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NY Post
New York Post
29 May 2024


NextImg:I surprised my bride with a special ring bearer at our wedding — she had ‘tears in her eyes’

A pair of Happy Feet went stomping down the aisle — but they didn’t belong to the bride. 

Decked out in skintight, black and white regalia, a waddling wedding crasher stole the spotlight away from a cutesy couple during their May 5 nuptials. 

However, despite the mid-ceremony commotion he caused, the party animal remained unflappable. 

Groom Joe Keilty surprised his bride by tapping a penguin to serve as the ring bearer at their May 5 wedding. Joseph Keilty via Storyful

“We had a surprise ring bearer for my penguin-loving wife at our wedding ceremony,” bragged groom Joey Keilty, 36, from the UK, beneath TikTok-trending footage of his web-footed friend.

Keilty, an electrician from Liverpool, hired Widget, a show penguin, to wow then-fiancée, Kerrilea, 38, on their big day after being inspired by her deep affinity for the flightless fowl. 

“Kerrilea’s favorite animals are penguins and so to lead up to the wedding I took her to Chester Zoo to feed the penguins for Valentine’s Day,” Keilty told WirralGlobe. “It gave me the idea to research penguins at weddings to see if it was possible to surprise her.”

And he’s far from the only groom to go wild during the “I Do’s.”

Lovebirds nationwide are flocking to falconries, seeking birds of prey as ring bearers for their holy matrimonies. 

Micele Losee, owner of nonprofit International Raptor and Falconry Center in Flagstaff, Ariz., told WSJ that most newlyweds think “they’re being cool” by featuring the winged showstoppers at their fêtes. 

“But really [the couples and their wedding guests are] leaving with a whole lot more knowledge about what they can do with a raptor,” said Losee. 

Penguins in London Zoo.
Penguins and other birds have recently become trendy guests at weddings. AP

However, a handful of NYC officials with their feathers in a bunch aren’t particularly fond of birds at vow exchanges. City council members moved to have doves, or white pigeons, banned from special occasions across Gotham last October. 

Bird-brained objections to the fun notwithstanding, Keilty says Widget’s wedding day appearance came off with flying colors. 

“Everyone’s reactions were amazing, especially from our daughters and nieces,” he gushed. “Kerrilea thought it was really cute…She had tears in her eyes.”

@jk.electrical

We had a surprise ring bearer for my penguin loving wife, at our wedding ceremony. #penguin #wedding #weddingsurprise #ringbearer #weddingday #weddingideas #penguinlove

♬ original sound – JK Electrical

Widget attended the festivities, held at The Old Palace in Chester, with three of his penguin pals. The billed bunch posed for photos with the newlyweds and guests during the ritzy reception.   

“It was really cool and something you don’t expect at a wedding so I just thought even though it’s expensive it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” said Keilty. “Everyone will talk about it in the future — the wedding where they got to cuddle a penguin.”

“The day was absolutely perfect but just having the penguins made it that little more special.”