Are you considering planning a wedding at the Capitol building? I’ve put together a complete guide to help you navigate the process. You’ll find information on available spaces for planning your wedding reception, details on hiring a caterer, and the total cost involved with renting the Capitol building. Keep reading for more.
Utah State Capitol Wedding Reception
There are 5 distinct locations within the Utah State Capitol building to host your wedding reception. Each space offers a varied capacity for total guest count in an elegant space to plan your ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ dream wedding day.
Rotunda
By far the most iconic location within the Utah State Capitol Building to host a wedding reception is the Rotunda. The Rotunda is located under the building’s emblematic dome. It is a space dripping with elegance and features views of the interior stone stairway, sky-high columns, and sleek grey stone walls. The architectural elements within the Rotunda lend themselves to a wedding of any style, making it the perfect space to host your unforgettable wedding day in Utah.
Location | Second floor of the Utah State Capitol building.
Total Capacity | Up to 320 guests seated at tables, up to 500 guests seated without tables.
West Plaza
For an outdoor wedding reception experience, the Utah State Capitol building offers two unique locations. The first is their West Plaza. Nestled against the entrance, the West Plaza is a grand location. It offers idyllic views of the Salt Lake Valley, as well as the manicured ground and monuments that reside at the Utah State Capitol building. Your wedding reception will be set under the stars where dinner and dancing are an open-air experience with sunset views.
Location | Utah State Capital Grounds [outdoors].
Total Capacity | Up to 500 guests seated at tables, up to 1000 guests seated without tables.
East Plaza
The second outdoor location offered for a wedding reception at the Capitol building is the East Plaza. This al fresco space also offers picturesque views of Salt Lake City along with the surrounding ridgeline views of the Wasatch Range. The East Plaza can be set for an intimate wedding experience. Or, it can be designed for a magnificent event where style and design take center stage.
Location | Utah State Capitol grounds [outdoors].
Total Capacity | Up to 500 guests seated at tables, up to 1000 guests seated without tables.
Hall of Governors
Located on the first floor of the Utah State Capitol building, directly under the Rotunda, you will find the Hall of Governors. The space’s name is derived from its feature of elegant oversized portraits that depict Utah’s former governors. All in all the space is glowing with light from the glass Rotunda streaming in combined with its use of historic Edison light bulbs.
Location | First Floor of the Utah State Capitol building.
Total Capacity | Up to 150 guests seated at tables, or up to 300 guests seated without tables.
White Chapel
Originally constructed in 1881 but dismantled and reconstructed within the Capitol building in 1976 is the White Chapel. This space is used for hosting non-denominational wedding ceremonies within the Utah State Capitol building. It is a charming yet quaint space, featuring oversized windows on either side and wooden pews for guests. It is important to note that if you do choose to host a wedding ceremony within the White Chapel fresh florals cannot be spread across the floor. Arrangements must be in a vase or container.
Location | Southeast corner of the State Capitol grounds.
Total Capacity | Up to 58 guests seated at tables, up to 160 guests seated without tables.
Utah State Capitol Wedding Cost
The total cost of your wedding will be dependent upon the space you book to host your ceremony and reception. Here is a breakdown of the current cost of booking your wedding in 2025.
The Rotunda
$2,200 for weddings taking place on a weekday.
$2,500 for weddings taking place on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
West Plaza
$1500 for weddings taking place any day of the week.
East Plaza
$1500 for weddings taking place any day of the week.
White Chapel
$1000 fee for use of the White Chapel for your wedding ceremony.
$250 fee for use of the White Chapel for your wedding rehearsal.
Hall of Governors
$1500 for weddings taking place any day of the week.
Catering
When selecting a caterer for your wedding at the Capitol, the building requires that you choose an approved caterer from their preferred list. All caterers listed with the Utah State Capitol have experience working within the building and meet the highest standards of quality assurance. You can view the complete list of approved caterers for your Utah State Capitol wedding at this link.
Utah State Capitol Wedding Photos
Undeniably, the Capitol building is a stunning location for capturing your wedding (or even engagement) photos. If you have decided to host your wedding at another venue in Utah, you can still access the building for wedding photos.
For a wedding or engagement photography experience at the Utah State Capitol building, there is no appointment, application, or fee necessary to access the grounds. We can arrive at the Utah State Capitol for wedding photos at any time during the normal hours of operation. However, if you have a specific space within the Capitol building in mind for your wedding photos (such as the Rotunda), it is important that we coordinate this in advance. It is possible that a wedding or event will be taking place the same day and we will need to check the Utah State Capitol buildings calendar of events in advance to ensure you receive the wedding photos of your dreams at your desired location on their grounds.