The Complete Utah Valley Temple Wedding Planner: A Beginners Guide to Temple Wedding Logistics
If you're planning an LDS temple wedding in Utah Valley, you've probably discovered something frustrating: while there's plenty of advice about temple preparation, there's surprisingly little practical information about the actual logistics of your wedding day when you are juggling temple appointments, ring ceremonies, receptions, and luncheons.
As a wedding venue owner in Utah Valley who works with mostly LDS couples, we’ve seen hundreds of temple weddings unfold. We’ve watched couples navigate the unique challenges of coordinating the temple times with receptions, managing mixed-attendance situations, and keeping their wedding parties organized and rolling during that crucial transition time.
This guide is everything I wish couples knew before their wedding day—the real timeline details, travel logistics, and cultural considerations that make Utah Valley temple weddings uniquely beautiful (and uniquely complex).
Real Temple Wedding Timelines: What Your Day Actually Looks Like
Let's start with what a typical, complete Utah Valley temple wedding timeline looks like for both a 11-20 PM Full day and a 4-10 PM event.
Example 1 Full Day @ La Fête: Provo City Center Temple → Venue
10:00 AM - Temple Appointment
10:30 AM - Temple exit and family/friend photos on temple grounds
11:00 AM - Wedding party/vendors arrive at venue for setup/decoration
12:00 PM - Bride & Groom Arrive (5 min walk)
12:15 PM - Ring Ceremony
12:45 PM - Transition to Luncheon Table Layout
1:00 - 2:30 PM - Luncheon
2:30 - 4:00 PM - Break
6:00 PM - Reception/dinner/dance party
Example 2: Payson Temple → Venue
11:00 AM - Temple sealing ceremony
11:30 AM - Temple exit and family photos on temple grounds
12:30 - 4:00 PM - Break
4:00 PM - Wedding party/vendors arrive at venue for setup
6:00 - 9:30 PM - Reception/dinner/dance party
The key difference?
Travel time and photo location strategy. The further your temple is from your venue, the more strategic you need to be about where you take formal photos - many brides will do them onsite or have the majority of their photos done before the wedding day.
Travel Times from Utah Valley Temples
Here's what you're actually looking at for temple-to-venue travel, given our centrally located location:
Provo City Center Temple: 5 minutes
Provo Temple (when it opens): 10 minutes
Orem/Mount Timpanogos Temple: 15 minutes
Payson Temple: 30 minutes
Saratoga Springs Temple: 25 minutes
Lindon Temple (when it opens): 15 minutes
Pro tip: Add 15 minutes to these estimates for wedding-day variables—loading everyone into cars, last-minute photo requests, and traffic you didn't anticipate. Afternoons on Fridays are often congested on I-15, so plan accordingly.
The Temple Decision
For couples who live between temples (which is most of Utah Valley), choosing your temple isn't just about beauty or family convenience—it's about wedding day logistics.
Choose Provo City Center Temple if:
Most guests are coming from Utah Valley or Salt Lake County
You want maximum flexibility for photo locations
You want minimal travel time to La Fête
Parking: Street parking + Zions/Wells Fargo garage; can accommodate large groups
Photo opportunities: Stunning exterior, downtown backdrop, easy access to urban/street scenes.
Choose Payson Temple if:
Significant guest count is from southern Utah County or Sanpete County
You love the temple's unique architectural style and spacious grounds
You're willing to factor 35 min drive to La Fête
Photo opportunities: Beautiful grounds with mountain backdrop, more private feel
Choose Timpanogos Temple if:
You're from northern Utah County (Orem, Lindon, Pleasant Grove area)
Most guests are coming from that direction
You want a temple with established, mature landscaping
Parking: Good lot, though it can fill up on busy Saturday mornings
Photo opportunities: Majestic mountain backdrop, well-maintained grounds
Ring Ceremony Logistics for Mixed-Attendance Weddings
Here's a reality of modern LDS weddings: you likely have beloved friends or family members who cannot attend your temple sealing. A ring ceremony can be a beautiful way to include them in your wedding day celebration.
Ring Ceremony Timeline Options:
Option 1: Before a luncheon
La Fête can accommodate a transition from ceremony to luncheon to reception (extra fees will apply for any transitions)
Allows non-temple guests to witness something ceremonial
Typically 20-30 minutes
Schedule 1-1.5 hours after the temple ceremony
Consideration: The couple and the wedding party don't get a meal break
Option 2: Before the Reception
Host at La Fête
Guests arrive 1 hour early
Creates a ceremonial beginning to the reception
Schedule for 30 minutes before the official reception start time
Best option if you want to maximize the couple/wedding party's energy
Ring Ceremony Elements to Consider:
Who officiates? (Often a close friend or family member)
Music (live, recorded, or a cappella)
Seating arrangement for guests
Will you exchange new rings or "re-exchange" temple rings?
Photography coordination (make sure the photographer knows this is happening)
Script Guidance: Keep it short (5-7 minutes of actual ceremony). Focus on the couple's commitment, include a meaningful reading or personal vows, exchange rings, and pronouncement. The goal isn't to replicate the temple ceremony but to create a moment of reverence and joy.
Where Does the Wedding Party Go Between Temple and Reception?
This is the question we get asked constantly, and the answer is: it depends on your timeline, but you need a plan.
Scenario 1: Tight Timeline (2-3 hours between temple and reception)
The wedding party goes directly to La Fête
La Fete has both the ballrom and, for smaller groups, the party room for interim activities (games, chatting, relaxation, talking etc.)
Select members of the wedding party often help with the setup/decoration details
Allows everyone to stay in wedding mode without breaking away
Scenario 2: Extended Timeline (4+ hours between temple and reception)
The wedding party may go home to change, rest, and eat
Establish a specific return time (and add a 30-minute buffer)
Risk: someone's always late returning
Benefit: wedding party gets a real break
Scenario 3: Photos Fill the Gap
After the temple ceremony, the couple + wedding party can either do extended bridal photos at the temple or even travel to a scenic location in the valley.
Stop for group lunch between photo locations
Head directly to La Fête for the reception
Popular locations: Provo Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls, Sundance, Rock Canyon, Provo River
This is exhausting, but it gets all the photos done in one push
La Fête can help: We provide the party room suite with comfortable seating and private area to elax. Wedding parties can arrive 2-3 hours before the reception starts, touch up hair and makeup, and mentally prepare for the reception ahead. It transforms the experience from chaotic to calm.
Cultural Considerations: Helping Non-LDS Guests Feel Welcome
If you have non-member family or friends attending your reception, a little proactive communication goes a long way toward helping them feel included rather than excluded.
Before the Wedding:
The Temple Explanation Send a brief explanation with your invitation: "Our wedding ceremony will take place in an LDS temple, which is a sacred space where only church members who meet certain requirements may enter. We know this is different from many wedding traditions, and we want you to know how much your presence at our reception means to us. The reception is our opportunity to celebrate with everyone we love."
What to Expect at the Reception: Include a simple note about LDS reception culture:
Receptions are typically 2-3 hours, open house style
No alcohol will be served (but could be amazing mocktails/treats)
Dress code is Sunday best/semi-formal
You're welcome to arrive anytime during reception hours
Bring a card/gift or not—your presence is the real gift
The Dress Code Question: LDS receptions tend to be more formally dressed than many modern weddings. Give non-LDS guests clear guidance: "We'd love to see you in semi-formal to formal attire—think what you'd wear to a nice dinner or Sunday service."
What Not to Do:
Don't over-apologize for temple attendance restrictions
Don't make non-members feel like second-class guests at the reception
Don't assume everyone knows LDS culture—explain traditions warmly as they happen
Don't forget to personally greet your non-member guests and thank them for coming
The 3 Biggest Mistakes Temple Wedding Couples Make (And How to Avoid Them)
After hosting lots of LDS weddings, we see the same mistakes repeated—and they're all completely avoidable.
Mistake #1: Underestimating Post-Temple Transition Time
What happens: Couples schedule their temple ceremony at 10 AM and their reception at noon, thinking "it's only 20 minutes away!" Then reality hits: temple exiting takes 20 minutes with all the congratulations, loading cars takes 10 minutes, traffic adds 10 minutes, and suddenly you're arriving at your venue at 11:15 for a noon reception with no time for the wedding party to eat, touch up makeup, or emotionally transition.
The fix: Add a minimum buffer between the temple exit and the reception start. Three to four hours allows time for:
Proper temple exit and well-wishing
Wedding luncheon
Dress adjustments, makeup touch-ups, bathroom breaks
Final venue setup check
A moment to breathe before the reception begins
Mistake #2: No Clear Plan for the Wedding Party
What happens: The couple has a detailed timeline, but the wedding party is just told "be at the venue by 2 PM." No one knows whether to eat beforehand, where to go upon arrival, what they're responsible for, or how formal their role will be. Chaos and hurt feelings ensue.
The fix: Create a wedding party timeline document that includes:
Exact arrival time La Fête (and consequence of being late)
Whether food will be provided (and what kind)
What to bring (touch-up makeup, deodorant, phone chargers, etc.)
Specific responsibilities (managing guest book, coordinating family photos, etc.)
Where they should be during different parts of the reception
When they're officially "released" from duties
Send this 1-2 weeks before the wedding and confirm everyone received it.
Why Your Venue Choice Matters for LDS Wedding Logistics
Here's what we’ve learned from working on the venue side for many temple weddings: not all venues understand LDS wedding culture, which creates unnecessary stress.
A venue that understands LDS weddings will:
Not bat an eye at a 3-hour open house format
Have infrastructure for receiving lines (proper line flow, space for guests to wait)
Provide bride/groom rooms for transitions
Be familiar with LDS caterers and vendors
Final Thoughts: Plan So You Can Be Present
We’ve seen lots of couples who planned thoughtfully—who built in margin, communicated clearly, chose battles wisely. These couples enjoyed their wedding day. They were present for conversations. They laughed during the photos. They danced at receptions.
The logistics matter because they create space for what's important: celebrating your marriage with the people you love.
Your temple sealing is eternal and sacred, while your reception is one day.
Plan the logistics carefully so you can be fully present for both.
