Teachers Ask Students, ‘What Is Love?’ Then Use Their Answers as Sweet Wedding Centerpieces

• Halle Strieter and Thomas Randles met in 5th grade and began dating in college. They ended up teaching in the same school district where their paths first crossed and also got engaged
• When they began planning their wedding, they knew they wanted to incorporate a meaningful nod to their roles as educators, and to their students
• One day, Strieter’s mom came across a video on TikTok of a bride who used her students’ work as wedding centerpieces. Instantly, the couple was hooked on the idea
• Following their nuptials, Strieter’s cousin shared a video of the centerpieces on TikTok, which went viral

When Halle Strieter and Thomas Randles met in 5th grade, neither could have imagined that years later, in college, they would start dating and ultimately end up teaching in the same school district where their paths first crossed.

While Randles, 25, always had a crush on Strieter, 25, she never felt the same way, despite her mom often reminding her that Randles was “so cute” and would grow up to be a good-looking guy.

So, after Strieter, a 1st grade special education teacher, and Randles, a 4th grade social studies and English teacher, got engaged and began planning their wedding, they knew they wanted to incorporate a meaningful nod to their roles as educators, and to their students.

“Being educators is such a huge part of who we are that it’s hard to put into words,” the couple, who live in Rockland County, N.Y., tells PEOPLE exclusively. “We both care deeply about our profession and believe that before we can meet our students’ academic needs, we must meet their social and emotional needs.”

“We are the kind of teachers who smother our students with love and support. We understand that providing experiences — like a pizza party or a nature walk — can leave a lasting impact on children far beyond the curriculum,” they add. “Of course, we meet our teaching standards, but we recognize that education is about more than just academics.”

One day, Strieter’s mom came across a video on TikTok of a bride who used her students’ work as her wedding centerpieces. Instantly, the couple was hooked and decided to bring the idea to their own wedding at The Inn at Millrace Pond in Hope, N.J.

Since Randles’s students were at a writing level at which they could articulate their thoughts, he decided his class would take on the project. He explained to his students, who had been asking about the wedding nonstop, that they were going to play a special role in the big day. He told them they would be helping create something very meaningful by answering two questions: ‘Why do people get married?’ and ‘What is love?’

“The students were thrilled! Many of them had been begging to come to the wedding, so they were excited to be involved in such a unique way,” Randles says.

“I presented the questions to my students and encouraged them to answer honestly, without worrying about spelling or grammar,” he adds. “We wanted their answers to be authentic, because that’s what makes children’s perspectives so beautiful and heartwarming. When we read through their responses, we laughed, smiled, and even teared up at some of their answers. It was difficult to choose which ones to use because they were all so special, so Halle’s mom helped us make the final selections.”

“Some made us laugh out loud, while others were surprisingly profound,” Strieter adds. “Children have an incredible ability to speak the truth with no filters, and their perspectives on love were both hilarious and heartwarming. One of the best parts of this project was how lighthearted it made wedding planning. In the midst of all the stress, reading their responses reminded us to slow down and reflect on the simplicity and beauty of love.”

When their wedding day arrived, the newlyweds, along with their friends, family, and colleagues, were ecstatic to see the meaningful centerpieces come to life.

“They truly appreciated the thoughtfulness behind the centerpieces,” the couple says. “The children’s answers were funny, sweet and meaningful, adding a personal and sentimental touch to our wedding.”

“They perfectly represented us as educators and reflected our love for children,” they add. “They also matched the aesthetic of our wedding while adding so much sentimental value.”

Following their nuptials, Strieter’s cousin, Lindsey Monte, suggested sharing a video of the centerpieces on TikTok, which was her first TikTok post ever. But then, the video went viral, amassing 2 million views and more than 1,100 comments.

“Love is about being kind and friendly to your partner,” one of the centerpieces read.

“Why do people get married? So they can get smoochy, smoochy, with each other,” another said.

“Teacher TikTok is such a big community, and we think it resonated with so many educators and parents,” Strieter says. “We were thrilled when the video gained traction because it gave Thomas’s students their moment of fame. When he told them, they were jumping up and down, saying they were going to be rich!”

“We hope people see the value in children’s thoughts and emotions,” the couple adds. “Their insights about love and marriage were so honest and relatable. It’s a reminder that children often feel and understand more than we give them credit for. We also hope it inspires other educators or couples to find creative ways to incorporate children into meaningful life events.”

“This project also reinforced why we love teaching. It gave us a chance to connect with our students in a unique way and allowed them to feel part of such a special moment in our lives,” the couple says. “It was also a beautiful reminder of how children view love, which is often far more insightful than we realize.”