New 'Friends' Experience in Las Vegas to help fans revisit Ross and Rachel's drunken chapel scene (original) (raw)

As Friends fans know, the saga of Ross and Rachel had many ups ("He's her lobster!") and downs ("We were on a break!"), but also some straight-up hilarious moments.

Now, the Friends Experience has announced that we'll all have a chance to be part of one of the most memorable — that time the couple drunkenly married in Las Vegas — with the opening of a new location in Sin City's MGM Grand later this year.

Ross and Rachel get married in Las Vegas.

NBC

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Visitors to the attraction will see and take photos on recreations of memorable sets from the NBC sitcom, which originally aired from 1994 to 2004, including the chapel door that the couple walked out of after their impromptu wedding. Monica's apartment, which was also home to Rachel, Chandler, and Joey over the years, will be part of it, too, as will the gang's hangout, Central Perk coffee shop, and the water fountain shown in the opening credits. (Photos below.)

Fans will not be required to wear marker on their faces, as Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) did at various times during the two-part episode "The One in Vegas." It originally aired on May 20, 1999, as the finale of the fifth season. (The show went on to produce a total of 10 seasons, rereuns of which have become a staple of cable TV in the 20 years since.)

The "Friends" Experience celebrates the sitcom.

Original X Productions

As a refresher, the Las Vegas-centric episodes depict the gang taking the trip from New York City across the country for various reasons. Joey (Matt LeBlanc) is the first to go, to act as one of the characters at a casino, then Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (the late Matthew Perry), who are celebrating their anniversary. Lisa Kurdrow's Phoebe encourages everyone to go, because she missed the last group trip, which was to London for Ross' wedding to Emily (Helen Baxendale) that went awry. Ross and Rachel agree to go, too.

Grab a photo at Central Perk.

Original X Productions

The Central Perk set.

Original X Productions

The "Friends" Experience recreates Monica's apartment.

Original X Productions

Fans hang out at Monica's place.

Original X Productions

Even before everyone arrives, there's a sticking point: Chandler finds out that Monica has seen her ex-boyfriend Richard (Tom Selleck), and Chandler is upset. While it turns out that Monica didn't feel anything for her former love, this revelation causes problems between them. Eventually, they resolve their issues and agree to get married that very night, only to see that an intoxicated Ross and Rachel — who aren't together and have been drawing on each other's faces as pranks — have tied the knot themselves.

"Hello, Mrs. Ross!" he tells her. She responds, "Well, hello, Mr. Rachel!"

Friends check out the "Friends" experience.

Original X Productions

Fans can recreate Ross and Rachel's drunken wedding.

Original X Productions

The double-ep made for an exciting season finale, which was followed by an episode in which Ross only pretends that he went through with an annulment, because he doesn't want another failed marriage. The whole thing seems like a nightmare, if you didn't know that Ross and Rachel would eventually end up together.

Get more information on the Friends Experience coming to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas here.