They belong to Los Gatos High School junior Matt Bialick, who exercises them three to four times a week from his backyard. It's not a hobby, though—it's his business.

Not many high school students have their own business, much less something as unusual as a dove-release business for special events like weddings. But Matt has been doing exactly this since he was 13 years old.

Doves have gained popularity since the more traditional rice-throwing ritual has lost favor. Not only does the rice create a mess, it can be hazardous to both wildlife and humans.

Doves symbolize peace, innocence, gentleness and love. The practice of releasing them at weddings stems from an old European tradition. Two doves, symbolizing the bride and groom, are released after the ceremony. This practice continues, but it has been expanded to include additional doves released as well. During the dove-release business's years of performing at weddings, this number has increased from around a dozen to more like 24 now, says Matt's mother, Laurie. The greater number of doves provides for a more dramatic presentation and photograph.

Sylvia Walker of Saratoga knows firsthand the drama created by the doves. She hired Matt's company, Avian Joy, for her daughter's wedding.

After interviewing Matt at his home, she watched the doves go for a test run, and then hired him on the spot. The doves were to be a surprise. "My husband and I didn't tell a soul," she says, not even the bride and groom.

The doves were released outside Saint Mary's Church in Los Gatos, and everyone was overwhelmed, she says. The trees and church made a lovely backdrop as the doves circled several times.

"It was a nice way to end the ceremony and begin the party; it's really touching," says Walker.

The business has an interesting history. When Matt was 11, his sister's friend Paul Piasecki approached him about helping out doing odd jobs over the summer for his dove-release business—Avian Joy.

It soon became apparent that Matt had an affinity for the birds, so when Piasecki headed off for college a year later, he offered the business to Matt. He could have sold the business, but chose not to. After all, Piasecki had inherited the business himself from twin brothers when they left for college.

"It was a little mitzvah [blessing]," says Laurie.

Besides the name, the business has also been handed to each owner with a stellar reputation. Longtime wedding consultant Marcia Coleman-Joyner, a certified wedding consultant and owner of Joyous Occasion, worked with the original owner back in 1989. It is the only dove-release business she recommends, and as testimony she used them when her daughter was married six years ago.

"Matt has proven to have the same first-class reputation that his predecessors enjoyed for many years in the industry," she says.

The job has provided extra income to Matt without his having to work the usual retail gig. And this interesting line of work hasn't gone unnoticed.

"My friends want the job, they're jealous," says Matt.

The money is used for things like a stereo, says Matt's father, Barry. "We pay for things like movies, but anything extra he pays for."

The business has also increased his son's confidence as he takes part in ceremonies with pretty large crowds.

He comes from a family of bird lovers. His uncle raised hawks, eagles and falcons and was president of the West Coast Falconry Association. His grandfather was a magician by avocation—by trade he owned a men's clothing store located at what's now the St. Claire Hotel in San Jose. He would do his magic act for charity events, wearing a flowing oriental robe and using monkeys and birds.

"He was an eccentric person," says Laurie.

"Matt showed the most interest in birds," she says—her daughter did not.

This has been a family business of sorts. Since Matt was too young to drive when he initially inherited the business, he was dependent on his folks for rides to the functions.

Linda Thibeault, events manager at Montalvo, remembers Matt from those days.

"The dad would be there with him, but he stayed in the background while his son did the work," she says.

Over time, Mom took over Dad's role as chauffeur, but now the 16-year-old drives himself. His mom still helps out, though, like at a recent dove release for the celebration of the grand reopening of Louise Van Meter Elementary School, which occurred during school hours.

Some of the original doves are still alive, as they can live up to 25 years; Matt's oldest is 13. The birds—rock doves—are not naturally white, but through breeding have attained their lovely coloring. They are actually racing birds and have extraordinary navigational skills; they are able to travel from Wyoming to California, but Matt won't take jobs more than an hour away. They may look beautiful and delicate, but anyone holding them will feel the doves' strength as their muscles contract in preparation for flight.

Although most often used in weddings, they also are hired for funerals, at which usually one dove is released to symbolize the deceased. Avian Joy was also hired when some medical staff members were killed in a plane crash a few years back. A dove for each person was released in downtown San Jose at the ceremony. Sometimes they've released doves at a wedding, only to be later asked to perform at a funeral for the same family, giving continuity to the event.

"It really means a lot to the family," says Laurie.

Matt also does charitable events and 50th anniversaries, and he did a commitment ceremony where the bride wore a tux and the other bride a gown. The birds are also movie stars of sorts; they were used in a Quaker Oats commercial.

The business has taught Matt many things.

"It's helped with maturity, doing your own stuff and being responsible. If I don't show up, it will ruin the wedding," he says matter-of-factly.

Usually a pair of doves is handed to the bride and groom after the kiss or outside the church so that they can release the doves themselves. Matt lets the rest go from their cage. Always on the lookout for ways to improve, he discovered the dramatic effect of releasing the birds from underneath a balcony or a similar location for an unexpected presentation. He has a good sense of where the birds will fly and can direct them more or less by how he releases them.

The birds then circle around—how many times they circle is their call. Sometimes they are reluctant to do more than just the obligatory once around, as they have done at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in downtown San Jose. But in a more natural setting, like the Kennolyn Center in Soquel, they are more reluctant to leave.

Sometimes the birds arrive home first and are waiting patiently to be let into their cages.

"They're working birds," laughs Laurie.

Rarely have birds been lost in transit, but it did happen once when they happened upon an Audubon Society event at Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Cruz. Matt also lost two birds recently when a falcon got into the cage. Falcons, along with hawks, look for opportunities for a fast dinner. Matt's down to 30 doves now, from 60, and will need to replenish them before the wedding season officially begins.

Summer is obviously the busiest time for business, which works out well with his school schedule.

"At one point we were running from Palo Alto to Sunnyvale to Santa Cruz," remembers Laurie. This requires a great deal of organization, the part of the business Matt likes the least.

There are meetings to be arranged, contracts to be emailed and email and phone calls to be returned. Matt keeps a map of all the different locations he works, showing up an hour early to work with the wedding coordinator or bride and groom.

But these are the duties of running a business, valuable skills if Matt continues in his goals toward business ownership in a larger enterprise.

One thing Matt doesn't lack, though, is experience. He estimates he's performed dove releases for about 300 weddings, making him a seasoned pro with a critical eye in the weddings department. So what kind does he like best?

"The short ones," he quips.

All kidding aside, both mother and son concur that the most memorable weddings aren't necessarily the most lavish but rather the chemistry of the couple and how happy they are. Some seem destined for trouble from the moment the wedding preparations begin. Others have a more relaxed attitude toward the event, making for a more momentous occasion.

But whatever the event at which he performs, it's clear that by participating he brings a lot of joy and happiness to couples starting out. In turn, Matt has gained knowledge and experience for his own journey ahead. Not a bad deal, all in all.

For more information on Avian Joy, visit the website at www.avianjoy.com.