A blushing bride recreated her parents’ wedding pictures when she got married – with a HORSE as guest of honour.
Caroline Dunnell, 30, tied the knot with Steven, 33, who lived to his role as groom when he posed next to his new wife’s six-year-old gelding Pip.
The couple recreated Caroline’s parents’ wedding day snaps when they walked down the aisle with the family’s horse Candy in 1975.
Caroline, a bakery lecturer at University College Birmingham, and Steven, an IT advisor, wed on August 15 at John the Baptist Church in Crowle, Worcs.
She said: “I think it’s really nice to be able to carry on the family tradition.
“It was a very special occasion to have my horse ridden to the event.
“It was really emotional to see him there.
“Afterwards we had our reception at Red House Barn in Stoke Prior and I had the horseshoe on show at the reception in front of the cake I made.
“Mum’s still got her horseshoe and mine is currently hanging up in my house. I will keep it with us forever.”
Caroline’s horse-mad mum Anna Richards, 60, suggested the idea to honour a family tradition which started at her own mum and dad’s wedding.
Family friend Bryony Wilson, 37, rode Caroline’s horse into the churchyard and Pip carried a horseshoe around its neck with the inscription: “Caroline and Steven. 15.8.15”.
In 1975 Anna married mechanic Christopher in front of her horse Candy at St Peter’s Church in Abbots Morton, Worcs., and were presented with their own lucky horseshoe.
Caroline’s husband Steven, from Warndon, Worcs., said: “Caroline has always wanted to do this.
“Her mum talked to her about it and they decided it would be a nice thing to do.
“We’d scheduled it for Bryony to arrive with Pip after the service while all the guests were all outside eating canapes and drinking champagne.
“They didn’t know what was about to happen. We only mentioned in the invitations that they could expect to see a family tradition.”
“All the guests thoroughly enjoyed it, they all wanted to take selfies of themselves with Pip.”
“When he arrived, it was the first time Caroline had shed a tear that day. She was so pleased to see him and said he looked really handsome.
“We’ve been together for five years and met through mutual friends. It was a really lovely day.”
Proud mum Anna, 60, from Crowle, Worcs., added: “Christopher and I just celebrated our Ruby wedding.
“We also had a good luck horseshoe presented to us. Candy was ridden by my sister-in-law.
“I thought it would be nice to have my daughter following in my footsteps and have her horse ridden and for her to be handed a good luck horseshoe.
“Bryony handed Caroline one of Pip’s horseshoes. It was so special.”
After the wedding couple spent a one-week honeymoon in Croatia.
