Usher evokes Elvis’ spirit in downtown Las Vegas wedding

Usher perforrms at halftime of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Usher performs during halftime of Super Bowl 58 Sunday, February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.(Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Usher and his girlfriend, Jennifer Goicoechea, share a moment at Dolby Live at Park MGM on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. (John Katsilometes/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @JohnnyKats

Usher perforrms at halftime of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Newlyweds Amanda McIntire, left, poses for a photo with Elvis impersonator Ron Decar, center, and her now husband Jeff McIntire, right at Vegas Weddings in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023. Couples flocked to wedding chapels on Sunday for the unique date 12/31/23, with its repeating pattern of 1-2-3-1-2-3. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @rookie__rae

Ron Decar, owner of Viva Las Vegas, helps Julie and Garry Kim out of the pink Cadillac and into the chapel to renew their wedding vows at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel on Saturday, June 3, 2017. (Patrick Connolly/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @PConnPie

Ron Decar, owner of Viva Las Vegas, makes his appearance as Elvis while introducing Garry and Julie Kim to renew their wedding vows at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel on Saturday, June 3, 2017. (Patrick Connolly/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @PConnPie

Usher performs during the halftime show at Super Bowl 58 at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Usher performs during halftime of Super Bowl 58 Sunday, February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Usher performs during halftime of Super Bowl 58 Sunday, February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Usher performs during halftime of Super Bowl 58 Sunday, February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Usher performs during halftime of Super Bowl 58 Sunday, February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Usher and his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Goicoechea, followed through with wedding plans following Super Bowl 58.

In true Vegas spirit, an Elvis impressionist was involved.

According to the couple’s wedding certificate, the nuptials were performed Sunday at Vegas Weddings at 555 South 3rd Street in downtown Las Vegas.

Rev. Ronald Pokrywka performed the service, according to the document. Pokrywka is better known as Ron DeCar, one of the longest-running, best-known Elvis-themed officiants in Las Vegas.

DeCar, who was a singer in “Folies Bergere” at Tropicana for a dozen years, reportedly performed the ceremony as Elvis. He’s also the former owner of Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel and the connected Vegas Events Center.

“From Elvis to Usher, our Vegas residencies are something special and it was a highlight in my career to get to officiate and serenade the couple,” DeCar said in a text. “I’m excited for him and Jennifer and wish them all the best together and will wait for them to share any further details of their wedding.”

The couple’s certificate was stamped by Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya at about 2:15 p.m. Monday. The 45-year-old Usher is identified by his legal name, Usher Raymond IV. He also notes Las Vegas as his home.

The quaint chapel is in line with the couple’s original wish to enjoy an intimate ceremony, after Usher’s boffo halftime performance at Allegiant Stadium. The 40-year-old Goicoechea is a top executive for Epic Records.

Vegas Weddings is operated by its CEO Cliff Evarts and company president Melody Willis-Williams, who also oversees Little White Wedding Chapel, Vegas Weddings and Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel. Evarts actually purchased Viva Las Vegas from DeCar in 2020.

In a statement Monday afternoon Willis-Williams congratulated he couple, saying, “We were beyond thrilled to host in this epic day for Usher and his new wife!” The chapel is also deferring to the couple for any other news breaks about the ceremony.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.