Plans change. A family emergency, an illness, a deployment, a job offer across the country, a temple closure you missed, or a decision not to marry at all. Whatever the reason, the logistics follow the same order, and the order matters: some things are first-come, first-served, and some deadlines keep running whether you call or not.
This page covers both postponing (the wedding is still happening, later) and canceling (it is not). Where they differ, it says so.
The first hour: decide which it is
Before anyone calls a vendor, the couple, and only the couple, should agree on three things:
- Postponed or canceled? If you are not sure, say "postponed" to vendors only after you have read the contract terms for both; some contracts treat a postponement more kindly.
- If postponed, a new window. Not an exact date yet; a range of weeks you would accept.
- Who says what. One short statement for the wedding party, families and guests, so everyone repeats the same words.
Then make the calls in this order.
1. The temple
If you are postponing a temple sealing, start here, because the temple's calendar is the hardest to move.
- Call the temple. The Church's scheduling guidance says appointments for your own sealing are made directly with the temple, using its phone number, rather than through the online scheduling tool. The General Handbook (27.3.2.2) says the temple provides instructions when an appointment is scheduled.
- Check closures first. Every temple lists closure dates on its page, and they are long in some seasons. As listed in October 2026, for example: the Provo City Center Temple is closed May 31 to July 5, 2027; the Orem Utah Temple is closed February 22 to March 8 and August 23 to September 6, 2027; the Payson Utah Temple is closed March 22 to April 5, 2027; and nearly every Utah Valley temple is closed Saturday, July 24, 2027. If your first choice is closed in your new window, our temple-by-temple sealing guides list each one's schedule, and our page on Salt Lake County temples for Utah Valley couples covers the next ring out.
- Tell your bishop. Your recommend and any paperwork your bishop prepared are tied to your plans; let him know they are changing. If recommends will expire before the new date, plan the renewal.
If you are canceling, call the temple to release the appointment so another couple can use it.
Keeping the date with a civil wedding
A couple who must postpone a sealing may ask about keeping the original date with a civil ceremony and being sealed later. The General Handbook (27.3.1) says couples being sealed must be "either (1) married civilly before being sealed or (2) married and sealed in the same temple ceremony," and it describes a civil marriage followed by a temple sealing for particular circumstances: where temple marriages are not legally recognized, and where a temple marriage could cause parents or immediate family members to feel excluded because they cannot attend. Talk with your bishop before choosing it; he can explain how it applies to you. Our guide to civil and non-temple weddings covers venues and officiants.
2. The marriage license
The license has its own clock.
- If you already have it: Utah Code 81-2-302 says a license "that is not used within 32 days after the day on which the license is issued is invalid." If the new date is more than 32 days after issue, you will apply again. The Utah County Clerk says license fees, including documents ordered with the license, are non-refundable.
- If you have not applied: wait. The clerk recommends applying about 10 to 14 days before the wedding and offers a reminder email two weeks before the date you enter.
- If you are keeping the date with a civil ceremony: the license is used at that ceremony, and your officiant submits it afterward. Our marriage license guide covers the process.
3. The vendors, biggest commitment first
Call in order of how much money and how much scarcity is at stake: the reception venue, then the photographer and caterer, then everything else. If you bought wedding insurance, call the insurer before you call the vendors; our wedding insurance guide explains what cancellation coverage pays for.
Before you call
Pull out each contract and find three clauses: cancellation, rescheduling or postponement, and force majeure (the clause for events outside anyone's control). Our wedding vendor contracts guide explains what each usually says and where Utah law fits.
What to say
A postponement call goes better when you bring options:
"We need to move our wedding. We'd like to stay with you. Our contract says [the rescheduling term]. Can our payments transfer to a date between [range]? Which of those dates do you have open?"
A cancellation call is shorter:
"We have canceled our wedding on [date]. I'm calling to let you know as early as possible. Our contract says [the cancellation term]. Can you confirm what we owe or what will be refunded, and send that in writing?"
What to get
- In writing, every agreement: the new date, what transferred, any fee, what is refunded and when.
- For postponements, the deadline to choose a final new date, if the vendor sets one.
- For cancellations, the amount and timing of any refund.
Where vendors often have room
A vendor holding a scarce date may be more flexible if you move to a less popular one. Ask which open dates they would most like to fill; rebooking you on a weekday or an off-season Saturday may suit them better than a refund.
If a vendor will not budge
If a contract says a payment is non-refundable, that is usually the end of the conversation legally, unless the vendor misrepresented something or failed to deliver. If you paid by credit card and a service was not delivered as agreed, federal rules give you 60 days from the statement to dispute it. Our contracts guide covers those protections.
4. Guests
How fast, and how
The Emily Post Institute's advice is to "get the word out right away," which gives guests the best chance of changing travel plans. In order:
- Personal calls to the wedding party, parents, grandparents and anyone traveling far.
- A wedding website update with the change, then a link sent by email or text to everyone else.
- A printed card if you have a new date and want something formal; for a cancellation, a short note is enough.
What to say
For a postponement:
"Because of [a family matter / circumstances], we have postponed our wedding. We will share the new date as soon as it is set. Thank you for your love and patience."
For a cancellation:
"We want to let you know that our wedding on [date] will not take place. Thank you for your support. We would appreciate your understanding."
Nobody is owed more explanation than that. Give family members and the wedding party the same short sentence so they are not left improvising answers at church on Sunday.
Gifts
The Emily Post Institute says that if you are postponing, "you do not need to send gifts back, even if the postponement is quite far out." If the wedding is canceled, it advises offering to return all gifts; some givers will accept them back and others will insist you keep them. Registry return windows help: Target, for instance, says registry items can be returned or exchanged for up to a year. Our registry guide covers the major registries' terms.
Showers and parties
If a shower or bachelorette has not happened yet, the host decides whether to postpone it too. If it has already happened and the wedding is canceled, the same gift guidance applies.
5. Everything else
- Hotel room blocks. Call the hotel; some blocks can move to a new date.
- Dress and suits. Alterations shops and rental shops each have their own policies. Our tuxedo and suit rental guide and wedding dress shops guide list local shops.
- Housing. If you had planned to move into a new apartment after the wedding, check that lease's start date and terms. Students should also check whether a pending release from a single-student housing contract still applies. Our guide to getting married during the semester covers housing contracts.
- Insurance and name changes. Nothing to undo if the wedding has not happened, but cancel any coverage changes you scheduled to begin on the wedding date.
- The invitations already printed. Keep one. Recycle the rest.
The part that is not logistics
If the wedding is canceled, the hardest work is not the vendor calls. Lean on the people closest to you, and let someone else handle the guest messages if you need to. Our guide to finding a therapist in Utah Valley covers counseling options, including for students, and your bishop or another religious leader can be a support too.
If the wedding is postponed, the hardest part is often the waiting. Once the new date is set, the rest of the planning picks up where you left off; our wedding timeline helps you see what still needs to happen and when.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we reschedule a temple sealing?
What happens to our marriage license if we postpone?
Do we have to return wedding gifts if we postpone?
Will we lose our vendor deposits?
How quickly should we tell guests?
Can we keep our original date with a civil ceremony and be sealed later?
What should we say to guests when a wedding is canceled?
Do we have to cancel the reception venue if we postpone the sealing?
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.
- Marriage License Application Guide, Utah County Clerk. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Set a Reminder to Apply, Utah County Clerk. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Regulation Z, 12 CFR 1026.13 Billing error resolution, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Code 81-2-302 (license invalid after 32 days), Utah Legislature. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Scheduling a Temple Appointment, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- General Handbook, 27: Temple Ordinances for the Living, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 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.
- Pandemic Wedding Etiquette (postponement, cancellation and gifts), Emily Post Institute. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Wedding Registry, Target. Checked October 20, 2026.
