Farm offers alpaca WEDDINGS where the animals don bow ties while they mingle with guests
- 11 months ago
A farm is offering alpaca WEDDINGS - where the animals don bow ties and floral wreaths while they mingle with guests.
The owners of Lower Bush Alpacas, Kent, had never even considered doing wedding ceremonies before getting a call asking if they could.
So Jon and Jameela Savage began planning to offer the service at their alpaca farm, in Cuxton near Rochester - and it was a hit.
The animals are 'dressed up' and the happy couple and their guests can feed them grass pellets and take selfies with them.
Since first introducing the service last year, director Jon, 42, said they've been hired for nine weddings - with a string more in the books for this summer.
Jon said: "When someone rang and asked I said yes and I quickly knocked something up and put it on the website and it went from there.
"We offer a number of packages that are all different, but the most popular one is the 'mingling with alpacas' package which costs £500.
"It's quite a nice package and is easy for a lot of venues – we turn up in the alpaca wagon with two or three alpacas on lead ropes and halters.
"They've all got a nice wreath around their neck, or a bow tie."
Guests are given bags with grass pellets in to feed the alpacas, and the bride and groom can take them walks to get some unique pictures.
He added: "It really does make some of the pictures really magical, especially if you're an animal lover.
"Everyone just loves them."
The price for an alpaca package starts from £450 and goes up to £700.
The couple got their first alpacas in July 2019, and added to the family over time - which is now 15-strong.
Jon grew up at the farm, and now lives five minutes away with his wife and two children – Freddie, four, and Harry, seven.
He said: "All the surrounding areas where we walk the alpacas through the fields was my play area as a child.
"It's even more magical that I'm now walking alpacas and running a business from here, especially with my two young kids."
They have attended nine weddings so far, and have always had great responses from guests - some of whom had no idea the alpacas would be there.
They rotate which alpacas will attend each wedding to make sure they all have an opportunity to go out and enjoy the attention from guests.
Guests also love to take selfies with the four-legged friends - and the bride and groom have the opportunity get memorable wedding pictures.
Jon and wife Jameela, 38, are currently working towards offering a service where an alpaca can be the couple's ring-bearer - after having multiple requests from keen couples.
Jon said: "They're very inquisitive. As long as where we take them there's enough room and there's grass, they love nibbling the grass and saying hello to the guests.
"I think some couples surprise their guests - we arrive and walk out our wonderful alpacas and the guests’ faces light up.
"You see how happy they make everybody - it's just brilliant and it makes it so special for the guests.
The owners of Lower Bush Alpacas, Kent, had never even considered doing wedding ceremonies before getting a call asking if they could.
So Jon and Jameela Savage began planning to offer the service at their alpaca farm, in Cuxton near Rochester - and it was a hit.
The animals are 'dressed up' and the happy couple and their guests can feed them grass pellets and take selfies with them.
Since first introducing the service last year, director Jon, 42, said they've been hired for nine weddings - with a string more in the books for this summer.
Jon said: "When someone rang and asked I said yes and I quickly knocked something up and put it on the website and it went from there.
"We offer a number of packages that are all different, but the most popular one is the 'mingling with alpacas' package which costs £500.
"It's quite a nice package and is easy for a lot of venues – we turn up in the alpaca wagon with two or three alpacas on lead ropes and halters.
"They've all got a nice wreath around their neck, or a bow tie."
Guests are given bags with grass pellets in to feed the alpacas, and the bride and groom can take them walks to get some unique pictures.
He added: "It really does make some of the pictures really magical, especially if you're an animal lover.
"Everyone just loves them."
The price for an alpaca package starts from £450 and goes up to £700.
The couple got their first alpacas in July 2019, and added to the family over time - which is now 15-strong.
Jon grew up at the farm, and now lives five minutes away with his wife and two children – Freddie, four, and Harry, seven.
He said: "All the surrounding areas where we walk the alpacas through the fields was my play area as a child.
"It's even more magical that I'm now walking alpacas and running a business from here, especially with my two young kids."
They have attended nine weddings so far, and have always had great responses from guests - some of whom had no idea the alpacas would be there.
They rotate which alpacas will attend each wedding to make sure they all have an opportunity to go out and enjoy the attention from guests.
Guests also love to take selfies with the four-legged friends - and the bride and groom have the opportunity get memorable wedding pictures.
Jon and wife Jameela, 38, are currently working towards offering a service where an alpaca can be the couple's ring-bearer - after having multiple requests from keen couples.
Jon said: "They're very inquisitive. As long as where we take them there's enough room and there's grass, they love nibbling the grass and saying hello to the guests.
"I think some couples surprise their guests - we arrive and walk out our wonderful alpacas and the guests’ faces light up.
"You see how happy they make everybody - it's just brilliant and it makes it so special for the guests.