Unusual guests at Manor Barn wedding

'NEVER work with children and animals' is how the saying goes, but bride Gillian Stone threw caution to the wind and, in place of traditional bouquets, she chose baby goats for two of her young bridesmaids to lead down the aisle at her marriage to Robert Schifreen at the Manor Barn on Saturday.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Jun 2009, 12:04 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 19:58 BST

It was an original wedding in more ways than one, with the proceedings commencing at Freezeland Farm, Ninfield, for not only did the swashbuckling groom don pirates attire, and the bridesmaids lead a pair of baby goats at the wedding procession, but the wedding party headed off to the Manor Barn ceremony in a red London double decker bus.

Gillian and Robert, who have been together for six years, decided to make their special day unique to themselves, and Robert said his decision to dress in a pirates outfit came down to a basic desire to be comfortable. He said: "I hate wearing suits and I don't like dressing formally"

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Robert, a computer consultant, purchased his pirates attire, complete with white feathered plumed hat, from internet website Ebay in America, and apart from a small bit of tweaking by nimble fingered Gillian it fit perfectly .

He added: "The good thing about wearing this is that I can take it off later. I am wearing shorts and a tee shirt and I can't think of anything better to get married in than that."

Gillian, a semi-retired horse dentist who runs a caravan site at Catsfield, opted for a more traditional cream and lace silk dress, inset with sparkling diamant.

She said her decision to use the two baby goats, named, 'Frolic' and 'Amber' in her wedding procession was after she realised that her first choice, of two lambs, was that they were a bit on the plump side.

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She said: "We were supposed to be using Olivia's lambs, but I thought they were a bit too fat!"

She added: "I thought the goats would be nice."

Hannah and Katie McAree, Roberts nieces, were the bridesmaids who had the task of keeping the frisky goats in check and after initial nerves soon got the hang of it.

After the ceremony at the Manor Barn a reception for forty five family and friends was held back at Freezeland farm, where, rather than tables decorated with flowers, guests were treated to boardgames of 'Bukaroo' and 'Kerplunk'.

Later in the evening entertained was provided by the Bohemia Ukulel band.

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