Wedding Capital of the World Prepares for Feb. 14; Valentine's Day Is Las Vegas' Most Popular Wedding Day

LAS VEGAS/PRNewswire/ -- Love is in the air in Las Vegas. Lattice arches are gleaming from fresh coats of white paint and drive-through chapel windows sparkle as Las Vegas prepares for its most popular wedding day of the year: Feb. 14.

Since Clark County, wherein Las Vegas lies, issued its first wedding license in 1909, Las Vegas has celebrated the nuptials of more than 3 million couples, becoming a world-renowned wedding destination and self-proclaimed "Wedding Capital of the World." Clark County averages approximately 450 marriage recordings each day, and next to Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve is the second most popular wedding day.

The year 2001 proved to be a record-breaking year, with a total of 121,547 marriages recorded by the Clark County Recorder's Office. In July, Las Vegas celebrated the 3 millionth wedding with a flock of celebrity impersonators including Elvis, Madonna and James Brown, and a wedding party complete with showgirl bridesmaids.

"Large or small, in costume or accompanied by costumed characters, atop a bungee-jumping platform or non-stop through a drive-through chapel, weddings in Las Vegas come in all shapes and sizes," said Rossi Ralenkotter, vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "Las Vegas is an ideal wedding destination because of all the amenities that can be incorporated into the festivities -- golf, spa, entertainment, dining, shopping and more."

While it's not unusual to find look-alikes in wedding chapels, the real thing is not hard to find either. Celebrities who have tied the knot in Las Vegas include: Elvis and Pricilla Presley; Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow; Jane Fonda and Roger Vadim; Bruce Willis and Demi Moore; Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere; Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward; Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme; Ann-Margret and Roger Smith. Other celebrities who have tied the knot -- but not to each other -- in Las Vegas include: Brigitte Bardot, Billy Martin, Joan Collins, Judy Garland, Vic Damon, Tony Curtis, Mickey Rooney (several times), Mary Tyler Moore, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, Joan Crawford, Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman.

Source: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority