Cameras ready, smiles and laughter all around, beaming faces turn to watch butterflies soar into the sky.

The groom kisses the bride and turns to walk down the aisle. As they leave the chapel, dozens of butterflies soar into the sky. Dozens more land on bouquets and flowers to enjoy a sip of nectar before leaving the ceremony. A few linger, as if wanting the moment to stand still. Cameras spring into action and laughter fills the air, soaring with the butterflies.

Days, weeks, months, even years later, as the couple spies a butterfly soaring past, they wonder if it is a descendant of the butterflies release on ‘their special day’.

Released either in mass or individually, these butterflies enter nature for the first time as the couple enters a new life together.

Shady Oak Butterfly Farm raises butterflies year round. Butterfly orders are shipped for delivery in 24 hours or less. The butterflies are cooled just as nature’s nights cool butterflies. In a semi-dormant state, they simply ‘sleep’ until they are removed from the box and allowed to warm up in daytime temperatures, ready for their release into nature for the first time.

Shady Oak’s butterflies are not wild-collected, depleting nature, but are raised in a laboratory according to USDA requirements. After they have emerged from their chrysalises as adult butterflies, they are released into screened gardens to feed and dry their wings. At that point, they are ready for their release into nature to continue their life and add to the butterfly population of the world.