If you’re planning an LDS temple sealing ceremony in Utah, through the details below, I’ve put together a quick guide to help you navigate your wedding photography experience. Through the information provided, you can find expectations for your total photography time on the grounds of your temple, how to navigate photos with big groups of people, and how to make the most of your moments while exploring the grounds together.
Temple Wedding Photography in Utah
By far, preparation is one of the biggest components to beautifully capturing a temple wedding in Utah, and that all comes down to timing and expertise. Growing up Mormon and through my career as a temple wedding photographer in Utah, I have a deep understanding of the timeline flow of a temple wedding and how to respectfully work in the space, while capturing the moments and people that are most important to you.
Your Temple Sealing & Change of Attire
Your wedding in the temple, of course, begins with your sealing ceremony. This will need to be scheduled with your temple in advance. The sealing, in total, is around 30 minutes in length. From there, you’ll have an additional 30 minutes after your sealing, dedicated to changing into your wedding day attire. All in all, putting your temple exit at around one hour after your ceremony.
What’s Happening Outside Prior to Your Arrival
During the time that you’ll be inside the temple changing, your guests, along with your photographer, will be outside the temple doors, lining up for your exit. As you are enjoying the final moments inside the temple, I typically begin your wedding photography experience around 10 minutes before your arrival.
Guests will be asked to line up on either side of the doors, ready to greet you with warm, inviting smiles upon your arrival. During these pre-arrival moments, I also like to get a sense of your guests, capturing candid moments as they unfold.
Once You’ve Exited the Temple
One of the biggest moments in photographing a Utah temple wedding is the moment those temple doors open, and you make your exit as a newly married couple. Your arrival will be anticipated and planned, allowing me to capture the unabashed joy you experience when greeting your friends and family for the first time after your sealing ceremony. The cheers, applause, smiles, and hugs from your guests will be documented so that you can step back into the excitement of this very moment over the years to come.
Temple Wedding Portraits are Captured in Groupings
Once everyone has had a moment to greet you, we’ll begin your formal wedding portraits. Temple grounds are often stunning with an atmosphere of tranquility through the meticulously landscaped lawns, pathways, and greenery. There are many spaces on a the temple grounds for capturing your wedding photos, and this should be done in a way that is respectful, while honoring any restrictions your temple may have.
Oftentimes, Utah temples have a large stone stairway leading up to the temple facade, which is the perfect location for capturing large-scale group wedding photos that include everyone. Once we’ve photographed your big, happy, extended family, we’ll begin to work in specific pairings with your immediate family, just your parents, and photographs with your siblings, before switching from the bride’s family to the groom’s.
This approach will allow your family members to depart the temple and head to your reception venue in groupings, while also being mindful of a timeline that works for guests of all ages.
Lastly, we’ll capture fun, meaningful images of you with your wedding party throughout the grounds of the temple before allowing them to depart. This will leave us with your newlywed photos.
The Final Moments on the Grounds of Your Temple
Once all of your guests have departed, you’ll have the ability to focus solely on each other. Presence is a driving factor for capturing temple wedding photos filled with emotion and joy. Knowing that your family and friends have already enjoyed your arrival will leave us with time to center your photography experience on the moments that matter most to you. We’ll explore the grounds together, capturing a variety of photos that embody your love story with your temple’s architecture displayed in the backdrop. We’ll spend this time strolling along the pathways and stopping at the benches, all while you embrace each other as a newly married couple.
Temple Wedding Photographer
Branson Maxwell is a Utah-based wedding photographer and videographer with experience capturing temple weddings throughout the state. Once the doors of your temple swing open and you emerge as a married couple, I’ll be present, along with your awaiting guests, to capture the joy of your union. Find more details on pricing and the experience I provide as a Utah temple wedding photographer & videographer when you visit this link.
Or, step inside the photos I’ve captured of Utah temple weddings when you navigate the links below.