For families in Spanish Fork, Salem, Santaquin, Payson and Nephi, the Payson Utah Temple is the obvious choice. For a couple whose friends are mostly at BYU or UVU, it is a 25- to 30-minute drive without traffic. That trade, local family versus campus friends, is usually the whole decision.
This page covers scheduling, the calendar, the guests outside and lunch afterward. If you are still deciding between temples, Just Engaged in Utah Valley: The First 30 Days lays out the order of decisions.
The facts from the Church's page
- Address: 1494 South 930 West, Payson, UT 84651
- Phone: 801-754-4949
- Dedicated: June 7, 2015 (announced January 25, 2010; groundbreaking October 8, 2011)
- On site: temple clothing rental; no visitors' center, arrival center or temple housing listed
- Closed: Sundays and the dates below
The drive, without the optimism
Uncongested routing from OpenStreetMap, which underestimates Saturday traffic:
| From | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Provo City Center Temple | about 18 mi | about 24 min |
| BYU campus | about 20 mi | about 29 min |
| UVU campus | about 23 mi | about 30 min |
If most of the sealing guests are coming from the north end of the valley, tell them to leave earlier than they think. If most are coming from the south, Payson saves them the drive. Either way, put the arrival time in the schedule, not the sealing time.
The calendar
From the Church's temple page, as listed on October 19, 2026:
2026: November 25 (limited operations), November 26, December 24 to 25, December 31 to January 1. No maintenance closure for the rest of 2026.
2027:
- March 22 to April 5 (this covers general conference weekend)
- July 3 and July 24
- September 13 to 27
- October 2 (general conference)
- November 24 to 25
- December 24 to 25, December 31 to January 1, 2028
Early December 2026 is a good window here. Provo City Center and Saratoga Springs are both closed November 30 to December 14; Payson is open. So is the long June 2027 stretch when Provo City Center is closed (May 31 to July 5). Expect other couples to discover the same thing.
Scheduling
The steps come from the Church:
- Bishop interview. The General Handbook says members may contact the temple to schedule a sealing "after they have met with their bishop." A first sealing requires a recommend for living ordinances.
- Call the temple. Members receiving their own ordinances "should make an appointment directly with the temple," the Church's scheduling help says, "well in advance of the desired date."
- Ask about the room. The Church does not publish sealing-room capacity. Ask how many guests the room holds and where family members who arrive early should go.
Guests outside, and the long wait
The handbook asks couples to invite "only close family members and friends" to the sealing, and accountable guests must be endowed with a current recommend. Everyone else waits on the grounds, which the Church says remain open to the public.
Because Payson is a drive for many guests, the people outside may arrive early and wait longer than they would downtown. Help them:
- Tell them what time to arrive for the exit, not for the sealing.
- Name a host among the family outside who knows the grounds and can gather people.
- Assign an adult to the children. The handbook says children on temple grounds must be supervised.
- Send our guest guide to anyone who has not been to a temple wedding.
Photos
Post-sealing photos on the grounds are routine. Save any ring exchange for later: the handbook says rings may be exchanged in the sealing room after the ceremony but not "at any other time or place in a temple or on temple grounds." Our ring ceremony explainer covers what a reception ring ceremony can and cannot include.
Lunch: Main Street or Spanish Fork
Payson's Main Street is about 2 miles from the temple, with sit-down restaurants in the old downtown blocks around 1 to 100 North Main. Google Maps lists several there, including Snapper Seafood and Mexican Cuisine at 11 South Main and Moments on Main at 67 North Main. Neither lists a private room in the information we checked, so call about seating for your group before you promise anyone a table. Our living in Payson guide describes the town.
Spanish Fork is the other direction, about 15 minutes north, with a cluster of reception centers that host both luncheons and receptions. River Bridge Event Center, 1225 South Main Street, is about 13 minutes from the temple by uncongested OpenStreetMap routing; our River Bridge profile lists what its own site says is included. Our best restaurants in Spanish Fork covers the sit-down options.
Back to Provo: the Utah Valley Convention Center is about 24 minutes from the temple. If the reception is in Provo, holding the luncheon there too keeps the afternoon simple.
For how the luncheon works and who is usually invited, see our wedding luncheon venues guide.
A sample south-county day
- Morning: sealing at Payson; guests outside arrive for the exit.
- Late morning: photos on the grounds.
- Midday: luncheon on Main Street or in Spanish Fork.
- Afternoon: out-of-town guests check in. Hotel choices are thinner at the south end; many families book in Spanish Fork or Provo (our where to stay in Provo guide covers the latter).
- Evening: reception in Spanish Fork, Payson or wherever the family's ward is.
In Springville, Hobble Creek Event Center and Copper Creek Event Center both publish their rates.
For an all-in-one package, The Chillon in Spanish Fork sells a $4,999 full-service wedding for 50 to 200 guests.
For a budget reception, Spanish Fork City's Event Center at The Oaks publishes rates from $1,600 and allows any caterer.
Related Guides
- Getting Sealed at the Provo City Center Temple
- Reception Centers in Utah Valley, City by City
- Visiting Utah Valley's Temples: A Guide for Everyone
- The Open-House Reception, Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Payson Utah Temple?
How far is the Payson temple from Provo?
When is the Payson Utah Temple closed?
How do we schedule a sealing at the Payson temple?
When was the Payson temple dedicated?
Where can we hold a luncheon near the Payson temple?
How many guests can attend a sealing at the Payson temple?
Is there a waiting area for guests at the Payson temple?
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.
- Payson Utah Temple (details, services, closures, milestones), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Provo City Center Temple (details, services, closures, milestones), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Saratoga Springs Utah Temple (details, services, closures, milestones), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- General Handbook, 27: Temple Ordinances for the Living (27.3 Sealing of Husband and Wife), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Scheduling a Temple Appointment, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Temples: Common Questions, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- River Bridge Event Center: Home, River Bridge Event Center. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Google Maps place listings (names, addresses), checked via Places search, Google. Checked October 20, 2026.
- OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap data), driving table and routes, Project OSRM / OpenStreetMap contributors. Checked October 20, 2026.
