A lot of people like to fantasise about their perfect wedding. It's meant to be the happiest day of your life, and for many, it's the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition to find their one true love. It's all too easy to get caught up in the glamour of it all: in the three-tiered cake, the emotional speeches, the gorgeous wedding dresses and the solemn vows.

However, I doubt many of these people who enjoy speculating about their nuptials would ever dream of getting married to a tree. That's got to be the most unlikely wedding service imaginable. Where would you put the ring? How would you walk down the aisle? Would you ask the other trees in the forest to be the bridesmaids? It's just too confusing to even contemplate.

Yet over in Mexico, a number of women are doing that, and have donned bridal veils and wedding dresses to sincerely pledge to love, honour and obey their chosen plant. What's going on here? Is this some hitherto unknown form of sexuality?

The sudden spate of wooden weddings took place in San Jacinto Amilpas, in the state Oaxaca in the south of the country. Oaxaca is a highly forested region with an abundance of lush greenery and woodland. Unfortunately, this beautiful scenery, and the trees that make up the diverse ecosystem, are very much under threat.

Illegal logging is a very pressing concern in Oaxaca, and criminal gangs have managed to subvert police forces in order to irresponsibly fell trees without permits. The rate of illegal logging has been so high that the legitimate loggers haven't been able to replace the trees at the same rate. Deforestation has led to the extinction of local flora and fauna, as well as an increase in overall carbon monoxide levels.

To increase awareness of illegal logging in the area, and protect the trees from the teeth of the chainsaw, female campaigners in the area have decided to "marry" the trees in a fake ceremony to draw attention to the environmental threat posed to them. The women dress in white gowns, while the trees have veils attached to them with a length of twine. There are even bouquets of flowers which the blushing brides can throw to onlookers. At least there's no chance of a tree cheating on you, right?

Peruvian artist and environmental activist Richard Torres is the main organiser of this particular campaign, and the "Marry a Tree" initiative first began as a way for members of the nature organisation Bedani to give thanks to Mother Earth. The symbolic wedding is based on ancient Incan rituals where women and men "marry" trees and shrubs in honour of the woodland gods.

In an interview with Yahoo Reports, Dolores Leycigi, one of the women who participated in the ceremony, stated: "Marrying a tree is a way of protesting, to say that we need to stop exterminating Mother Earth every day, every minute, every second." Fellow tree bride Andrea Tanat agreed, stating that: "I thought it was very interesting that we have a commitment, not only with this tree, but with all of nature. I thought about how much we’ve already damaged nature, so I decided to come and get married."

Organised crime syndicates in Mexico, such as the powerful and brutal drug cartels which have gained a strong foothold in many rural areas, will often venture into illegal logging, and many small communities have been terrorised or even outright destroyed by criminals targeting Mexican pines.

Despite this, the violent methods of the logging gangs have already left many victims dead or maimed, and some towns have even formed small militias to defend their nearby trees. Isidro Baldenegro López, a well-known environmental activist who dedicated himself to safeguarding the Mexican forests, was shot six times in the chest, stomach and legs before dying of his wounds in January 2017.

According to a study conducted by Global Witness, 122 environmental activists were violently murdered at the hands of powerful logging gangs in Latin America in 2015, making it one of the deadliest years on record. Even now, more people who are protecting forests are being threatened.

To learn more about how you can help protect Mexico's valuable green spaces, visit Friends of the Earth. Personally, I wish these ladies all the very best with their marriages. You may kiss the bark... I mean, the bride.

A lot of people like to fantasise about their perfect wedding. It's meant to be the happiest day of your life, and for many, it's the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition to find their one true love. It's all too easy to get caught up in the glamour of it all: in the three-tiered cake, the emotional speeches, the gorgeous wedding dresses and the solemn vows.

However, I doubt many of these people who enjoy speculating about their nuptials would ever dream of getting married to a tree. That's got to be the most unlikely wedding service imaginable. Where would you put the ring? How would you walk down the aisle? Would you ask the other trees in the forest to be the bridesmaids? It's just too confusing to even contemplate.

Yet over in Mexico, a number of women are doing that, and have donned bridal veils and wedding dresses to sincerely pledge to love, honour and obey their chosen plant. What's going on here? Is this some hitherto unknown form of sexuality?

The sudden spate of wooden weddings took place in San Jacinto Amilpas, in the state Oaxaca in the south of the country. Oaxaca is a highly forested region with an abundance of lush greenery and woodland. Unfortunately, this beautiful scenery, and the trees that make up the diverse ecosystem, are very much under threat.

Illegal logging is a very pressing concern in Oaxaca, and criminal gangs have managed to subvert police forces in order to irresponsibly fell trees without permits. The rate of illegal logging has been so high that the legitimate loggers haven't been able to replace the trees at the same rate. Deforestation has led to the extinction of local flora and fauna, as well as an increase in overall carbon monoxide levels.

To increase awareness of illegal logging in the area, and protect the trees from the teeth of the chainsaw, female campaigners in the area have decided to "marry" the trees in a fake ceremony to draw attention to the environmental threat posed to them. The women dress in white gowns, while the trees have veils attached to them with a length of twine. There are even bouquets of flowers which the blushing brides can throw to onlookers. At least there's no chance of a tree cheating on you, right?

Peruvian artist and environmental activist Richard Torres is the main organiser of this particular campaign, and the "Marry a Tree" initiative first began as a way for members of the nature organisation Bedani to give thanks to Mother Earth. The symbolic wedding is based on ancient Incan rituals where women and men "marry" trees and shrubs in honour of the woodland gods.

In an interview with Yahoo Reports, Dolores Leycigi, one of the women who participated in the ceremony, stated: "Marrying a tree is a way of protesting, to say that we need to stop exterminating Mother Earth every day, every minute, every second." Fellow tree bride Andrea Tanat agreed, stating that: "I thought it was very interesting that we have a commitment, not only with this tree, but with all of nature. I thought about how much we’ve already damaged nature, so I decided to come and get married."

Organised crime syndicates in Mexico, such as the powerful and brutal drug cartels which have gained a strong foothold in many rural areas, will often venture into illegal logging, and many small communities have been terrorised or even outright destroyed by criminals targeting Mexican pines.

Despite this, the violent methods of the logging gangs have already left many victims dead or maimed, and some towns have even formed small militias to defend their nearby trees. Isidro Baldenegro López, a well-known environmental activist who dedicated himself to safeguarding the Mexican forests, was shot six times in the chest, stomach and legs before dying of his wounds in January 2017.

According to a study conducted by Global Witness, 122 environmental activists were violently murdered at the hands of powerful logging gangs in Latin America in 2015, making it one of the deadliest years on record. Even now, more people who are protecting forests are being threatened.

To learn more about how you can help protect Mexico's valuable green spaces, visit Friends of the Earth. Personally, I wish these ladies all the very best with their marriages. You may kiss the bark... I mean, the bride.