Bride and Groom Decided to Have an Owl as Their Ring Bearer — Then the Bird Flew Off with the Couple's Wedding Rings

The owl's professional handler attempted to bribe the bird with a piece of chicken to come back with the rings

A mischievous owl wreaked havoc on one couple’s wedding!

A bride and groom were in for a surprise after their owl ring bearer reportedly flew off with their wedding rings during their wedding ceremony on July 20.

According to the New York Post, the shocking event was witnessed by bystander Callum Russel, 29, who was attending an artist convention at Kirkstall Abbey in West Yorkshire, England.

He says the bird flew away with the couple’s rings around 1 p.m. and sat on top of the venue. The couple finally retrieved their rings seven hours later, around 8 p.m.

"It seemed like they had been ready to do the rings but the owl went away,” he said.

The outlet reports that Russel saw the animal's professional handler attempt to bribe the owl with a piece of chicken.

Related: Bride and Groom Surprise Wedding Guests with Rings Under Seats and Random Ring Bearer (Exclusive)

"It was a mix between devastation for them [the couple] but I was in hysterics and the handler was so professional about the whole thing," Russel said. "I left at 5 p.m. and I spoke to the handler who deals with the birds. The owl did come back with the rings in the end."

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Earlier this year, The Washington Post wrote that owls have become a popular pick for ring bearers in Britain, credited in part to the popularity of the Harry Potter franchise, which features a snowy owl that delivers mail.

In traditional weddings, a ring bearer is often a younger family member or a child of a close friend. The purpose of the role is to carry the couple’s wedding rings down the aisle. However, some couples have put a twist on the tradition, such as having a beloved family pet escort the rings to the couple.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PEOPLE reported in January that the owl trend is hitting weddings in the United States with a recent report from The Wall Street Journal stating that more couples are opting for birds of prey like owls and hawks to serve as ring bearers during their nuptials.

The small business Raptor Events, based in Long Beach, Calif., offers a raptor ring bearer package for $1,200, which includes a rehearsal with the bird, ring bearer services, photos with the bird after the ceremony and a "cocktail hour" meet and greet with the ring bearer.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.