The Children’s British Broadcasting Company (CBBC) recently aired “My Life: My Big Family Wedding” which featured the Hanns, a Scottish family comprised of Emma and Roy Hann and their twelve children, who live in Buttars Loan, Dundee. Besides being one of the largest families in the United Kingdom, the Hanns, with children ranging in age from twenty to one, are also faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Eleven-year-old Annabelle Hann narrated the episode as she told about the weeks leading up to her big sister Rachel’s wedding.
“With nine sisters and two brothers, my life is crazy,” Annabelle said in the show. “There’s lots of fun, lots of noise, and we just love being together. But everything is about to change. My big sister Rachel is getting married and leaving home, and it’s the biggest thing to happen to our family.”
The show highlighted everyday life in the family, from eating dinner and going to bed to chores and church attendance. “The church…is where we spend loads of our time,” Annabelle said. “Being Mormon is a big part of our lives.” Mother Emma agreed, saying their religion is a big part of what molds their family together. "It is very important to us to have our faith," said Emma in an interview on the blog 'Pinkoddy'. "It has had an effect on shaping who we are. It has helped us in our hardest times and given us a stronger commitment to each other." Annabelle explained the importance of Rachel being married and then sealed in the Church’s Preston England Temple and how temple sealings unite families together forever. “It makes me feel special because I know that when I’m in heaven I’ll be with my family,” she explained.
The episode showcased the highs and lows of having a large family, but focused on how ultimately family is the most important thing to the Hanns. “Sometimes when you think about each individual, it can be a little bit overwhelming thinking about how much you’ll miss them,” Rachel said about preparing to leave home. “Each one has their own special things about them that you love, and it’s weird that there are a lot of funny comments and a lot of funny things they do that won’t be in your life every day.”
While the wedding was an emotional departure for Rachel, the Hanns expressed their excitement in welcoming Charles, Rachel’s husband, to the family. “My Life: My Big Family Wedding” was recently nominated for a Royal Television Award for Best Children’s Programme (School Age). The Hann family has also appeared in the UK show, “15 Kids and Counting” by Channel 4 TV.