Planning your picture-perfect LDS temple wedding is such an exciting adventure! From choosing your temple, the dress, to celebrating with family and friends, there are so many special moments to look forward to. But let’s be real—figuring out all the details can feel a little overwhelming. Don’t worry! This LDS temple wedding guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make your big day smooth, stress-free, and absolutely picture-perfect. Let’s dive in!

1. Securing Your Temple Date & Marriage License

Before diving into this LDS temple wedding guide, you first need to:
✅ Schedule your temple sealing date and make an appointment ASAP, especially if you’re getting married in a popular temple. Remember to consider temple operating hours and closure times.
✅ Obtain your marriage license according to your state’s requirements. For couples getting married in Idaho, a good place to start is by looking at the Idaho.gov website, linked here.

2. Choosing Your Temple & Reception Venue

One of the best parts of an LDS temple wedding is selecting a temple that holds meaning for you. Whether it’s your local temple or a destination location, consider:

• Proximity: We all dream of getting married at the grandest temple, but sometimes the ideal location just isn’t feasible due to where your family and friends are. If the temple you’re getting married at doesn’t quite match your vision, consider planning a bridal session at a location that’s meaningful to you. This way, you can capture stunning photos in a place you love! Check out this beautiful bridal session for some inspiration.
• Time of Day: Late afternoon provides the best natural lighting for photos. But keep in mind it totally depends on the time of the year and the cloudy cover. It is always strongly advised to do a bridal session ahead of time to get the best lighting for your couple photos.
• Reception Venue: Since temples don’t have reception halls, look for nearby venues that fit your vision, such as your local church building’s cultural hall or family properties.

3. LDS Temple Attire & What to Wear for Photos

• For the Bride: When you arrive at the temple, be sure to wear your Sunday best (a dress or skirt), not your wedding dress. You will bring your wedding dress, veil, makeup, and shoes in a separate bag. When it’s time to get dressed, you’ll head to the bridal suite, where you can invite one female family member (usually your mom) to assist you in putting on your temple dress or wedding dress. If you choose to wear your wedding dress, keep in mind that you might need to wear a white long-sleeved undershirt beneath the top layer of your wedding dress.
• Planning your temple wedding Oct 2004 states “In the temple, brides’ dresses worn during the ceremony should be long sleeved, modest, white, and not elaborately ornamented. Dresses worn in the temple should also have high necklines. Dresses with trains are not permissible in the temple, unless the trains can be removed or bustled for the ceremony.”
• For the Groom: Grooms will wear their temple clothing for the ceremony and then change into their wedding attire afterward for photos.
• For the Wedding Party & Guests: Guests who are invited to witness the sealing will need to wear their Sunday best. Please ensure everyone knows what to wear for the temple exit and family photos. Avoid loud and bright colors, patterns, and shirts with lettering on them.

4. Planning Your Wedding Photography

Since photography isn’t allowed inside LDS temples, as your photographer, I will focus on capturing:
📸 The Temple Exit – This is one of the most exciting and emotional moments of your day as you step outside as newlyweds! It’s similar to the traditional walk down the aisle after the first kiss. When you exit, your loved ones will be cheering you on! Make this moment your own—whether you go for a fun dip-kiss (definitely practice ahead of time!) or a sweet, simple kiss. Whatever you choose, be sure to take it all in and enjoy the celebration!
📸 Family & Group Photos – Be sure to plan ahead so your family knows when and where to gather. Right after you exit the temple, we’ll begin with a full-group photo, usually including everyone present. As your photographer, I’ll work with you ahead of time to create a shot list, ensuring we capture all the essential family members and groupings. After the whole-group photo, I’ll direct family members (starting with the groom’s side) into their smaller family groupings for individual portraits.

Sample Shot List for Family Photos

1. Whole group shot (parents, grandparents, and siblings)
2. Bride & groom with both immediate families
3. Bride & groom with bride’s immediate family
4. Bride & groom with bride’s mother and father
5. Bride with mother and father
6. Bride with siblings
7. Bride & groom with bride’s maternal grandparents
8. Bride & groom with bride’s paternal grandparents
9. Bride & groom with groom’s immediate family (parents, grandparents, and siblings)
10. Bride & groom with groom’s mother and father
11. Groom with mother and father
12. Groom with siblings
13. Bride & groom with groom’s maternal grandparents
14. Bride & groom with groom’s paternal grandparents

Bridal Party Portraits

After all of the family photos are completed, it’s time for your bridal party photos! We will do whole group photos first, then bridesmaids & groomsmen.

Grooms—make sure your groomsmen are all wearing the same color shoes! It can look a little ‘off’ if one is in light brown and everyone else is in black. Trust me, the little details really do matter!

Pro tip: Make sure your florals- all of the bouquets and boutineers- are there at the temple ON TIME, before your exit. (If the florals aren’t there, we will still do pictures on the scheduled timeline.)

Bridal Portraits

My LDS temple wedding packages include a bridal session, which allows us to get to know each other ahead of time and ensures you’ll have stunning, stress-free photos. I recommend doing your bridal session at least 2 weeks to one month before your wedding.

Here are 5 reasons why I absolutely love doing bridal sessions:

#1 Golden Hour Lighting – Most temple sealings take place in the morning, which means when you exit, the sun will likely be at its highest point in the sky. If it’s a sunny day, this can result in harsh lighting. While the images will still be beautiful, they may not reach their full potential.

To capture the best photos, consider scheduling your bridal session during the early morning or evening, especially during golden hour—the 1-2 hours before sunset. This lighting creates stunning colors, flattering skin tones, and adds depth to your images.

If having the best photos in your wedding attire is important to you, a bridal session is a must!

Decorate Your Reception – Use your portraits to personalize your reception decor with beautiful images.

Hair & Makeup Trial Run – This is the perfect opportunity to test your wedding day hair and makeup, ensuring everything is just right.

Less Stress on Your Wedding Day – Bridal sessions help free up space in your wedding timeline. Wedding days can get hectic, especially if you have a tight schedule, like a luncheon right after photos. By doing your wedding portraits ahead of time in a separate session, you’ll ease the stress and create more breathing room in your timeline, giving you more time to enjoy your day without feeling rushed.

Genuine First Look – Bridal sessions offer the perfect opportunity for a non-rushed, true-reaction first look. Without the pressure of time or the worry of others in the background, you can fully enjoy this special moment. Not only will this create beautiful, emotional photos, but it will also be a cherished memory just for the two of you. This moment will be priceless.

Choose a Location Special to You – Take your portraits in a location that’s meaningful to you, creating even more personal memories.

5. Reception & Ring Ceremony Considerations

Since temple sealings are private, many couples include a ring exchange ceremony at their reception so family and friends can witness a meaningful part of their union. Other key reception details include:
🎶 Music & Dancing: Plan a mix of fun and meaningful songs.
🍽️ Food & Refreshments: Whether it’s a formal dinner or a casual dessert bar, choose something that fits your style.
🌿 Decor & Theme: Consider incorporating personal elements into your décor. This is great time to display your engagement and bridal session photos.

6. LDS Wedding Day Timeline Example

Here’s a sample timeline to help you structure your big day:

9:00 AM – Bride & groom arrive at the temple
10:30 AM – Sealing ceremony begins
11:30 AM – Exit the temple & family/group photos
12:00 PM – Bridal party photos
12:30 PM – Married couple photos**
2:30 PM – Lunch with close family & bridal party
5:00 PM – Reception setup & final details
6:00 PM – Guests arrive at the reception
6:30 PM – Ring exchange ceremony
7:00 PM – Dinner, toasts, & first dance
8:30 PM – Cake cutting & bouquet toss
9:30 PM – Grand exit!

My biggest tip in this LDS temple wedding guide is to schedule “cushion time” between events, of about 15 minutes or so. This extra time helps keep things running smoothly and reduces stress on your big day.

**Your married couple portraits could take 30 minutes if you’ve done a bridal session, or up to an hour or more if you haven’t.

7. Final Tips for a Stress-Free LDS Temple Wedding

1. Do a bridal session! This can be scheduled about 2 weeks to one month before your wedding.
2. Schedule extra cushion time for travel between the temple & reception, and unforeseen events that always seem to happen on wedding days.
3. Have a backup plan for weather, especially for outdoor receptions.
4. Trust me, your photographer, to capture all the moments you’ll want to relive forever!

Your wedding day will be one of the most memorable days of your life. With the right planning, you can create a picture-perfect experience filled with love, joy, and stunning photos that you’ll cherish forever.

Are You Looking for an LDS Wedding Photographer?

I specialize in LDS temple weddings and would love to help capture your special day! Contact me HERE to check availability and learn more about my wedding packages.

Enjoy this season of planning, but keep in mind that the most important thing, above even your wedding day, is your MARRIAGE. As you continue to plan, feel free to reach out to me with any questions! I hope this LDS temple wedding guide was helpful to you!

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