By Debbie Hall
Few films have inspired the kind of audience participation and devoted following of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In Las Vegas, that passion has found a home at Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel.
Couples can celebrate their love with Rocky’s Horror wedding ceremony, featuring fishnets, corsets, audience singalongs, and the lively ‘Time Warp,’ creating an interactive and memorable experience.
For minister and longtime performer Ron DeCar, stepping into the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter never gets old. “Sometimes, our brides and grooms come in character,” said DeCar. “So it could be two Frank-N-Furters, two Brads, or two Janets. I open with ‘Sweet Transvestite.’ Janet sings ‘Over at the Frankenstein Place,’ and then we all sing ‘Time Warp’ with the audience. It’s so much fun to get everybody up dancing, whether they’re doing it correctly or not.”
This level of audience involvement is what has kept Rocky Horror going for so many years. The avant-garde musical debuted on stage in 1973, was released as a movie in 1975, and became a midnight movie featuring interactive celebrations. In these experiences, fans dress up as their favorite character(s), shout lines at the screen, and dance in the aisles. Sphere Entertainment Co. announced plans for 2027 to bring The Rocky Horror Picture Show to Sphere, featuring new immersive technology to create a whole new generation of followers.
For DeCar, portraying Frank-N-Furter is both nostalgic and purely entertaining.
“I’m still wearing the same corset and fishnets that I had from 20-some years ago,” he laughed. “The fishnets have more holes in them, but I think that’s a little bit of the character. The corset still fits, although I have to lie down flat now to button it up.”
He remembers discovering the film as a teenager, long before it became the worldwide phenomenon it is today.
“Back in the day, it was such a unique film that it just pulled all the unique people together who wanted to express something different. When it came out, I was just in high school. I remember going and seeing it for the first time in the theater.”
DeCar and his partner, Jamie Richards, opened and operated Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel in 1999, which they purchased from legendary Las Vegas entrepreneur Bob Stupak, whose vision helped shape the city’s skyline through Vegas World, which is now The STRAT. After more than two decades operating the chapel, they sold the business to Wed Famously in late 2020. Today, DeCar has returned to continue performing wedding ceremonies, including the chapel’s wildly popular Rocky’s Horror experiences, which draw many couples looking for a memorable celebration.
“We were allowing couples to get married in a commitment ceremony when it wasn’t legal until 2013, when the law passed. But LGBTQ+ families always express their feelings and what they want to do publicly and without anybody, you know, bothering them. Rocky’s Horrors is the perfect ceremony for that. They can come to dress up, feel completely at home with the minister and all the cast of characters because we all know what happens that night in the castle.”
More than five decades after Richard O’Brien introduced audiences to the sweet transvestite from Transylvania, the franchise’s enduring cultural impact continues to inspire pride and a sense of connection among fans and the LGBTQ+ community.
“I thought I was going to retire after the sale because of COVID, and people just weren’t coming here, and I thought there would not be enough work. Then all of a sudden, the momentum picked up. They asked me to come back, and now the company owns 30 percent of the Las Vegas wedding chapel market,” explained DeCar. “I sing more now than I did before when I owned it, and it is a legacy.”
Rocky’s Horror ceremony is just one of over 150 themed weddings at Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, including Elvis-inspired, gothic, sci-fi, superhero, and fantasy themes, sparking inspiration and excitement for unique celebrations.
Most packages include round-trip limousine transportation, fresh floral arrangements, professional photography and video, livestreaming services, experienced wedding planners, and dedicated day-of coordinators, allowing couples from around the world to enjoy a seamless Las Vegas wedding experience.
For more information on Wed Famously and its family of chapels, call 702-WEDDING (933-3464) or visit VegasWeddings.com and connect socially @vivalasvegasweddings.
