Are you a soon-to-be bride planning to have your wedding at the Mount Timpanogos LDS Utah Temple? We have spent many hours at this temple, photographing couples on the happiest day of their lives! It is definitely one of the busier wedding temples in Utah and is actually a sister temple with the one in Bountiful. Its arched porticos and extensive landscaping make for the prettiest photo spots. 

This beautiful temple was dedicated in 1996 by President Gordon B. Hinckley. It stands just west of the majestic Mount Timpanogos, which provides the temple with a stunning backdrop, making this one of our favorite temples to photograph! Here is everything you need to know for planning your wedding at the Mount Timpanogos Temple.

The Mount Timpanogos LDS Utah Temple

Address: 742 North 900 East American Fork, Utah 84003

Telephone: 801-763-4540

Website: https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/mount-timpanogos-utah-temple/

When The Temple Is Open

Just like other temples, this one is closed on Sundays and Mondays but typically open during normal business hours every Tuesday through Saturday.

Every year, there are scheduled closings for holidays and temple cleanings, which you can find online ahead of time. Here are the scheduled closings for 2022:

• Saturday, 1 January 2022
• Saturday, 2 April 2022
• Monday, 9 May 2022 – Monday, 23 May 2022
• Saturday, 1 October 2022
• Monday, 7 November 2022 – Monday, 21 November 2022
• Wednesday, 23 November 2022 – Thursday, 24 November 2022
• Saturday, 24 December 2022
• Saturday, 31 December 2022

When To Schedule Your Sealing

After you and your fiancé have decided to have your wedding at the Mount Timpanogos Temple, scheduling a sealing date and time is the first thing you’ll need to do! Heads up: some temples are so busy that it has become common for couples to book their sealing date before even getting officially engaged. This way they are more likely to have a variety of date and time options available for their sealing. 

Sealings are most commonly scheduled for around 10-11 am. However, if you want to have a more personalized wedding day experience (especially if you are getting married on a Saturday) we recommend scheduling your sealing before 10 am or after 2pm! This will equal much fewer crowds and much better lighting for your photos. 

Also, consider the number of the guests you plan to have in the temple with you.

Sealing Rooms Available: 8

Largest Sealing Room Capacity: 62

How to Schedule Your Sealing

Once you have a date (or two) in mind, contact the temple of your choice by phone and/or email and they will let you know if they have availability on those dates you’re interested in. They will help you schedule a time and will give you instructions for what steps you’ll need to take next. As your scheduled wedding day gets closer, this will usually include submitting a couple of documents, including a copy of your temple recommends and marriage license. Just before your wedding, they will also send you a very specific list of what to bring to your sealing. 

Preparing Your Wedding Guests Who Will Not Be Entering The Temple

Every wedding party has guests that will be in the group pictures outside of the temple, but will not be entering the temple for the sealing.

What Happens In The Temple And Why It’s Sacred

This is the perfect opportunity to explain to children or other loved ones who will not be entering the temple, why you and your fiancé are choosing a temple marriage. The sealing ordinance is a marriage ceremony performed in Latter-day Saint temples by a person holding the sealing authority. During this ordinance, a husband and wife make sacred covenants with the Lord and with each other. These covenants assure them that their relationship will continue after this life if they remain true to their commitments. This means that nothing, not even death, can separate them.

When To Arrive And What To Expect 

• Tell your friends and family who will be waiting outside to arrive 30 minutes after the start of your sealing time.
• Make sure that your guests who will not be going into the temple know there is a waiting area inside the main doors of the temple before the front desk. There is no separate room available so it can be difficult to help little kids be quiet.
• Ask a guest who will be waiting outside to be in charge of putting the boutonnières on the groomsmen and handing out the flower bouquets to the bridesmaids. This should be done after the other guests have exited the temple but before the bride and groom do.

Wedding Day Checklist

The temple will provide you with a list of exactly what you need to bring. But, here is the general list of what you should have gathered and ready to go.

• Temple Recommend
• Marriage License
• Temple Marriage Recommend
• Wedding Attire
• Temple Clothing
• Wedding Bands & Rings
• Makeup Touch-Up Kit For The Bride
• Wedding Bouquet, Bridesmaids’ Flowers, & Boutonnieres

Sealing Timeline For The Day Of Your Wedding

30 Minutes Prior To Your Sealing Time

• The temple will usually ask that you arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of your sealing. You and your fiancé will enter in Sunday dress and change into your temple clothes inside of the temple. Your guests will remain in their Sunday clothes, although they will be asked to remove their shoes after entering the temple. 

Your Scheduled Sealing Time

• The sealing itself is typically 20-40 minutes, after which your guests will exit the temple. 

30 – 75 Minutes After The Sealing Time

• It usually takes an additional 15-30 minutes for the bride and groom to change into their wedding attire before they exit the temple as husband and wife.
• Phones are not used inside of the temple so guests won’t know exactly when the couple will be ready for their exit.
• The bride’s mom (or another helper of the bride’s choice), will exit just before the couple does. This is a great signal to guests and the photographer that the wedding couple is about to exit.

All About Exiting The Temple

Newly married couples typically exit from the front of the temple out of the doors on the right side. However, sometimes couples still exit out of the sliding doors through the tunnels on the left or right side. If your guests hang out around the front of the temple, they won’t miss your exit no matter which door they use.

Where To Take Group Photos

Your photographer should help you in making this decision. But the sides of the temple just behind the tunnels have spots with 2-3 stairs where you can take group photos depending on the time of day and how many wedding parties are on the temple grounds.

Another great spot if it’s earlier in the day (before the sun pops over) is at the front and center of the temple, just past the flower beds. You can have people jump up on the ledge of the flower bed and others stand in front so that you have two rows.

You can use the grass areas on the south and north part of the temple but I prefer the very front or the sides right next to the temple near the entrance and exits.

Best Spots To Get Photos Of The Entire Temple

• Keep in mind, the front of nearly every temple faces toward the east with Moroni pointing that direction.
• Don’t skip the back of this temple for some beautiful shots of the exterior.
• The front entrance is also great of course. Make sure to take some photos on the sidewalk near the flower bed and the gate.
• Head to the grass to get a wider shot. On a clear day, you can also get some awesome views of the mountains behind the temple.

All About Your Wedding Dress

Did you know brides may wear their wedding dresses in the temple for the actual sealing ceremony? Here are the exact dress specifications required by the temple. Dresses must be:

• white
• without heavy ornamentation
• have long sleeves
• a modest neckline
• all sheer material lined
• the train must be removable or be able to be pinned or hooked up out of the way

“If there is any question about appropriateness, take the dress or fabric and pattern to the temple for approval. Brides may wear their wedding dresses during the endowment session but must remove the trains for the session. They may not wear gowns with long dress pants in the temple. Many temples have beautiful white dresses for those who might need one for their special occasion. Check with individual temples for availability.”

Because many wedding dresses do not meet these requirements, the majority of brides wear a simple, white temple dress for the sealing and then change into their actual wedding dress just prior to exiting the temple.

What To Do With Your Wedding Flowers

This temple specifically doesn’t allow any live flowers inside of the temple. This includes boutonnieres or corsages of guests waiting inside for the sealing. Many brides will leave their bouquet and the groom’s boutonniere with a sister or bridesmaid that can deliver it at the temple exit just before the bride and groom make their big appearance for all of the pictures. Just make sure they know to keep your bouquet out of the heat and in a vase of cool water so that the blooms stay looking fresh.

Wedding Day Tips To Make The Experience Extra Special 

• Ask a wedding guest (not someone in your immediate family) to be in charge of bringing some water and even snacks for those waiting outside of the temple! A cooler full of ice-cold water can make all the difference on a hot day. Better yet, rent a food truck for friends and family to gather at in a nearby parking lot if allowed.
• Ask guests to write down what they remember from your sealing, or other thoughts, feelings, and advice they have for you while they wait for you to exit the temple.
• Set aside 10-15 minutes after your photos but before you leave the temple to reflect on your sealing and write down what feelings and words you remember. It’s such an important part of the day that can easily be forgotten. If you’re short on time, record a voice memo in the car on the way to your next event.
• Instead of a cool getaway car at the end of the night, get one for the temple to your next event. Bonus if you can just sit back and enjoy being chauffeured as a new husband and wife!

We would LOVE to photograph your wedding at the The Mount Timpanogos LDS Utah Temple! Please contact us to book your wedding day—spots fill up fast. To view more of our work, follow us on Instagram.