley” and “The King of Rock and Roll” and is taking the position that wedding ceremonies are not “live performances” allowed by Nevada law.
“As the guardians of the Elvis Presley estate, it is our responsibility to safeguard his legacy,” spokesperson Michelle Ciciyasvili said in a statement to Billboard. “There is no intention to shut down chapels that offer Elvis packages in Las Vegas. We are seeking to partner with each of these small businesses to ensure that their use of Elvis’ name, image and likeness are officially licensed and authorized by the estate, so they can continue their operations.”
In 2019, Joe Jonas and actress Sophie Turner were married in front of an Elvis impersonator at a Las Vegas chapel and, the following year, singer Lily Allen tied the knot with actor David Harbour at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in an Elvis-themed ceremony.
In April, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian had a just-for-fun ceremony with an Elvis impersonator.
The crackdown comes only weeks before the release of the biopic Elvis, which is expected to boost interest in all things Presley.