Incorporating Pets At Your Wedding

Your dog is your first baby. You take them to daycare, to the park, to get their hair cut, and even look for pet friendly accommodations when you travel. Since pets are part of their fur-ever family, many couples are increasingly choosing to include them in their wedding day. If you’re lucky enough to be able to have your animal as part of your ceremony or reception, there are a few factors to consider before springing for flower pup attire. It’s always best to first think of the comfort of the animal and their level of sociability. Will they be uneasy with a large number of strangers or with loud music? Are they well enough behaved to not lunge at guests or try to steal food?

It’s not uncommon for guests to “accidentally” drop food to your baby and at one such wedding we ended up with a pup with tummy troubles after eating quite a few donuts “generously” given by various guests from the sweets table. So you should consider having a handler to assist with your pets on the wedding day. Many times pet sitters or doggy daycares offer services for just such occasions. Typically they are available to handle your pet prior to the wedding, including making sure they potty, have water, are dressed and there on time. They may even bring a bag of items including treats, travel water bowls, clean up bags & various other items that may come in useful during the day. You can also request they assist your pet down the aisle or act as the behind-the-scenes handler before and after they strut their stuff down the aisle. Following the ceremony, they can also take your pets back home, or to board at their business, if you’d like them to participate but not party all night.

If your pets are social party animals and stay at the reception, plan to have a quiet space separate from the party for your pet to go to eat, drink or lay down for small breaks during the night. Having a crate, their bed or favorite toy can help ease their nerves if they are feeling a bit overwhelmed. When excited, many pets will get thirsty so make sure to let them drink plenty of water so they don’t get dehydrated. And lots of water means lots of potty breaks! If you don’t have a professional handler for the reception, plan to have a family member or friend who the pet is familiar with who can help take them outside and also get them home at the end of the night. You should also make this person aware that they might have to unexpectedly leave the party should your pet become upset or anxious & need to return home.

If you’re looking for attire for your fur baby, Etsy is the perfect place to find vendors who can make a custom creation or provide ready-to-wear attire whether that is a suit, tie, dress, skirt or collar/harness & leash. One of my favorite features on Etsy is the ability to search for local vendors so you can support a local business. To make sure your attire will fit properly, make sure to have your pet’s measurements handy. Additionally, if you have dog who is low to the ground, you’ll want to specify that as well to make sure the clothing doesn’t drag or have sleeves that your pet will step on. To determine the proper size for your dog, measure your dog’s neck, chest and back with a sewing (flexible paper/fabric) tape measure following the instructions below.

1. Neck girth is taken by measuring the circumference of the neck (where the collar sits).

2. Back length is measured from the base of your pet’s neck (where the collar sits) to the base of the tail. When measuring the back length it is very important that the pet is standing in normal position.

3. Chest girth is taken from the widest part of the pet’s chest, usually behind the front legs. Measure closely all the way around the chest.

Keep in mind that if you want to use flowers with your pet, such as on their collar or leash, you need to make sure they are non-toxic. Popular wedding flowers that are safe to use for dogs include orchids, roses, pansies, jasmine, celosia, alstromeria, aster, daisies, marigolds & zinnia. Toxic flowers for your dog include: baby’s breath, carnations, iris, ivy, tulips, wisteria & larkspur. Possible signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, increase urination and thirst or not eating. If you suspect your dog has ingested flowers that are making them sick, call your vet immediately for treatment.

If you want to go "doggone" wild, you may also consider incorporating your pet into your reception in other ways. If your pet can't attend, this can also be a way to work them in. You might consider having your pets in your engagement photos, bridal portraits, or getting ready. You might also include your pet’s photo inside the ceremony program or display photos of them at the reception. If you have animals who can’t be together in one sitting, consider a collage of photos or have an artist do a cute drawing or painting of your family with all of you in it. At another recent wedding, we had photos of the couple’s cat mixed in throughout the ceremony & reception which was a huge hit as their cat is extremely popular among their family & friends.

Some couples forego a gift registry or favors and instead contribute to a local animal rescue group. Pet treats for guests to take home to their own pets (well labeled so there's no confusion!) can even be personalized or specific to your city, favorite football team, wedding theme, etc. You may also be able to find a baker to make a doggy safe cake made with all natural, human quality ingredients that are not only pet safe but delectable, with your choice of flavors, icings and colors to match your pup's personality or your wedding.

If favors for the humans themselves is more your style, try cookies decorated like your pet, koozies with their likeness on them, personalized temporary tattoos with you & your pets on them or chocolates or other items whose proceeds benefit animal rescue. I’ve also seen cute little soaps in the shape of ferrets or various other animals but make sure your guests know they are soap and not candy.

Finally, if your baby can’t be at your wedding but you want something a bit more personal for you two, don’t fret, you still have plenty of options! Consider adding something to your attire to commemorate them such as custom printed socks, your pet’s photo printed on the back of a tie or onto a piece of fabric that gets sewn inside your dress. You could also incorporate them into your flowers by using a small locket sized photo or a tiny vial with your hedgehog’s (naturally lost) quills inside. Also consider some fun options like drink stirrers with your pet’s likeness on them or a life sized cut out (or face on a stick) to go with your photo booth props. Again, Etsy will be your best friend to find lots of cool personalized options!

The most important thing to keep in mind, of course, is the comfort of your pet. If being part of your wedding will stress them out or if they aren’t well behaved enough to attend, they will certainly enjoy a night at home or at daycare more than being the center of attention in the midst of loud music. I hope these ideas help you jump start your creativity & whatever way your pet is included, your day is a joyous celebration as you start your new family together!

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Wedding Chicks vendor, Alchemy Events, LLC created this post. Email info@alchemyeventsnola.com with a link to the post and any credit changes or additions.

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