Making a Special Event Even More Beautiful

Most churches today no longer allow the throwing of rice after a wedding ceremony because of the mess it creates. 

Many wedding couples have opted for bubbles and balloon releases instead.  However, there are problems associated with these two options.  Bubbles, although lovely, can stain the clothes of wedding party members and guests, and foul camera lenses.  Balloons have proven to be harmful to wildlife. 

There is another option—the release of a small flock of WBS Homing Pigeons!  Not only are the birds beautiful, they symbolize the couple’s willingness to let go of their old lives and begin a new relationship as a couple.  Friends and relatives find this to be a very touching moment at the end of the ceremony.

People often tell us how special it was having the birds at their wedding.  Sometimes the Bride and Groom hold a pair of birds and release them as part of the ceremony, like a recent wedding at the Missouri Botanical Garden. One couple released the birds from Alton, IL, to have the birds fly back over the Mississippi River to the World Bird Sanctuary. At other times family members or friends have contacted us to set up the bird release as a gift to the wedding couple. Most brides like to release the birds after the formal wedding ceremony, just outside the church.  Others have released the birds outside the reception hall. Our Wedding service area in Missouri is St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Franklin County and just over the Missouri border into Illinois.

Stacie Stillinovic, a previous World Bird Sanctuary intern, wanted to give a unique gift to her sister for her wedding. Stacie asked WBS staffers if she could have these beautiful birds released outside Assumption Catholic Church in St. Louis, Missouri, following her sister's wedding on November 7th, 2009. We enthusiastically agreed. The pictures of the birds, kids, family, friends, and the church grounds and steeple show what a beautiful touch this can be for an already beautiful event. The pictures were provided to Michael Zeloski by Stacie Stillinovic.

Contact World Bird Sanctuary at 636-225-4390 extension 0 to schedule the birds for your wedding day.

Written by Michael Zeloski, World Bird Sanctuary