Afford a Wedding as a Teacher

The past couple of months have been a whirlwind with teaching, resigning, moving, creating a new home, and getting married. As we say in Minnesota, "Oofda!"

Life is good, and all these changes have been a success.

Planning a wedding can be stressful, especially on the pocketbook. As teachers, we tend to be thrifty, so let me share with you a few ways that my fiance and I paid for a wedding on a teacher's budget.

Always talk to the people around you, especially other teachers. They are a talented group of people who also have time for other hobbies during the summer months.

Venues
Are you a member of a church? Consider having your ceremony there and the reception somewhere else.

Consider community centers. We were married in a rural area, and the community center rental included tables and chairs for a price below our expectations.

Photo credit: A&E Photography of Moorhead, MN

Catering
It is possible to do it yourself! With a little help from good friends. But this can be intimidating...

If you don't want to do it yourself, talk to your church. There are talented people there who plan and host large meals as fundraisers and celebrations. 

My mother took care of all the catering by talking to our local grocery store and using church recipes for mashed potatoes (my father had strong opinions about REAL potatoes) and corn. She purchased everything in bulk from the grocery store.

The day of the wedding, we asked some family friends who weren't invited to the wedding (because a guest list can only include so many) to watch the food in the cookers.

Cupcakes 
These are expensive! We price-checked at several locations and couldn't believe the cost. So what did we do? Made them ourselves!

The cupcake itself can be frozen without becoming dry. We made them two weeks before the wedding and froze them. Two days before the wedding, we took them out to thaw. The day before the wedding, my superwoman mother frosted all of them. You can plan about 1.5 cupcakes per guest. We planned for 2 per guest, and we had leftovers!

Photo credit: A&E Photography of Moorhead, MN

Decorations
Do you like rustic? Find photos of decorations that you love on Pinterest, and take them with you to thrift stores, antique stores, and flea markets. It is a great adventure for a Saturday!

Do you like lights? Stock up right after Christmas. They're on sale and you can buy the large rolls. This easily adds sparkle to a community center.

Photo credit: A&E Photography of Moorhead, MN

Flowers
Unless you adore fresh floral arrangements, keep your flowers to a minimum. Order bouquets for the bridesmaids, boutonnieres for parents, grandparents, readers, hosts, and hostesses.

Photographer
Do you want to help a student? Hire a photography student from the local college or university. They will have new ideas and can build a portfolio. They can even rent camera lenses from online!

Music
Are you close to a music teacher in your school? Odds are they have a passion for performance.

A huge help is to get to know the other teachers at your school! Many of them have other talents that they use during the summer and would be happy to help you out!

Don't forget to take time to enjoy the important moments in life as you plan your best day.