Five siblings share their wedding day at the Mesa Arizona Temple

“We do tend to do everything together," said dad Doug Waldie, the father of eight children — another one is married, one just started at Brigham Young University and one more is at home. “We’re the ones who would take all eight to the grocery store. But I never thought they would each give up their special day; they did it to be together.”

The Waldies say there are surprised at all the attention they received – from newspaper coverage to TV spots on local and national news.

“I didn’t know it was going to be this big,” said Kristen Waldie, who made four of the five cakes and most of the food for about 1,200 people at the reception, sewed special folders for those who received all five invitations and took care of many other details.

“My wife has an uncanny ability to not sleep,” Doug said.

“But I didn’t do it alone,” Kristen said. “We have a huge support system. During the last two to three months I don’t think there was a day that went by that I didn’t have someone call or come by and offer to help.”

The reception was at a large Air Force museum and signs were hung in different areas designating each couple’s space. They still had their own special dances, photos and cake-cutting but enjoyed the celebration together.

“I’m so glad we did it like this,” Jillian said. “The reception was so fun, just a big party. It was greater than I ever expected.”

Walker Waldie said, “What was most special was seeing everyone together in the temple. If we hadn’t done it together we wouldn’t all have been in the temple together.”

His sister Brooke agreed. “Down the road I won’t remember all the details but I will remember who was there.”

“There was a lot of happiness that day,” she added.

Jill Adair is a freelance journalist in Mesa, Ariz., and an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.