For those of you not familiar with the Mormon faith, you may be wondering.... what exactly is a temple marriage? To put it plainly, faithful followers of the Mormon church believe civil marriages are dissolved at death, but that a couple who has been sealed in a temple will be married beyond physical death and the resurrection if they remain faithful. This means that in the afterlife they and their family will be together forever.
There are 131 (and counting) temples all over the world and although I have yet to see every single one, I must say that the Provo City Center Temple is by far my favorite.
With its delicate stained glass encased in brick boasting lovely shades of pink and red, the Provo City Center Temple is an ideal choice for any bride who is planning her temple marriage.
On this day I had the honor of shooting Anna and Seth's formals after they were sealed for time and all eternity as husband and wife. Their wedding was very small and intimate with only a few close family members which made it all the more special.
One of the most important lessons to learn about a temple sealing or marriage is that you cannot just decide to get married and then run off to the nearest temple. You will want to make an appointment with the temple as soon as you set your date. If you have someone to perform the ceremony, confirm details with your person before calling the temple so you will be prepared. The temple will provide a sealer for you if you do not know one.
You may be wondering, does it cost anything to get married in a temple? The answer is.... absolutely not. There is no charge for a Latter-Day Saint wedding. Temples do not charge, nor does the officiator. Even the parking free.
So, what exactly happens at a Mormon wedding? Church members believe that a marriage between a man and a woman is not only meant for this life here on earth, but it is intended to last for all eternity. They get married civilly as everyone else does, but they also become what is called "sealed." In other words, they are sealed together as husband and wife here on earth and in Heaven. Instead of hearing, "till death do you part," they hear, "for time and all eternity." While they make promises to each other as a married couple, they also make promises to the Lord as a couple to cherish their relationship and honor Him in their marriage as well. This ordinance is such a sacred and unique experience for the newly married couple, so it is not acceptable to take photos and videos of the sealing.
As far as attendance goes, all family and friends who hold a special "temple recommend" are allowed to join and witness the sealing. A temple recommend shows leaders of the church that you are keeping the commitments you made to the Lord and can enter His Holy House. Those who are not members of the church or do not have a temple recommend, can sit in the waiting room or wait outside the Temple to greet the couple as they make their first appearance outside! As a newly married couple, there is nothing more exciting than to walk out the doors of the Temple and see everyone you love cheering you on and showing their love, even if they weren't able to go inside.
You may be wondering, do Mormon weddings have a reception?
Everyone loves a good party! Receptions are very common after the ring ceremony! You best believe there will be awesome music, dance circles where everyone can show off their dance moves and so much love and laughter to go around. Everything from cake cutting to garter toss will be done if the bride and groom wish.
Latter-Day Saint weddings are very similar to a "normal" wedding except they have one more step which is being sealed to the love of their life for eternity because this lifetime surely isn't long enough! This sacred experience is something couples wait their entire lives for and being sealed to your love is something no one can recreate.
One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to experience weddings from various faiths and cultures. I think it has entirely altered my perception of love and marriage. I think it's important to share this knowledge and diversity with others, so we begin to understand there's not a one size fits all for weddings. And even though I'm not Mormon myself, I love Mormon weddings because of their sacredness - the fact that even though there may be a party, a portion of it is deeply intimate, meaningful, and not shared with the entire world. Instead, it's deeply rooted in their faith and focused on the commitment between the two people and is something that I not only respect but admire as well.
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