A couple from the Gold Coast have been hitched in a barn yard affair with the special guests being a donkey, a rooster, two chickens, a lizard and a dog.
Melanie Teefy, 26, and her husband Joseph chose to marry with their pets surrounding them.
‘We have quite a few pets but only a few got VIP [Very Important Pet] inclusion in the wedding,’ Melanie told Daily Mail Australia.
Melanie rode into the ceremony on their donkey Billybob and the three bridesmaids carried the ‘clucking awesome chickens’ Mrs Potts, Luna and Gaston the rooster as the ‘bouquets’.
Melanie Teefy, 26, and her husband Joseph chose to marry with their furry, and not so furry, friends surrounding them
The bride, Melanie, rode into the ceremony on their donkey Billybob
‘Billybob was essentially wild three years ago until I took him on and got some training into him,’ the bride told Daily Mail Australia.
‘My brother led him in for me , although he does ride nicely and I actually take him to shows to compete.’
Spyke the bearded dragon was the ring bearer and their flower girl was their Border Collie, Ava, who Melanie has both owned since they were ‘little babies’.
‘Ava and I used to do a lot of trick training when she was younger… and one of the best tricks I ever taught her was to collect the feed buckets from the horse paddocks.
‘So her being flower girl was an easy job for her – the challenge we had was getting her to walk, rather then run, down the aisle She ended up at a nice jog.’
Their flower girl was their Border Collie Ava who Melanie has owned since Ava was a little baby
The three bridesmaids carried the ‘clucking awesome chickens’ Mrs Potts and Luna and Gaston the rooster as the “bouquets”
Melanie explained that she thinks the way Joseph proposed is ‘pretty hard to beat’ when it comes to the ‘scale of romance’.
‘We had a short trip over at Uluru for a weekend of bush walking and to tick that beautiful part of Australia off our bucket list,’ she said.
‘We managed to arrive in peak wildflower season, which is only once or twice every century.’
The couple flew in expecting to have red desert awaiting them but they were met by an array of vibrant colours.
The couple were hitched in a barn yard affair with the special guests being a donkey, a rooster, two chickens, a lizard and a dog
Melanie explained to FEMAIL that she thinks the way Joseph proposed is ‘pretty hard to beat’ when it comes to the ‘scale of romance’
They explored the track around Uluru on bike before walking through the Olgas and making it to the Field of Lights.
‘That meant an artist had filled up several acres of red desert with these beautiful glowing glass globes and it looks like a night sky but on the ground – and you got to walk through it,’ Melanie explained.
‘After a hearty dinner on a cold night Joseph hugged me and even through several layers of clothing I could feel his heart beating against my chest.’
Melanie and Joseph have been together since 2013 but they actually went to school together as kids
‘He sort of just stood there for a bit, bracing himself I guess, but I knew what was coming.
‘And then he got down on one knee and asked, with my full name, if I would marry him.’
Melanie and Joseph have been together since 2013 but they actually went to high school together as teenagers.
‘I didn’t quite know he existed except that he and his siblings were constantly called up for awards at assembly,’ Melanie said.
‘I didn’t quite know he existed except that, with him being from a large ambitious family, he and his siblings were constantly called up for awards at assembly,’ Melanie told FEMAIL
Although both Melanie and Joseph were expecting a few laughs from the crowd once seeing the animals they were instead greeted by tears
After school Joseph added Melanie on Facebook and it turned out they had a bunch of mutual friends and they began chatting.
Although the school was relatively small with 600-700 students, the two never properly crossed paths.
‘Joseph later told me he used to watch me in the quadrangle, but I didn’t know that,’ Melanie shared.
‘After school and a few years of studying and training he messaged me offering his mechanical services and I had him over to fix my car and it sort of grew from there… He wasn’t able to fix my car though,’ she said.
Melanie and Joseph have been together since 2013 but they actually went to high school together as teenagers
Melanie said that at the beginning both families were apprehensive about having all of the animals involved in the wedding but soon enough they were excited about the idea.
‘We chose to have the wedding at home for a few reasons, partly financial, but mostly because it was practical and already a familiar, happy place.
‘Once the thought of having it at home came up and the opportunity for our four legged family, well I guess chickens aren’t four legged, came about it was a fairly easy decision to lock in place.’
Melanie told FEMAIL that at the beginning both families were apprehensive about having all of the animals involved
‘We chose to have the wedding at home for a few reasons, partly financial, but mostly because it was practical and already a familiar happy place’
As for the reason the animals were included? Melanie said that she has always been an animal person.
Growing up Melanie says she wasn’t your ‘typical child’ and would collect creatures like bugs and garden skinks.
‘My room was just packed with terrariums and bug containers. I’m so grateful my parents let me have that hobby as it’s led to an animal loving persona and lifestyle in my adult years.
‘Joseph has always loved animals too and I love watching how gentle he is with them all, he is a tall strong man who can rip a car apart but when you watch him feed scraps to the chickens… I can’t help but melt a little,’ she said.
‘I got very lucky finding a man who not only tolerates but enjoys having the assortment of animals we now share.’
As for the reason the animals were included? Melanie said that she has always been an animal person
Melanies favourite part of the ceremony was the moment she was able to get off the back of her donkey as she could finally relax.
‘I had many visions going through my head of falling on my face or ass up for all hundred people to see – so a great feeling of success to have my feet hit the ground.
‘Second favourite was seeing Joseph’s teary eyes as I finally reached him, passing our two bawling mothers on the way.’
‘The bridesmaids had a blast holding the chickens but it was interesting with us girls on our knees catching the chickens right before the ceremony,’ she said
Although both Melanie and Joseph were expecting a few laughs from the crowd once seeing the animals they were instead greeted by ‘oohs’, ‘aahs’ and a few tears.
The barn that they used for the ceremony was designed by Joseph himself and was built with the help of their families.
‘It was made from trees that were felled for a building site across the road, which we were offered to take for free,’ Melanie said.
The barn that they used for the ceremony was designed by Joseph himself and was built with the help of their families
‘Joseph’s mum, sisters and friends helped put together all the eucalyptus themed decorations… there was lots of positive responses received for the elegance and unique mix of everything.
‘The bridesmaids had a blast holding the chickens but it was interesting with us girls on our knees catching the chickens right before the ceremony – not so elegant at that part.’
Melanie and Joseph would like to thank Furry Photography for their services.