Kindergarten teachers hold a dear place in the hearts of many. They make childhood extra special, sprinkling the magic of creativity and love on their students, nurturing them into wonderful adults. That’s why a lot of kids rush to make the prettiest mug or draw the prettiest picture for their teachers’ special days. Catie Corken decided to take it one step further – she surprised her beloved students by inviting them to her wedding and making it an unforgettable experience for everyone.
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When kindergarten teacher Catie got engaged, she knew she wanted to have her beloved students involved
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
Like any bride-to-be, Catie Corken hoped to make her wedding day an extra special one not only for her and her fiancé but also for everyone involved. The 34-year-old has been teaching at her school for the last nine years and is beloved by colleagues and students who also warmly welcomed her fiancé. "When we first started dating and I started coming around the school, everyone just welcomed me with open arms,” he said. They were happy to see Catie receiving the love she deserved, so Kevin quickly became a part of this community.
So, when Catie proposed the idea of a surprise wedding at the Good Shepherd School’s church, he didn’t hesitate to say yes: “Absolutely. I had no doubt in my mind that we had to do something with them.” The bride-to-be was first inspired to get married at the school after other teachers shared how special it was to have the students sing at their wedding. She then realized that her wedding date, February 2nd, coincided with Catholic School Week. As everything started falling into place, she decided to have two weddings – one on the original date and another on February 1st.
"Our friends and family wedding fell during the week of Catholic Schools Week where every day is a different dress-up day. It seemed like the perfect fit to have the kids think it was 'Fancy Surprise Day' and then show up to our wedding during the school day," the bride shared.
"The whole school was involved. The kids didn't know. It was just a giant surprise for the whole community.”
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
So when she realized that her wedding coincided with Catholic School Week, she decided to have a wedding at the school
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
The newlyweds later admitted that even though the second wedding with just friends and family was beautiful, it was “hard to top their first surprise wedding.” Kevin shared the excitement of that day: "I was just outside the door as Father Ben announced to the church [and] to the kids that they were there to attend Miss Corken's wedding, and you can actually hear the silence as the kids were trying to figure out what was just said to them. And then it erupted, the place just went crazy.”
"I know how loved she was but, man, that was a whole other level,” gushed Catie’s husband.
"We knew it was going to be cool, but until we actually got there and saw how incredible it all turned out, it just exceeded our wildest dreams,” Catie said with delight.
Love was definitely in the air as dozens of people celebrated the love story of their favorite teacher. For many of the young children, it was the first ever wedding they attended, and it certainly has set a high standard for the future.
"The whole school was involved. The kids didn't know. It was just a giant surprise for the whole community,” Catie recalled
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
After the heartfelt ceremony, filled with beautiful vows and confessions of love, the newlyweds were in for another surprise. They were received in a school hallway by a line of students who went into full cheer mode, complete with shiny pom-poms. Give me an L, give me an O, give me a V, give me an E. L-O-V-E!
After the wedding, Rachel Johnson, Good Shepherd’s director of advancement, shared her delight in a statement: “Good Shepherd is the kind of place where meaningful relationships are forged - the teachers and staff know every child and the families get to know our teachers, too. Everyone was SO joyful to celebrate with Catie and Kevin!”
"Surely a moment our students will cherish for the rest of their lives!" she later added.
Nobody knows what the future holds, but having dozens of happy children sincerely wishing the best on one’s wedding day will certainly add good luck to their marital life.
As soon as the kids found out about the nuptials, they were elated, cheering and screaming for their teacher, who was beaming as well
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
A couple of weeks have passed since the Zwiers’ nuptials, and they are still on cloud nine. "I don't think I've ever smiled as big," blushed the bride. “The wedding was overwhelming but that was so cool. They're cheering for us. They're yelling our names. They were so happy. They're screaming when we kissed. It was like five minutes of just pure joy from every single kid in the entire school."
Turns out, you don’t need to be a rock star to have screaming fans. Being a teacher who is devoted to their job is enough to earn a cheering crowd.
"We just feel like we've been floating ever since. We knew that it was going to be special. We had no idea that it would get attention like this.”
"They're cheering for us. They were so happy. They're screaming when we kissed. It was like five minutes of just pure joy from every single kid in the entire school"
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
Teachers like Catie who go the extra mile to include their students in joyful celebrations once again prove just how much of an impact they have on the kids
Image credits: adamkennedyphotography
The internet exploded with positive comments after the Zwiers’ wedding story went viral. Many people in the comments recalled their first wedding experiences, which happened to be at their kindergarten or primary school teacher’s nuptials.
“My daughter who is almost 28 went to her 2nd grade teacher's wedding ceremony nearly 20 years ago! She invited the whole class & took a picture with them! It was certainly special for her and the kids!” wrote one commenter.
“I invited my fifth grade class to my wedding... 41 years ago. They made the rice bags,” shared a former teacher.
This just shows what an impact teachers have on their students. And in Catie’s case, not only has she taught them reading and counting, but also what a celebration of true love looks like.
Have you ever attended your teacher’s wedding or another big celebration?
Commenters were sharing their stories - turns out, many teachers invite their students to celebrate the special day together
