Bored staff at a high-end country estate near Frome have "married" a pair of horses during the coronavirus lockdown.
Equine couple Lewis and Fern tied the knot after appearing to grow close during the last six weeks. And they were even given a marital suite for the evening - a stable filled with extra hay.
Handlers said their relationship blossomed into "genuine love", reports Somerset Live.
The horses got hitched on the grounds of Orchardleigh, a 19th century stately home, and the ceremony took place in a romantic spot once the pair had been groomed to look their best.
A tailored three-course meal consisting of La Canape Carrots with Pony Nut Souffle, Hay Wellington and Apple Crunch and Crushed Polo Mints was served before the newlyweds were led off for a celebratory swim.
The zany idea was thought up by Chris and Heather Vincent, owners of the estate.
Lewis and Fern's relationship was said to have blossomed into "genuine love" in recent months (Image: SWNS)
"With the necessities of social distancing meaning fewer people having to look after more horses, Lewis and Fern have spent more time together than usual, " said Heather.
"During the past couple of weeks they’ve since started showing real signs of affection for each other.
"As Fern isn’t in heat at the moment, we can’t put it down to lust. So consequently, we think it’s genuine love - and that gave us an idea.
"I remarked to Chris: 'Wouldn’t it be funny if they got married, considering there’s no weddings going on at the moment?'.
"And then we thought: 'Well, why not?'. Before you know it, we were planning an entire big day."
The venue usually serves as a space for human weddings but - given the current COVID-19 restrictions - traditional ceremonies are off-limits.
Chris said: "Staging an equine wedding might sound a bit mad, but, given we’re in lockdown, nothing seems normal anymore!
"Missing hosting actual weddings, we thought we’d do something that evoked all the sentiments of a wedding but keeping firmly within social distancing guidelines, while helping to spread a little light relief."
