Utah Destination Weddings: Why This Is the Place

Utah destination wedding, Park City Wedding, bride and groom on snowy mountain with clouds and blue sky, ski lift, wedding in the mountains, destination wedding in Park City Utah
Photo credit: Pepper Nix

Utah lore holds that the first time Brigham Young saw the Salt Lake Valley, he gazed out over its unique landscape and uttered the words, “This is the place…for destination weddings!”

Okay, we made up that last part. But if Brother Brigham could have foreseen the world-class wedding industry that would spring up here in Utah, he might have said it. Today, Utah is, indeed, the ideal place to tie the knot.

We LOVE Our Weddings.

One thing that has always been true of Utah: we absolutely love weddings!

According to a 2025 U.S. News report, Utah has the highest number of weddings per capita of any state in the country. We also have the highest percentage of married adults. None of that should come as a surprise, of course, given the state’s dominant religion. Those magnificent LDS temples that dot the landscape (there are currently 21 operating in Utah, with another 10 announced or under construction or renovation) make favorite photo backdrops for many Mormon newlyweds. The high value that Utahns place on marriage has led to a local industry of wedding venues and wedding professionals that can compete with the best in the world.

Las Vegas may be known as the Wedding Capital of the World, thanks to Nevada’s fast, easy marriage laws, but if you are looking for the most beautiful, unforgettable wedding at the best possible price, Utah is the place. And here’s why.

Photo credit: Breanna White

1. Utah Offers the Best Value in the Wedding Industry.

Utah consistently ranks near the top of the list of states where you’ll spend the least for your wedding. In fact, in 2025 only Wyoming and Alaska had less expensive weddings on average.

It’s not only Utah’s low overall cost of living that drives down wedding prices—although that certainly helps. It’s also the fact that Utah has a tremendously oversized wedding industry relative to its population. For example, look at wedding venues. As of May 2025, Utah had 784 event venues. With a state population of about 3.5 million, that means that Utah has one event venue per 4,470 residents. Compare that to states like Texas (1 venue per 10,000 residents), Florida (1 venue per 10,940 residents), New York (1 venue per 11, 770 residents), or California (1 venue per 13,150 residents). You see the math? With far more venues per resident here in Utah, the availability of venues is relatively high, which drives the prices down.

Let’s look at another example. Utah has one wedding bakery for every 48,700 residents. Compare that to the number of residents per wedding bakery in Texas (60,000), Florida (66,000), California (76,700), Illinois (82,600), Washington (87,400), New York (91,100), or Nevada (102,100), Even little ol’ Wyoming has more residents per bakery than Utah (53,400)! With so many wedding bakeries per resident in our state, Utah bakeries are hungry for your business. Consequently, you can get a fantastic deal if you have your cake made here in Utah.

The point is, Utah’s wedding industry is huge compared to the number of state residents it serves. Translation=great values and fantastic deals for out-of-state residents who want to plan their destination wedding here in Utah.

2. Utah Boasts One-of-a-Kind Wedding Venues.

The Bonneville Salt Flat, the slopes of Park City, and Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks are just a few of the popular Utah wedding spots found nowhere else in the world. From red rock deserts and alpine lakes to elegant ballrooms and rustic barns, Utah has stunning views that seem made for your wedding album.

In fact, Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks aren’t even the only parks available for a stunning Utah destination wedding. Here’s the breakdown of when and how to host your wedding in one of our amazing national parks, as well as some of the most popular of our 40+ state parks. (Bear in mind that parks have entrance fees in addition to other fees. Also remember that permits do not grant you exclusive access to any areas of the park; the visiting public may use the park areas as well.)

Zion National Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings, elopements, and vow renewals.
Application Fee: $100
Lead Time: Submit at least 3 weeks in advance.
Group Size: Varies by location.
Popular Spots: Temple of Sinawava, Emerald Pools, Pa’rus Trail.
Details: Receptions are not permitted within the park.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Application Fee: $100
Lead Time: Submit at least 14 days in advance.
Group Size: Maximum of 30 people.
Popular Spots: Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, Bryce Point.
Details: No music, chairs, or props allowed; no receptions permitted within the park.

Arches National Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Application Fee: $185
Lead Time: Submit at least 14 days in advance.
Group Size: Maximum of 25 people.
Popular Spots: Delicate Arch (sunrise only), The Windows, Park Avenue.
Details: Ceremonies are allowed before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. at Delicate Arch to avoid crowds.

Capitol Reef National Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Application Fee: $100
Lead Time: Submit at least 14 days in advance.
Group Size: Varies by location.
Details: Carpooling or shuttling is strongly encouraged due to limited parking.

Canyonlands National Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Application Fee: $185
Lead Time: Submit at least 14 days in advance.
Group Size: Varies by location.
Popular Spots: Green River Overlook, Mesa Arch (sunrise only), Grand View Point.
Details: Ceremonies are allowed before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. at Mesa Arch to avoid crowds.

Dead Horse Point State Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Application Fee: Starts at $50
Lead Time: Accepts applications 1 to 18 months in advance.
Group Size: Accommodates up to 100 people.
Details: Spring and fall dates are popular and fill up fast; applications for Memorial Day Weekend will not be approved due to high visitation.

Photo credit: Mikki Platt

Antelope Island State Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Application Fee: Base fee of $60; additional fees may apply.
Lead Time: Submit application in advance.
Group Size: Varies by location.
Popular Spots: Historic Fielding Garr Ranch, Buffalo Point, Beach Area.

Great Salt Lake State Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Details: Offers a unique setting with views of the Great Salt Lake.

Sand Hallow State Park

Permit Required: Yes, for all weddings.
Application Fee: Base fee of $50; additional fees may apply, including standard day-use fees of $20 per vehicle for Utah residents and $35 per vehicle for non-residents.
Lead Time: Submit application at least 60 days in advance.
Group Size: Varies by location.
Details: Popular spots include Sand Mountain Dunes, Sand Hollow Reservoir, red rock cliffs, and OHV trails. You can use drones with a $15 permit for five days.

General Tips for Planning Your Park Wedding

Apply Early: Most parks require permits to be submitted well in advance—often 14 days to a year ahead.
Know the Rules: Each park has specific regulations regarding group size, permitted locations, and prohibited items (e.g., music, chairs, decorations).
Consider Off-Peak Times: Sunrise or sunset ceremonies often provide more privacy and better lighting.
Have a Backup Plan: Have an alternative location in mind in case of inclement weather.

Photo credit: Logan Walker

3. Utah Offers Michelin 3-Star Hospitality.

Michelin stars are considered the ultimate prize in the culinary industry and are awarded to the very best restaurants in the world. Popular shows like The Bear and Burnt portray just how coveted Michelin stars are. A single Michelin star designates an extraordinarily good restaurant while two stars indicates a restaurant that is “worth a detour” just to experience the food. Three Michelin stars are reserved for restaurants so amazing that they’re worth planning a whole trip just for the dining experience!
But many people don’t realize that Michelin also awards stars for world-class service and hospitality. In 2018, Michelin gave three stars to Utah in recognition of the state’s outstanding service, hospitality, natural beauty, and overall value as a tourist destination. It was the first and only time Michelin has given such an award to any U.S. state. Michelin described Utah as “essential, exceptional, worth a journey in itself” and a must-see destination.

So if there was ever any doubt about the quality of service, food, and hospitality you can find in Utah, please consult the Michelin Guide.

4. Utah Makes Destination Weddings Accessible and Convenient.

Utah’s natural beauty isn’t only world-class; it’s also convenient and accessible for anyone planning their destination wedding.
Salt Lake City International Airport is a major hub, making it easy for your guests to get here, no matter where they’re coming from. And once they arrive, they can easily reach both urban venues and remote natural wonders within a short drive.

Distances from Salt Lake City International Airport:

Temple Square and Downtown SLC—15 minutes
Park City—45 minutes
La Caille near Cottonwood Canyon—30 minutes
McCune Mansion—15 minutes
River Bottoms Ranch in Midway—50 minutes
4U Ranch in Peoa—60 minutes
Sundance Resort—60 minutes
All of Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks –3-4 hours
Moab—3 hours 45 minutes

Thanks to Utah’s well-established tourism industry, lodging options are abundant and convenient, ranging from budget-friendly hotels to luxury resorts.

Photo credit: Trevor Hooper

5. Utah Has All-Season Appeal.

Whatever you have in mind for your special day, Utah has the season to match. In all four of our seasons, you’ll find unparalleled natural beauty. From snowy winter wonderlands and spring wildflowers to summer meadows or fall foliage, this is the place where Nature puts on her very finest.

6. When You Plan Your Destination Wedding in Utah, the Honeymoon Is Free!

With the money you can save by holding your destination wedding in Utah, you’ll have the budget left over for a fantastic honeymoon. And if you plan that honeymoon in Park City, Moab, or another of Utah’s amazing honeymoon destinations, you’ll save even more!

How much can you expect to save by planning your wedding in Utah?

We used an online Wedding Cost Comparison Calculator to compare the price of a similar wedding held in different major U.S. cities. We used the figure of $37,444 (the average amount spent on a Utah wedding in 2024) as our base price. Here’s what it would cost to have the same wedding in different cities (rounded to the nearest $1,000):

Phoenix—$40,000
St. Louis—$40,000
Nashville—$46,000
Austin—$48,000
Denver—$50,000
Las Vegas—$50,000
Portland—$52,000
Charleston—$52,000
Miami—$54,000
Chicago—$59,000
Seattle—$61,000
Los Angeles—$72,000
San Francisco—$80,000
New York City—$87,000

That’s right: the same wedding, featuring the same food, rentals, flowers, music, wedding dress, etc., costs less than half if you hold it in Utah versus New York! That’s a savings of over $49,000. What kind of honeymoon can you enjoy for $49,000?

Something pretty darn amazing, we imagine.

7. Make It a Vacation.

If you’re inviting friends and family from outside the state to your wedding, they’ll be able to make an unforgettable vacation of it. There are more “can’t miss” things to do in Utah than they’ll have time to squeeze in, but here are a few ideas to get your itinerary started.

Walk the grounds of historic Temple Square
Connect to your past at FamilySearch, one of the world’s largest genealogical libraries
Take a guided Navajo tour of Monument Valley
Stargaze at Dead Horse Point
See bison herds on Antelope Island
Ski or snowboard Utah’s “greatest snow on earth”
Soak in Mystic Hot Springs
Scuba dive the geothermal Utah Crater
Pick fresh fruit in Capitol Reef National Park
Bike the trails of Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon
Soak up the sun on a houseboat at Lake Powell
Enjoy premier fly fishing on Utah’s lakes and rivers
Watch the hoodoos glow at Bryce Canyon or Goblin Valley
Go spelunking in Timpanogos Cave
Dig for actual dinosaur bones at a dinosaur quarry
Indulge your inner oenophile with a wine flight at The Tasting Room
Experience Park City’s art gallery and fine dining scene
Take in a play at the Emmy and Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival
Retrace history at Golden Spike historical park, Pony Express Trail, or Emigration Canyon (where Brigham Young famously declared “This is the place.”)

Utah Destination Weddings: Why This Is the Place