What a day. The Manti Utah Temple; A Wedding; And a Family History Field Trip

What a full and amazing day we had back on August 4th, 2011. Some of our friends from Florida had a daughter getting married in Utah.  Shanell Goodell. The wedding happened to be when we were in Utah, so I was so excited to do the photography. The wedding was at the historical and beautiful Manti Utah Latter Day Saint Temple.  What a beautiful day it was.  And what an amazing setting.  This temple sits high on a hill overlooking a lovely valley of a farming community.  The ceremony was wonderful, and the outside of the temple was just a great place for the pictures. My grandparents and great grandparents had been married in this temple, so it had some significance for me.  John was able to attend the wedding with me, as he had just flown into Utah, and that made it all the better. 

  After the wedding, we needed to head back to Provo to shoot the reception later that night.  We had some time to kill, and as it happened, Manti happens to be near SPRING CITY UTAH.  Spring city is a tiny tiny little town that my Danish ancestors settled back in the 1800's.  Two sets of my Great Great Grandparents on my mothers side went there to start this little town.  Both set originally from Denmark.  The Allreds and the Hansens.  They were sent there by Brigham Young.  My Great Grandfather Joseph Franklin Hansen grew up there and met my Great Grandmother, Anna Eliza Allred, there as a teen.  They married and lived there their entire lives. This house (below) was their house, and it looked the same except it was painted red.  My Grandmother Rodeback lived there until she moved out to work and get married.  My mother visited her grandparents here on their farm as a child and has such fond memories.  My Great Grandpa Hansen was the only Grandfather I ever knew, since my two other grandfathers died when I was very young.  By the time I knew Grandpa Hansen, he lived with my Grandmother in Salt Lake City.  I had a very special bond with him. I love learning about his history and about what his life might have been like.  I remember visiting Spring City as a child as well.  It seemed small and boring then.  Now... I LOVE IT.  Something about old building and the history that they hold, really gets to me. Maybe it is the photographer in me.  

This school is directly across from my Grandpa's house. It is the school that my grandmother went to as a small child.  It is AMAZING.  They don't build schools like this anymore.  It used to have a circular slide coming out the side upper windows (a fire escape), that we loved to play on as kids. 

I can almost picture Great Grandma and Grandpa Hansen resting in the shade of this yard, or sitting on the porch.  

This Rock house is down the street from my grandfathers house.  I believe it is their first home.  Maybe the home where my grandmother was born.  I'm sure if i am wrong...my mother will correct me.  Please. It seemed to be in the spot my mother and the history said it should be in.  Well, either way, its a neat old house.

Just the cool general store.  I would love to spend the day in this town and take as many pictures as I wanted.

This is my adorable husband and photography assistant for the day.  I snapped this later that night after the reception.  I had to include it because HE IS SO CUTE, he was a great help to me and I want to say thank you, and because I just love these mountains in Provo.  I'm so glad the whole day went well and I got to shoot this wedding and also feel so connected to my ancestors.