SALT LAKE CITY - A major renovation project is set to begin this weekend at Temple Square in Downtown Salt Lake City. Saturday will be the final day for weddings at the Salt Lake Temple before it closes down.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints estimates the renovations could take around four years.
With the deadline of the closure looming, the Salt Lake Temple has been packed with excited couples ready to tie the knot, Daniel Woodruff said.
"Nearly every session at the Salt Lake Temple is at or near capacity and has been for some time," the LDS spokesperson said.
Temple Square was filled with brides and grooms Friday. Some couples were nervous if they would be able to get married before the renovation.
“I was kind of nervous, I wasn’t sure that we might call and it might be booked or it might be really, really crowded," Amy Swanson said.
Luckily, Swanson and her now-husband were able to get married.
“We just got engaged at the right time to get married here before it closed. It just kind of became a family tradition, really a dream come true," she said.
The excitement was obvious among the newlyweds.
“We started talking about getting married and I was like ‘Salt Lake. That’s it," Ciara Smith said. She always knew she wanted to get married at the Salt Lake Temple.
“It’s the perfect princess castle. Nothing beats this castle ... temple," she said as she and her husband Cody laughed.
Temple Square will remain open during the renovations, however, the Salt Lake Temple will be closed. There will be times when visitors will be able to check out the progress of the renovations at various observation points. There will be periodic, temporary road and sidewalk closures during the project, Woodruff said.
For more on the renovation, click here.
