Tennessee

Chapel of Love lost to fire that ravaged city in Smokies

Associated Press
Published | Updated

This Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016 photo, shows the remains of Cupid's Chapel of Love, in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Amid deadly wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains, the city nicknamed “the wedding capital of the south” lost one of its most recognizable places to get hitched. The chapel, a white wood log building with a green tin roof and waterfall around back, hosted about 20,000 weddings over more than two decades. It’s uncertain whether the chapel will ever be rebuilt. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP) (The Associated Press)

In this Monday, Dec. 6, 2016 photo, Senior Pastor Kim McCroskey inspects a statue outside the remains of the family life center at Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg, Tenn. The church and the center burned down in wildfires a week earlier. (AP Photo/Jonathan Mattise) (The Associated Press)

The wildfires that killed 14 people and tore through Gatlinburg also stole an iconic venue from this city at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains whose nickname is "the wedding capital of the South."

All that remains of Cupid's Chapel of Love is a heart-shaped pink sign with the name spelled out in Barbie-doll-style cursive lettering. It's uncertain whether the chapel will ever be rebuilt.

The fires also took the life of Reverend Ed Taylor, the 85-year-old who started the region's wedding niche almost four decades ago and administered tens of thousands of ceremonies himself.

A decision about whether to rebuild Cupid's Chapel of Love could take up to six months.