On December 29, 2019, the Salt Lake Temple will close for renovations that are expected to take more than four years. While some were saddened by the announcement that the historic temple will not be open during the renovations, others are taking advantage of the closure.

Aspiring entrepreneur Garrett Coleman knew there was a business opportunity as soon as the news broke. Coleman, 23, immediately began booking sealings at the Salt Lake Temple after General Conference adjourned in April. He made more than 125 sealing reservations, most of which were for December 2019, weeks before the temple closure. To avoid suspicion, Coleman booked each sealing under the last name “Smith” with different first names and left comments like “I come from a very large family.”

This was only the first part of his plan, however. As the new year approaches, Coleman is reselling these sealing reservations to those desperate to be married in Salt Lake. “When you see a business opportunity, you have to act on it. And I’m all for taking advantage of undying love,” he said. “Plus, since sealing reservations are free, I’m making a 100% profit on each sale.”

McKayla George and her fiancé Ted Nielsen were frustrated that they were unable to make a reservation before they were all booked through the end of 2019. They were thrilled that they were able to even get a reservation, even if it came at a hefty price. “So we were walking around looking at the lights at Temple Square, and suddenly we see this guy scalping sealing reservations and handing them out like he’s Oprah. It was like ‘you get a sealing, you get a sealing, everyone gets a sealing,’” George said. “We were planning on just staying engaged until the Salt Lake Temple reopens in 2024. My grandmother and mother were both married here, so I’ve refused to get married anywhere else. I know it’s the exact same ordinance at a different temple, but it just wouldn’t feel right to me.”

While the sealings are going quickly, there are still some available for the week after Christmas. Reservations start at $850 and cost up to $1300 for the larger sealing rooms. If you want to help out a desperate couple, you can donate a Salt Lake Temple sealing at your local Light the World vending machine.