Mayor Carolyn Goodman officiated her first-ever celebrity LGBTQ ceremony on June 14 honoring Queen of the Las Vegas Strip, Frank Marino, and his partner Shannon “Alex” Schechter
Mayor Carolyn Goodman officiated her first celebrity LGBTQ honoring Frank Marino and his partner Shannon “Alex” Schechter.
The Little Vegas Chapel, a wedding chapel since 2013 located within downtown Las Vegas near the famed Arts District, celebrated the expansion and grand opening of its new 
ceremony venue, the Imperial Chapel. The newly constructed ceremony venue adds 800 square-feet of space to the existing chapel, and can host up to 24 guests seated and another 24 standing. I was one of the lucky ones to get a seat right up front and had a great vantage point. Starting off the ceremony were three gorgeous men accompanying three beautiful showgirls.
The Little Vegas Chapel ribbon-cutting with Michael Kelly and Mayor Carolyn Goodman.
Mayor Carolyn Goodman officiated her first-ever celebrity LGBTQ ceremony – a commitment ceremony between iconic Las Vegas entertainer, Frank Marino (star of La Cage, Divas Las Vegas, and Legends in Concert), and his longtime domestic partner, Las Vegas Entertainment Taskmaster Shannon “Alex” Schechter over 29 long years.
After over 35 years of headlining on the Las Vegas Strip and performing over 25,000 shows to over 10 million people, Marino is never at a loss for words. Frank Marino is an accomplished author, newscaster, columnist, spokesperson, and America’s favorite male actress. His first book “His Majesty, the Queen” was an immediate bestseller and has just recently been re-released in paperback. Marino’s venture into reality TV landed him with a number 1-rated reality show in Great Britain called “Last Laugh in Vegas;” he has recently launched a new brunch show on the weekends at the Westgate. He did three weekends in April and the show will return in the fall.
Mayor Goodman proclaimed February 1, to be “Frank Marino Day.” Marino also received a Key to the City as well as a key to the Las Vegas Strip, has a street (Frank Marino Drive) named after him, and is forever immortalized in the sidewalks of the neon jungle as the only entertainer with two stars that bear his name on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame.
A veteran of the Las Vegas entertainment industry, Alex Schechter has more than 15 years experience in live entertainment, stage production, and marketing. As VP Associate Producer for SPI Entertainment, Schechter directs the day-to-day operations of more than six Las Vegas resident shows, along with another three that are on the road.
He oversees show concepts, lighting, music, costumes, advertising, financial modeling and ticketing systems for SPI Entertainment’s numerous live entertainment productions. Prior to his executive position at SPI Entertainment, Schechter served as Company Manager for Greg Thompson Productions where he directed show operations for several live productions on the Las Vegas Strip.
The Little Vegas Chapel offers full-service marriage ceremonies, themed weddings, vow renewals, friendship, and pretend ceremonies. Couples can plan an Elvis ceremony, something more traditional and elegant, or a full-fledged party event. The Little Vegas Chapel has an in-house staff that includes coordinators, officiants, and photographers. Live streaming services are available for guests who are unable to attend in person.
