LAS VEGAS — The Little Neon Chapel, a popular wedding venue in the Neonopolis building, is facing an unexpected closure this weekend due to anti-ICE protests in the Fremont District. Aaron Hydock, the general manager and owner of the chapel, expressed concerns about the impact on his business.

“The first year we took over was great. Last year there was a little bit of a downfall, but we still maintained, and this year it has definitely been slower,” said Hydock.

The protests, combined with a challenging economy and a change in presidential administration, have forced Hydock to shutter his chapel during what is typically a busy weekend. Hydock, a Las Vegas native who purchased the chapel a couple of years ago, never imagined having to close his doors due to protests.

“Hopefully, it is something we can manage and we can maintain through the weekend. And we still get the business. Because 35 percent of my business is walk-ins,” Hydock said.

Despite the closure, some couples are determined to proceed with their wedding plans. Sebastian Weber, a tourist from Munich, is set to marry his fiancée this weekend, choosing Friday the 13th as their special day.

“Friday the thirteenth is our lucky day. We got to get together on Friday the thirteenth, her parents got married on Friday the thirteenth, we would like to get married on Friday the thirteenth,” Weber said.

However, not everyone involved in the wedding process has been as fortunate. Weber recounted a conversation with a worker at the Bureau of Marriage, who said she had to work a 13-and-a-half-hour day due to the protests.

“The lady at the Bureau of Marriage told us she had to work the day before yesterday, 13 and a half hours, because her boss will not let her leave the building due to protests,” Weber said.

The nearby marriage licensing bureau office, typically open seven days a week, will remain closed through the weekend in anticipation of the protests. Hydock is preparing his business for the weekend of unrest, though he admits it’s a challenge.

“So, prepare for this? I have never had this. This is a major curveball being thrown at us, and it will just have to be a day-to-day operational management of the—I will have to consult with my team and my trouble manager, and we will have to figure this out day by day,” Hydock said.

The marriage license bureau is set to reopen on Monday, leaving the chapel to wonder how much cleanup will be needed once newlyweds return.