Experience with asl?

This is your MIL. Having someone to allow her to communicate at her own son's wedding seems like the least you can do.

I agree. Its your mother in law. I would hire the interpreter so she can fully interpret the beautiful things being said ! You probably dont have to pay for the vendor if you dont want. I am but my venue offers strictly pasta for free if wanted

View Quoted Comment The least I can do? Lol

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Is it not important to you that your FMIL be able to experience the wedding of you and her son to the best of her ability? I understand it can be pricey, but that's what a budget is for. You budget for the most important things, and for me personally that would be one of them. How does your FH feel about this?

View Quoted Comment This! Seems almost like a slap in the face to essentially say "I'm dont care if she gets to know what the speeches were because I dont want to pay for a vendors meal."
Ask your caterer if they have vendor pricing (it's usually way cheaper, ours were 1/3 of the guests dinner price).

My fiance's mom's passed away 2 months ago, but when we started the guest list we also added an aid to help her through the day. I think having a interpreter for your MIL, it an expense that is worth to have. However, I do understand that you might not have in your budget for an extra guest. You could only hire them for the ceremony and have a relative to translate during speeches and such, my mom doesn't speak English and my fiance and more than half of our guests doesn't speak Spanish, and she want to give a speech, so my brother will interpret.
Best of lucks.

View Quoted Comment Yes, the least you can do is provide resources so that your FMIL can fully enjoy her son’s wedding. To only provide an interpreter for the ceremony would be rude and insulting to your FMIL. You can understand the ceremony but you’re not important enough to know what goes on the rest of the night?! A PP had it right, it’s a slap in the face.

How does she usually communicate? Does she have an interpreter during her daily life? Does she read lips?

View Quoted Comment Completely agree with this! It’s her sons wedding day. She should be able to know what’s happening the whole time

You need an interpreter. I honestly can’t imagine why your fiancé wouldn’t insist upon one from the get go. This should have been budgeted for all along. But it is not too late to make arrangements. Look into how much an interpreter will cost. Have your fiancé ask around to see if someone has used one before. This can’t possibly be the first event she’s needed one for. If nothing else, she’s bound to have friends who are deaf. The deaf community usually is very tight, and I would think by networking a little you could find someone to help. Maybe your FMIL’s friends family member would be willing to translate for the evening. This is also a major event in her life, and she deserves to be able to understand and communicate while enjoying the evening.

How does she usually communicate with family members? Can a family member interpret for her at the reception? I was at a wedding where the bride interpreted for her dad during speeches. It was sweet.

I think having an interpreter is very important in this situation. She is the mother of your FH, and I’m sure she would like to enjoy these special moments with everybody else. FH doesn’t think it’s important to have the speeches interpreted for his mother? If the interpreter is only there for a few hours I don’t see why you would have to provide a meal for them.

Try looking into schools and see if there are any students looking to gain more experience. They’ll probably do it at a cheaper price.

I am a mother to a deaf child and if it wasnt for the fact that he will only be five and honestly wont really care for the speeches and what not I would of made sure we had an interpreter the whole day because they deserve to get to be a part of everything too

Do you have a college around you that has Interpreting as a major? If so contact the school and see if one of the students would be interested? I know they have to have so many hours of interpreting to get their degree so this could help towards that, just say I will pay you X amount of money if you interpret for 6 hours or so.

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This. Vendor meals are less per head by far than the guest cost. She will probably want the speeches interpreted as well, and a lot of interpreters have a 2 hour minimum anyway to account for traveling to your venue. It's a nice gesture, go for it. Once the dancing starts, the interpreter can leave.

Though it is a nice gesture for you to supply an interpreter, can she herself afford one? People with handicaps usually provide their own guides or assistants or interpreters. The host's responsibility is to provide additional seating, a meal if necessary, to accommodate the person and aide together.