If you're looking for both scenery and culture, you can't do better than Utah. This Western state is one of the most geographically varied in America, in addition to being the home of a major U.S. city (Salt Lake City). What's most remarkable about Utah, however, is the barrenness and strangeness of its beauty - acres of salt flats in the shadow of the mountains; miles of sandstone peaks rising thousands of feet above the ground; wind-whipped canyons hollowed by the years. It's all of this - and a lot more - that make Utah a top setting for your wedding or engagement photos. Let our cultural/geological roadmap - and your Utah wedding photographer - be your guide.
Salt Lake City is the cultural and spiritual center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS, or Mormon Church). Temple Square is the city's largest and most famous landmark; this complex houses the Salt Lake Tabernacle, home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the Salt Lake Temple itself - the world's largest and most famous Mormon temple. Temple entrance is barred to non-Mormons, but all are welcome to explore the square. If you'd like a break from the solemnity, get your Utah wedding photographer to direct you to Governor's Mansion, the governor's residence, located on one of the more fashionable streets in the city (tours are offered). The Marmalade District, home to many of the city's pioneer-era homes, is also an essential destination for Salt Lake City history enthusiasts. Smack in the center of the city is Eagle Gate, a 4,000-pound gold eagle atop a 76-foot arch that formerly served to mark the entrance to the home of early Mormon leader Brigham Young. However, many of Utah's natural and cultural wonders lie outside city limits. Have your Utah wedding photographer direct you to any of the following locations for a unique backdrop.
To the North of Salt Lake City lies the Great Salt Lake. The lake's extremely high salt content makes it easy for (most) people to float - you and your wedding party can don your bathing suits and pose for a truly unforgettable photo session. Golden Spike National Historic Site at Promontory Summit, which marks the spot where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met to form the nation's first Transcontinental Railroad, is a fascinating historical curio located nearby. Big Cottonwood Canyon, located near Brighton, is a dramatic 15-mile canyon perfect for climbing, exploring and photo opportunities (as is Little Cottonwood Canyon - smaller, but no less dramatic). Near Vernal is the Dinosaur National Monument, a portion of the Uinta Mountains discovered in the early 1900's to be embedded with hundreds of dinosaur fossils. The Bonneville Salt Flats, located along the Utah-Nevada border near the city of Wendover, are a really unique geological wonder. What was thousands of years ago a salt lake has dried - making a flat, smooth surface perfect for bike or motorcycle racing, or just a really unique photo shoot.
Between Green River and Hanskville is the eerie Goblin Valley State Park, a vast expanse whose rock formations have been warped by time and wind into some truly ghoulish shapes. More Utah geological magic can be found at Arches National Park, located near Moab. Arches is home to thousands of outsized, natural sandstone arches, including the hundreds-of-feet high Delicate Arch (a famous landmark). Most impressive of all, however, is Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, located in Monument Valley and within the Navajo Nation Reservation. The area is characterized by red sandstone peaks (buttes), the largest of which loom more than 1,000 feet above the valley floor. It's been the setting of countless Westerns and, as your Utah wedding photographer will agree, will make the perfect backdrop for your Western wedding.