An actual bear officiated this Russian couple’s wedding and uhh, what?

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! We can now say that we’ve officially seen the latter be a part of a couple’s wedding, as two newlyweds from Moscow invited a big brown bear to play a huge (no pun intended) role in their nuptials yesterday.

Stepan is his name and he officiated the ceremony of Denis and Nelya: an outdoor service in which the groom-to-be wore red pants and the blushing bride slipped on a gown in the fiery hue. Of the unusual choice, Denis told the Daily Mirror:

“We both knew Stepan is a very kind bear but still it is a huge, unpredictable animal so we were a bit scared, but still happy to be able to make our dream come true.”

He continued, “It was a fantastic experience to have this photoshoot with Stepan. It is such a special feeling to hug a real, huge bear, and you cannot compare it to anything else. We will absolutely remember this day forever.” We will remember this day forever too, Denis! false

Russian photographer Olga Barantseva captured the momentous occasion and is quite known for her unbelievable shots of models with larger-than-life bears.

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We wish Denis and Nelya the happiest of marriages. Hopefully they can both show up when Stepan finds the love of his life.