Mr. and Mrs. Hart

Yesterday was a great day! I loved Erin's wedding and I am so happy for both her and Matt. They are going to make a great team. Wow. I can't believe my baby sister is married.

Here are some pictures I took while following the photographer around.

















Erin and Matthew got married in the Salt Lake Temple. In our church, you have to be an active worthy (adult) member to enter the temple for a wedding. Everyone else waits outside the temple. After the ceremony, all of the temple guests meet the friends and family members waiting outside the temple, and then everyone waits a while longer while the groom puts on his tux or regular suit. The bride usually fixes her hair and make up again and then they come out together a sea of cheers. No pictures are taken inside the temple so everyone who waits outside of the temple can be in the pictures.

The largest sealing (wedding) rooms are for only about 50 people. It's a pretty room with an alter in the middle. The couple that gets married holds hands and kneels at the alter across from each other. They both wear all white. The bride wears her wedding dress and the man wears a white suit and tie. Each side of the sealing room has large mirrors so that when the couple is at the alter they can look into the mirror and see their reflection going on and on. This is a visual symbol of eternity with our ancestors and family members yet to come. It's really pretty. The most significant difference with temple weddings comes at the end. Instead of "married until death do you part" we say "sealed for all time and eternity". We believe we can be with our families forever. It's so neat.

Here is a picture of my family at the reception last night. All of the sisters and SILs were bridesmaids and the brothers and BILs were groomsmen. Megan was one of the flower girls. Since we don't walk down the aisle like most everyone else, a flower girl really has no job but to be cute. I think Megan accomplished that, don't you?



Anyone can be married in our churches and anyone and everyone (member or not) is always invited into any of our churches. The temple is just a more special place. The temple and church are always used for free and no one is paid for their services. We want everyone to attend the temple if they want to. To enter the temple you are asked these questions in a temple recommend interview:

1. Do you have a testimony of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?
2. Do you sustain the prophet and other Church leaders?
3. Do you strive to keep the commandments?
4. Do you treat your family members with love and respect?
5. Do you attend your Church meetings?
6. Are you honest with those around you?
7. Do you keep the Word of Wisdom? (no coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, etc)
8. Are you morally clean? (no sex before marriage, etc)

You certainly don't have to be perfect to enter the temple but you should be working to be a better person.