We've been hearing from more and more of you who included your pets in your weddings, and of
course we think this is wonderful. Pets are important members of the family, just like your brother, sister or even children.Here are a few tips we've developed from speaking with people who have included their pet in their special day:
- When planning a ceremony and
reception location, make sure they allow pets.
- Designate someone (not in the bridal party) to watch your pet for the day.
- Take photos with your dog before
the wedding or on a different day.
- Know your pet before making the decision to include them in your wedding, because some pets may not handle large crowds and intense situations well.
- Talk to your guests, including the bridal party, before hand and see if
they are comfortable having your pet around.
- Keep in mind your pet's temperament and abilities when deciding his or her
role. If your puppy is just starting to learn how to sit, it's not fair to
expect him or her to walk down the aisle as the ring bearer.
- Practice multiple times, like you would for any new trick or behavior. If
your pet is going to be wearing a new item, like a bow tie collar or a ring
pillow, put it on several times before the actual event. Offer treats and
praise as you practice.
When we asked on this blog earlier this year for comments from readers who'd included their pets in their weddings, here are some of the responses we got (check out the original post for pics!):
White Dog, who has since gone to the Rainbow Bridge, was our Flower Girl. We were fortunate enough to have her companionship for many years.
--Michelle
My fiance and I are getting married in September. I already got my two kids (a pit bull and a German shepherd mix) their outfits: My pitty is going to stand right next to me and my shepherd next to my man. I adopted both from Petfinder and am so excited to have them in my life!
--Cayla
I am planning on having my little Onyx at my wedding next year. My fiance and I found her on Petfinder last year and having a wedding without her there would be wrong. She is going to walk down the isle with the flower girl.
--Christina
I found my Coco Latte through Petfinder almost five years ago, and she has been my constant companion. She stood with me when I was married last December!
--Paula
My dog is going to be in my wedding. He's a purebred German Shepard, and I'm sure he'll really scare away my Fiance's unwanted relatives ... such as his mother ;P
--Faith
Did you include your pet in your wedding? Tell us here!
Previous entry:
Tell us: Was your pet in your wedding?
White Dog, who has since gone to the Rainbow Bridge, was our Flower Girl. We were fortunate enough to have her companionship for many years.
--Michelle
My fiance and I are getting married in September. I already got my two kids (a pit bull and a German shepherd mix) their outfits: My pitty is going to stand right next to me and my shepherd next to my man. I adopted both from Petfinder and am so excited to have them in my life!
--Cayla
I am planning on having my little Onyx at my wedding next year. My fiance and I found her on Petfinder last year and having a wedding without her there would be wrong. She is going to walk down the isle with the flower girl.
--Christina
I found my Coco Latte through Petfinder almost five years ago, and she has been my constant companion. She stood with me when I was married last December!
--Paula
My dog is going to be in my wedding. He's a purebred German Shepard, and I'm sure he'll really scare away my Fiance's unwanted relatives ... such as his mother ;P
--Faith
Did you include your pet in your wedding? Tell us here!
Previous entry:
Tell us: Was your pet in your wedding?
more ways to include your dog in your wedding here: http://tinyurl.com/np9oky
This is so cute. Why not? Our pups are part of our family.
I love the idea of designating someone else (someone preferably not in the wedding party) to take care of your pet during the wedding day.
That way, the bride, groom, and the rest of the wedding party don't need to worry about taking the dog out for a walk, or worry about where to put the water and food dishes.
I would have loved to have had my two chihuahuas be part of my wedding. I even bought a gown and tux for them. The probrem we ran into was that our male chihuahua would have marked on every pew down the ailse. :(