A December wedding in Utah Valley trades some things for others. You give up long golden-hour evenings and an outdoor reception. You get a valley that may be under fresh snow, Christmas lights on every porch, families already home for the holidays, and, for students, the longest break of the academic year. You also inherit the year's tightest temple calendar, because several temples close for maintenance in the weeks before Christmas.
The temple schedule comes first
Every temple publishes its closure dates on its page on the Church's website. December is busy with them. As listed in October 2026:
| Temple | December 2026 closures |
|---|---|
| Provo City Center | Nov 30 to Dec 14; Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 to Jan 1 |
| Saratoga Springs | Nov 30 to Dec 14; Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 to Jan 1 |
| Orem | Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 |
| Mount Timpanogos (American Fork) | Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 |
| Payson | Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 to Jan 1 |
| Lindon | Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 to Jan 1 |
| Draper | Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 to Jan 1 |
| Jordan River | Oct 5 to Dec 7; Dec 24; Dec 25; Dec 31 |
| Oquirrh Mountain | Dec 24 to 25; Dec 31 |
Every temple is also closed on Sundays, and each sets its own weekly hours, so confirm your day with the temple when you schedule.
What that means in practice for December 2026:
- Provo City Center and Saratoga Springs have two December windows: Tuesday, December 15 to Wednesday, December 23, and Saturday, December 26 to Wednesday, December 30 (Sundays excluded). December 19 and December 26 are the only December Saturdays when either is open.
- Orem, Mount Timpanogos, Payson and Lindon are open for the first three weeks of December, closing only for the holidays.
- Jordan River reopens December 8 after a two-month closure.
Looking ahead to December 2027, the pattern repeats: the Provo City Center and Saratoga Springs temples are listed as closed November 29 to December 13, 2027. Our temple pages, starting with sealings at the Provo City Center Temple and sealings at the Saratoga Springs Temple, have each temple's full calendar.
The weather, in numbers
NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for the Provo BYU weather station:
For a winter reception that still feels like a garden, Orem's Sun River Gardens holds receptions in a climate-controlled greenhouse.
| Month | Normal high | Normal low | Average snowfall | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 53.2 F | 31.6 F | 4.6 in | 1.39 in |
| December | 41.4 F | 24.4 F | 11.2 in | 1.81 in |
| January | 41.2 F | 23.8 F | 12.5 in | 1.95 in |
A normal December day in Provo tops out around 41 degrees and drops into the mid-20s at night. December averages more than twice November's snowfall. An average is not a forecast: some Decembers are dry and brown, others bury the valley. Plan for both.
Our Provo weather guide covers the inversions that settle into the valley in winter, which can mean gray, hazy days even without a storm.
What the weather changes
- Photos outside are short. Guests in dresses and suits will tolerate a few minutes at 30 degrees, not 45. Plan temple-grounds photos in tight groups, with coats held just out of frame.
- Shoes and walkways. Ask the venue who clears and salts the walkways and parking lot, and when.
- The coat problem. A 300-guest open house in December means 300 coats. Ask whether the venue has a coat room or racks, or rent racks. Our wedding rentals guide covers what to rent.
- Driving. Out-of-town guests may be driving on snow for the first time. Our guide to winter tires and canyon driving is worth sending to them.
The light: a 5 p.m. sunset
Sunset in Provo comes early in December. Times from the U.S. Naval Observatory:
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | End of civil twilight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 12, 2026 | 7:40 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 5:31 p.m. |
| Sat, Dec 19, 2026 | 7:45 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 5:34 p.m. |
That reshapes the day:
- Couple portraits in daylight need to happen by about 4:30 p.m. For a temple wedding, that usually means taking them right after the sealing, before the luncheon.
- A late-afternoon sealing leaves temple-grounds photos in near-darkness. Ask your photographer whether they light group photos with flash, and look at examples.
- Evening receptions begin after dark, which suits December. Candlelight and string lights do work in December that they cannot do in June.
The lights
December's advantage is the lights. In and near Utah Valley, the large displays draw crowds through the season:
- Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, a timed-entry light walk. Our Luminaria guide covers dates, tickets and crowds.
- Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Our guide to Temple Square in December from Provo covers the drive, parking and timing.
- Provo's own season, from the city's events to neighborhood displays. Our Christmas in Provo guide lists what is on.
For photos at any ticketed or managed display, ask about photography rules before booking a session; formal shoots may require permission or be restricted on busy nights. Our photo locations guide covers permissions.
The students' long break
For BYU and UVU students, December holds the longest break of the academic year:
- BYU: fall finals December 12 to 17, 2026; winter classes start January 6, 2027.
- UVU: fall finals December 7 to 11, 2026; spring classes start January 11, 2027.
A BYU student marrying a UVU student shares a break from December 18 to January 5. Put that next to the temple closures and the options narrow quickly: at the Provo City Center Temple, for example, the days not on the closure list between BYU finals and Christmas are December 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23. Weekly operating hours are set by each temple, so confirm the exact day when you call. Our guide to getting married during the semester has the full side-by-side calendar.
December's demand
Utah's provisional vital records data show December as a busier month than its neighbors. The state recorded 4,401 marriages in December 2025, compared with 3,175 in November and 3,382 in January 2025. That still put December eighth of twelve, below every month from April through October. Our wedding season guide has the full table.
For couples, that means December Saturdays before Christmas are in demand at venues and photographers, even if December as a whole is not peak season. Book the reception and photographer as early as you would for a spring wedding.
Holidays and guests
- Travel. Holiday-week flights and hotels fill early. Encourage out-of-town guests to book as soon as they have the date.
- Competing events. Ward Christmas parties, office parties and family traditions compete for mid-December weekends. Send save-the-dates earlier than you would in spring.
- Christmas Eve and Day. Many businesses close or keep short hours. Our guide to what's open on Christmas Day helps if guests are in town that week.
- New Year's Eve. A reception on December 31 can end with the countdown. Our New Year's Eve guide covers the valley's events.
Sparklers and fireworks
Utah Code 53-7-225 allows consumer fireworks to be discharged from 11 a.m. on December 31 until 1 a.m. on January 1 (and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on January 1), outside areas a city or the state forester has closed. Wire sparklers under 12 inches are listed as "exempt explosives" under Utah Code 53-7-202, which takes them outside those date limits. Longer wedding sparklers are not covered by that exemption. Whatever the law allows, your venue's rules decide what happens on its property; a venue may ban sparklers indoors or entirely.
A December wedding checklist
- Pick your temple and confirm it is open on your date.
- Book the reception venue and photographer as early as a spring wedding.
- Schedule couple portraits for daylight, before about 4:30 p.m.
- Ask the venue about snow removal, coat storage and an indoor photo spot.
- Send save-the-dates early, and send out-of-town guests the winter driving guide.
- If students are involved, check both schools' finals calendars.
- Plan the honeymoon around the holidays, not just the wedding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Utah Valley temples are closed in December 2026?
How much snow does Provo get in December?
What time is sunset in Provo in December?
Is December a popular month for weddings in Utah?
When are BYU and UVU finals in December 2026?
Can we use sparklers or fireworks at a New Year's Eve reception?
Where can we take December wedding photos with Christmas lights?
What is the biggest risk of a December wedding?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Utah Code 53-7-225 (times for sale and discharge of fireworks), Utah Legislature. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Code 53-7-202 (definitions, exempt explosive), Utah Legislature. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Provo City Center Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Orem Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Payson Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Saratoga Springs Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Lindon Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Draper Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Jordan River Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple (closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- 2026 Calendar List View, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- 2027 Calendar List View, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fall 2026 Schedule, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Spring 2027 Schedule, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (Provo BYU USC00427064; Deer Creek Dam USC00422057; Timpanogos Cave USC00428733), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Sun and Moon Data for One Day (Provo, 40.2338 N, 111.6585 W), U.S. Naval Observatory. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Quick Stats Summary, 2025 Issue 4 (monthly 2025), Utah DHHS Office of Vital Records and Statistics. Checked October 20, 2026.
