Chirstina & Eric’s School House Wedding

“School+Friends+Family=Our Life Together”

What made you choose a school house wedding?

Christina:We had looked all over for quite some time and never really found the right place for us. Everything was always just more than we wanted, not in price (although they were quite expensive), but in the over-the-top fancy way. Eric and I aren’t the kind of people who want such a fancy wedding, to have a good time is enough for us. We’re both very laid back and easygoing. Honestly, we have the most fun at our jobs and with friends/families. So we figured that having our reception at the school where Eric had been teaching for the last few years was a perfect fit school+friends+family=our life together, so what better way to begin that life together? Plus, that gave us the freedom to add our own personal touches on the whole thing. I don’t know too many banquet halls, hotel ballrooms, etc. that would let us setup bags and beer pong tables right next to the dance floor.

So you are both teachers; What grades and subjects do you teach?

Christina: I teach 5th grade. My students are with me all day everyday, so I teach them each of the core subjects. Eric teaches high school. He is mainly a freshman and sophomore English teacher, but he has also taught Speech, Debate, and Psychology.

Do you have any extra curricular activities on your permanent record?

Chirstina: I moderate the student council and help out with most of the dances, talent shows, and anything else I can to to support my students. After school, Eric has coached speech, directed plays, and coached baseball.

Was there and certain detail that you made yourself and are especially proud of?

Christina: We used the school theme to our advantage whenever possible. For example, we had a photo booth/area where couples and friends could take pictures (just like a school dance would). We also scrapped the table number concept and instead assigned each table was a grade level. So instead of table #1, we had the 1st grade table. We went from Preschool through High School Seniors, and placed our families in The Principal’s Office and in Detention. When everyone entered the school, the gym was just down the hall from the parking lot door, so we used small chalk boards to direct everyone to the reception. we also wrote everyone’s seating assignments on pencils.

What was your favorite part of the day?

Christina: It’s hard to pick a favorite part since it was all kind of a blur looking back at it. Obviously, the ceremony was very special because that’s when we actually became husband and wife, and the reception was so much fun because of all our friends and families partying with us. The one part of the whole day that truly surprised me with how much fun it was would have to be the party bus. My aunt and uncle rented a giant party bus as our wedding present. This bus had seating for 20, so all our family and bridesmaids/groomsmen could fit comfortably on it. It wasn’t a bus with rows of seats like you picture in your head. It had benches all around the perimeter of the bus with lights, TV, giant speakers, and coolers full of beer/champagne. The bus picked us up in the morning and took us all out for our wedding pictures (we took our pictures before the ceremony so that people wouldn’t have to wait around an hour or two before the reception), then to the church, then from the church to the school. That ride from the church to the school took about 45 minutes due to Friday traffic in Chicago, but everyone on the bus was in a state of pure joy and we spent the entire ride drinking, laughing, and singing along to music we played through the bus. That intimate setting with the most important handful of people in our lives just hanging out and having fun will be a memory that Eric and I will cherish forever!

Special thanks to the Hamilton & Hussar family and the

St. Joseph’s Faculty for being so amazing to work with!

Cheers!

Tom Mamola ♥ AEG Productions