You can get married in the middle of a semester at BYU or UVU. What makes it hard is that four calendars have to agree: your school's, your fiancé's school's, your temple's, and your family's. This page lines them up for the 2026-27 school year and then walks through the three things that change the moment you marry: your housing contract, your ward and your paperwork.
The break windows, side by side
All dates below come from the schools' own published calendars as listed in October 2026 (BYU's academic calendar list views for 2026 and 2027, and UVU's fall and spring schedule pages). Re-check them before you book anything; both schools revise.
| Window | BYU | UVU |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving 2026 | No classes Nov 25; closed Nov 26 to 27 | No classes Nov 23 to 29 |
| Fall finals | Last class Dec 10; finals Dec 12 to 17 | Classes end Dec 4; finals Dec 7 to 11 |
| Winter break | Winter classes start Jan 6, 2027 | Spring classes start Jan 11, 2027 |
| Mid-semester | No full break | Spring break Mar 15 to 21 |
| Spring finals | Finals Apr 16 to 21; commencement Apr 22 | Finals Apr 29 to May 5; commencement May 5 to 7 |
| Between terms | Spring term starts Apr 27 | Summer starts May 12 |
| Early summer | Spring term finals Jun 16 to 17; summer term starts Jun 21 | Summer semester runs through Aug 10 |
| Late summer | Summer term finals Aug 11 to 12 | Fall 2027 classes start Aug 18 |
Three things jump out.
December is the long window, and it is crowded. BYU's finals end December 17 and winter classes start January 6. UVU's finals end December 11 and spring starts January 11. That is the largest stretch of free time either school offers during the academic year. Our December weddings guide covers the snow, the early sunsets and the temple closures that come with it.
April is a trap at BYU. Winter finals end April 21, commencement is April 22, and spring term starts April 27. A wedding in that gap leaves almost no honeymoon unless one of you skips spring term.
The two schools are offset. UVU starts and ends earlier in fall, later in spring. A BYU student marrying a UVU student has a shorter shared break than either alone. In December 2026 the overlap runs from December 18 to January 5.
Now lay the temple calendar on top
Every temple publishes closure dates on its page on the Church's website, and they do not line up with the academic calendar. Some examples as listed in October 2026:
- Provo City Center Temple and Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: closed November 30 to December 14, 2026, then December 24 to 25 and December 31 to January 1. That leaves two short December windows, December 15 to 23 (which overlaps BYU finals) and December 26 to 30.
- Orem Utah Temple: closed December 24 to 25 and December 31, 2026, then February 22 to March 8, 2027, and August 23 to September 6, 2027.
- Payson Utah Temple: closed March 22 to April 5, 2027, which covers UVU's spring break.
- Lindon Utah Temple: closed February 1 to 15, 2027, and August 2 to 16, 2027, which covers BYU's late-summer finals window.
- Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple: closed May 17 to 31, 2027.
- Every temple is closed on Sundays, and nearly every Utah Valley temple lists Saturday, July 24, 2027 (Pioneer Day) as closed.
If your heart is set on a specific temple, start from its closures and work outward. If your heart is set on a specific week, check every temple within driving distance. Our temple pages, such as sealings at the Orem Temple, list each one's full schedule.
The honeymoon window
Students tend to think about the wedding date and forget the week after. A few patterns that work with these calendars: Destinations reachable nonstop are in where Utah Valley couples honeymoon.
- Married in mid-December, honeymoon over the holidays. At BYU, a wedding on Friday, December 18, 2026 leaves until January 5. Remember that temples close for Christmas and, at many, New Year's, so the sealing itself has to avoid those days at your temple.
- Married in late August, honeymoon before fall. At BYU, summer term ends August 12, 2027. At UVU, fall 2027 classes begin August 18. Watch Orem's August 23 to September 6 closure and Lindon's August 2 to 16 closure.
- Married during the term, honeymoon later. A Saturday wedding mid-semester with a weekend away now and a longer trip at the next break is the least disruptive option academically. Our honeymoon ideas guide covers short trips within driving distance.
Finals week: what to protect
If the wedding lands near the end of a term, protect the exams before anything else. A missed lecture can be made up; a missed final usually cannot.
- Get your exam schedule first. Final exam times come out by course, not by week. A December 12 Saturday exam at BYU is possible because BYU's fall finals run six days, including a Saturday.
- Know your deadlines. For winter 2027, BYU's calendar lists April 1 as the withdraw deadline for the full semester and second term. At UVU, the spring 2027 schedule shows a W grade for withdrawn classes beginning February 2, and a $45 per-class late-add fee with instructor permission beginning January 20. If you are thinking of lightening your load around the wedding, those dates decide what it costs.
- Tell professors early. A short email three or four weeks ahead, with the date and what you will miss, goes much further than one sent the night before.
Your housing contract does not end when you marry
This catches more couples than anything else on this page.
BYU on-campus housing. BYU's Campus Accommodations offers a Petition for Agreement Release "for tenants who wish to terminate their current or future housing and meal plan agreements." Petitions go to a review board that decides case by case, and BYU states it "cannot guarantee that Petitions for Agreement Release will be granted." File as soon as you have a date.
BYU-contracted off-campus housing. BYU's student housing policy sets a two-semester requirement for "single BYU undergraduate students," so once you are married you are free to live anywhere. That freedom does not cancel the contract you already signed. Look for a marriage clause; if there is none, plan to sell the contract. Our guide to selling your BYU housing contract explains how the transfer works and where landlords keep deposits, and the UVU-area version is in selling a UVU-area contract. Provo.com also runs a free housing contract exchange.
Timing. A contract is only as easy to sell as the month you are selling it in. Our contract season guide explains when buyers appear, so you can list it before the wedding instead of after.
Where you will live next. BYU's family housing has a waiting list, and part of Wymount Terrace is offline during a rebuild; our married student housing guide covers eligibility and the list.
The ward change
Marriage moves you out of a young single adult ward. The General Handbook (37.3.1) is plain: "Members do not attend a young single adult unit when they marry."
Where you go next depends on your address. The Handbook (37.4.1) says married student wards serve married students "who live within the boundaries of the married student ward," and that "married students may choose to be members of the married student ward or their geographic unit." Your membership records should be in the unit you attend.
In practice:
- Before the wedding, your current bishop handles your temple recommend interview and any sealing paperwork. Do not move records until that is done. Our just engaged guide covers the order of those conversations.
- After you move in, look up your new address in the Church's Meetinghouse Locator to see which ward or wards cover it. Our guide to finding your ward explains how to read the locator and what to do when it is wrong.
- Introduce yourselves to the new ward clerk. The Handbook says the clerk moves records to the new ward when members move, and the new clerk can request records that have not arrived.
If you move into a new apartment mid-semester, there may be a Sunday or two in which you belong nowhere. Pick the ward your address points to and go; the paperwork catches up.
The paperwork, timed around school
- Marriage license. Utah Code 81-2-302 says a license not used within 32 days after it is issued is invalid. The Utah County Clerk recommends applying about 10 to 14 days before the wedding and offers an email reminder two weeks out. If your wedding falls the week after finals, apply the week before finals start. Our marriage license guide covers fees and the online process.
- Financial aid. Marriage changes your FAFSA. Our married student's guide explains the independence rule and when to file.
- Name change. If either of you changes a name, update Social Security first, then the university. Our legal name change guide lists the order.
- Insurance. HealthCare.gov treats marriage as a change in household: you can pick a plan within 60 days, and coverage can start the first day of the month after you choose. Our newlywed money guide covers health, auto and renters coverage together.
Days of the week that are off the table
Temples are closed every Sunday. If any part of the day happens in a meetinghouse, the General Handbook adds two limits: weddings "should not be held on the Sabbath or on Monday evenings" (38.3.4), and "receptions and similar activities may not be held in Church facilities on Monday nights" (20.5.3). A Friday or Saturday remains the practical choice for most students.
A short checklist for a mid-semester wedding
- Pick a window from the table above that works for both schools.
- Check that window against every temple you would accept.
- Get your exam schedules before you set the date.
- File the housing release petition, or list the contract, as soon as the date is set.
- Line up where you will live and when the lease starts.
- Apply for the license 10 to 14 days out, before finals week.
- Move your records to the new ward after you move, not before.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the best weeks to get married as a BYU student in 2026-27?
When are UVU's breaks in 2026-27?
Can I get out of my BYU on-campus housing contract if I get married?
What about an off-campus BYU-contracted apartment?
Do I have to leave my YSA ward when I get married?
Should I drop classes to get married mid-semester?
Can we get married on a Sunday or Monday evening to avoid class?
When should I apply for the marriage license if the wedding is during finals?
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.
- Set a Reminder to Apply, Utah County Clerk. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Special Enrollment Period, HealthCare.gov (CMS). Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Code 81-2-302 (license invalid after 32 days), Utah Legislature. 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.
- 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.
- Petition for Agreement Release, BYU Campus Accommodations. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Student Housing Policy, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- General Handbook, 37: Specialized Stakes, Wards and Branches, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- General Handbook, 33: Records and Reports, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- General Handbook, 38: Church Policies and Guidelines (38.3.4), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- General Handbook, 20: Activities (20.5.3 Monday Nights), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
