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Legislation & Love: 5 Ways the 2025 Vegas Chamber Legislative Day Matters for the Las Vegas Wedding Industry
On
March 25, 2025, members of the
Vegas Chamber descended on
Carson City for the largest trade delegation in Nevada’s legislative history. The
2025 Legislative Day offered professionals and business leaders across Southern Nevada a chance to engage directly with lawmakers and advocate for smart policy that supports the state’s economic growth. It was a remarkable display of solidarity and intent. Across sectors like healthcare, education, labor, economic development, and especially tourism, their members ensured that the voice of the business community resonated powerfully.
Among those leaders was our very own Government Affairs Director, Greg Lynskey, proudly representing the Vegas Wedding Chamber. The Board of Directors unanimously voted to fund Greg’s travel, recognizing the importance of having the wedding industry’s voice represented in legislative conversations. With years of experience as a federal lobbyist in Washington, D.C., Greg brought a seasoned, strategic approach to the day’s meetings—ensuring that elected officials didn’t just hear our story, but remembered it.
Here are 5 highlights from the day—and why they matter to everyone in the Las Vegas wedding industry.
Here are 5 highlights from the day—and why they matter to everyone in the Las Vegas wedding industry.
1. Tourism is Still a Top Legislative Priority—and Weddings Are Front and Center
Greg posed a direct question to Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro about Nevada’s commitment to tourism, specifically noting the vital role weddings play in drawing visitors to the state. Senator Cannizzaro responded affirmatively, recalling the immense challenges lawmakers faced during the COVID shutdown and emphasizing her intent to avoid budget decisions that would once again harm the tourism sector.
What It Means for the Wedding Industry: Legislative awareness of our sector is high—and that's crucial. Nevada weddings bring in billions of dollars annually through hospitality, venues, vendors, and travel. The more our leaders recognize weddings as an economic driver, the more likely we are to benefit from tourism-focused funding, infrastructure, and marketing support.
2. Long-Term Allies in State Leadership
Throughout the day, Greg connected with several key figures who have deep ties to the wedding community. Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony reaffirmed his support for the Wedding Chamber and offered to help in any way he could. In addition, State Treasurer Zach Conine—who played a founding role in the Chamber’s early days as our Treasurer—was on hand and eager to reconnect.
What It Means for the Wedding Industry: Having
long-standing allies in high places ensures our needs don’t fall through the cracks. Whether we’re advocating for small business grants, permitting reform, or industry-specific tax support, the relationships forged by the Wedding Chamber ensure
our voice is heard where it matters most.
3. A Warm Welcome from the Senate Tourism Caucus
At the evening reception, Greg was introduced to
State Senator Julie Pazina, who chairs the
Senate Tourism Caucus. Senator Pazina expressed interest in staying informed about the Chamber and even attending a future event.
What It Means for the Wedding Industry: This is a significant connection. As chair of the Senate Tourism Caucus, Senator Pazina is a key figure in shaping legislation that affects how Nevada markets itself to the world. Having a seat at her table could help integrate wedding tourism into broader tourism initiatives and ensure destination weddings are part of the state’s long-term strategy.
4. Strengthening the Chamber’s Government Affairs Credibility
Greg’s participation in Legislative Day underscores a vital part of our mission:
advocacy. As the
official voice of the wedding industry, the Vegas Wedding Chamber must remain actively involved in policy discussions affecting small businesses, event venues, travel regulations, marriage license logistics, and more.
What It Means for the Wedding Industry: By showing up, asking the right questions, and cultivating key relationships, the Wedding Chamber strengthens its policy credibility. When bills are introduced that may affect our members—from zoning to licensing to digital marriage innovations—we’re in a stronger position to influence outcomes.
5. Visibility That Translates Into Opportunity
More than just legislative meetings, the day ended with a
networking reception attended by state leaders, business owners, and policy influencers. Greg’s conversations at the reception helped place
Las Vegas weddings in the spotlight and opened the door to future collaborations.
What It Means for the Wedding Industry: Increased visibility leads to more opportunities:
event sponsorships, marketing inclusion in statewide campaigns, and collaborative events with tourism offices and trade groups. With strong connections in Carson City, we’re positioned to partner on initiatives that grow wedding tourism—locally and internationally.
A Milestone Moment: Our First Member in the Legislature
One of the proudest moments of the day came when the Wedding Chamber was able to recognize Assemblyman Duy Nguyen (District 8)—the first Chamber member to ever be elected to the Nevada Legislature. His journey from industry advocate to elected official is a powerful reminder that our voices carry weight, and that representation matters. Assemblyman Nguyen’s presence offers the Chamber a direct line to the legislative process and opens the door for future advocacy and policy input.
What It Means for the Wedding Industry: We now have a
literal seat in the Assembly. Duy understands the needs and challenges of the wedding sector firsthand. His leadership will help inform future decisions and could lead to
policy wins that benefit venues, vendors, and couples alike.
Looking Ahead: A Seat at the Table
The wedding industry has often been underrepresented in traditional legislative discussions. But events like Legislative Day prove that’s changing. With Greg at the table—and the full support of our Board behind him—the
Vegas Wedding Chamber is actively shaping the future of our industry at the state level.
We’ll continue building on this momentum by:
- Monitoring legislation that impacts venues, hospitality, travel, and marriage regulations.
- Inviting lawmakers to Chamber events and mixers to experience the industry firsthand.
- Promoting wedding tourism as a strategic pillar of Nevada’s economy.
Final Thoughts
As a Wedding Chamber member, your voice is amplified every time we show up in places like Carson City. Whether you’re a florist, planner, photographer, officiant, or venue owner—you’re part of a statewide story that lawmakers are finally starting to recognize.
And we’re just getting started.
Stay engaged, stay vocal, and stay proud. The wedding industry is not only thriving—it’s leading.
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Las Vegas, NV 89120
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