L: Priscilla and Elvis Presley, Aladdin Chef Bjorn “Bill” Jaeger; Priscilla and Elvis Presley.
(Photo Courtesy L to R: Jaeger family; Getty Images)
BUDDY VALASTRO’S WORLD-FAMOUS BAKERY, CARLO’S BAKE SHOP IN LAS VEGAS, TO RECREATE PRESLEY WEDDING CAKE FOR THE WEDDING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD’S 70th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Extravaganza to Take Place Sept. 3 at Caesars Palace
Hundreds of Couples Participating, Limited Tickets Still Available
The Wedding Capital of the World™ announces Buddy Valastro’s World Famous Bakery, Carlo’s Bake Shop in Las Vegas, will recreate Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s renowned 1967 wedding cake for the Wedding Capital of the World’s 70th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, Sept. 3, at Caesars Palace. Including a vintage Vegas-style show honoring seven decades of love and marriage and an in-show vow renewal for hundreds of couples, the event will also feature a full-size replica of the famous cake, prepared by Carlo’s Bake Shop General Manager Christina Nasso.
Replicating the original cake’s dimensions, the Carlo’s Bake Shop iteration will consist of six tiers, be approximately 3 feet tall and assembled over a span of two days. It will be featured exclusively as a show cake during the Sept. 3 celebration for guests to admire and photograph. Additionally, Carlo’s Bake Shop will serve individual slices of cake for attendees to enjoy during the extravaganza, which will be inspired by the original Presley wedding cake flavors. The 1967 Presley cake reportedly consisted of yellow sponge cake, kirsch-flavored Bavarian cream frosting and apricot preserves decorated with red marzipan roses.
“I am a huge fan of Elvis and have two tattoos depicting the King,” said Nasso. “I’m honored to recreate the legendary six-level cake and replicate this iconic symbol of love and marriage in Las Vegas.”
According to Las Vegas native Jag Jaeger, his father Bjorn “Bill” Jaeger was tasked with designing the acclaimed wedding cake for the world’s most famous couple, who married at the Aladdin Hotel on May 1, 1967. At the time of the Presley wedding, Bill Jaeger served as the Aladdin’s chef. His Las Vegas career included positions at The Mint Las Vegas, where he once designed a 5.5-ton cake for that property’s birthday.
Jaeger’s personal history leading up to up to the launch of his Las Vegas culinary career was remarkable. At the age of 9, he served on the Russian front during World War II, carrying ammunition for the German soldiers. After the war, he apprenticed as a chef in Germany and France before relocating to the United States on May 1, 1956. His first job was at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and, soon after, he moved to Florida, where he helped open several restaurants. After being offered a job in Las Vegas, Jaeger made the trip to The Wedding Capital of the World™. He arrived penniless and out of gas, so he pawned his only possession, a camera.
Jaeger’s Las Vegas job prospect fell through, so he used the cash from his pawned camera to—in classic Las Vegas fashion—bet it all on black. After winning enough to pay for a hotel room and a steak dinner, Jaeger met famed executive chef, F. Martin Appelt, who offered him a job at the Tropicana. Jaeger was fronted a month’s salary and started his Las Vegas career the next day. The young chef would eventually go on to design history’s most famous wedding cake.
“My father had the quintessential Las Vegas start to his career,” said Jag Jaeger. “I recall him casually mentioning he made the Presleys’ cake in a conversation about the famous wedding like it was no big deal. That’s just the way he was—modest and understated.”
Added Lynn Marie Goya, Clark County Clerk: “Elvis and Priscilla’s wedding photos of them standing beside their beautiful cake are among the most cherished symbols of Las Vegas weddings. In fact, the Marriage License Bureau in Downtown Las Vegas features a mural painting of this famous image by local artist Jerry Misko. We look forward to bringing this piece of history to life with the expert artistry of Carlo’s Bake Shop.”
General admission tickets and a limited number of VIP Couples’ tickets to the Sept. 3 event still available and may be purchased at weddings.vegas/event.
ABOUT CARLO’S BAKE SHOP AND BUDDY VALASTRO’S RESTAURANT GROUP
Celebrity Baker Buddy Valastro, a pioneer of the custom cake movement, has accomplished an insurmountable amount of influence through his work with the long-standing family business Carlo’s Bake Shop and the hit TLC series “Cake Boss.” With four New York Times best-selling books, four hit television shows and a following of more than 30 million social media fans internationally, Valastro continually establishes himself as a powerhouse in the culinary field. Established in 1910, Carlo’s Bake Shop is a family-owned business with 12 locations nationally and numerous Cake ATM locations in North America and Canada. In 2013, Valastro opened Buddy V’s Ristorante at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas focusing on the savory side of the Valastro family with dishes passed down from generation to generation, followed by a Carlo’s Bake Shop in 2014. In 2020, Valastro opened PizzaCake at Harrah’s Las Vegas followed by additional new concepts, The Boss Cafe by Buddy Valastro and Buddy’s Jersey Eats at The LINQ Hotel + Experience in Las Vegas in 2022. 2023 is another exciting year for Valastro with the filming of his new television shows on the A+E Network, the opening of additional concepts and locations of existing favorites, and a growing e-commerce nationwide shipping business. For additional information on Buddy Valastro Restaurants please visit www.buddyvsrestaurants.com or www.carlosbakery.com. Guests can follow Carlo’s Bake Shop on Instagram @carlosbakery.
ABOUT THE WEDDING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
This September 3, Las Vegas will celebrate its 70th anniversary as the Wedding Capital of the World™. With more than five million “I do’s” and counting, each year Las Vegas conducts more destination weddings than any other place on the planet. For well over 70 years a “Vegas wedding” has captured the public imagination as the ultimate quick, stress-free, fun, glamorous wedding. For more information about the Wedding Capital of the World™ or the Office of the Clark County Clerk, Nevada, visit weddings.vegas.