Furry Friends

Making Your Pets a Part of Your Wedding Day

Our fur babies can feel so much a part of the family, it’s natural to want to include them in your celebration of love. With well-behaved pups in particular, it can be tempting to bring them into the wedding day festivities, perhaps as an adorable ring bearer. But professionals in the industry would caution against putting Spot in the spotlight.

No matter how well-trained your dog may be at home or even at bigger family gatherings, a wedding is a whole other animal. When there are 100 or more guests involved, even the bestbehaved pets are likely to act in unpredictable ways. You also have to consider who would be in charge of your pet. It’s likely to be a friend or family member, and that person would be obligated to leave the wedding to drop your fur baby at home at some point. It’s a big responsibility. Ask the pros, and they’ll advise against pets playing an active role in your wedding day.

Instead, get smartly creative with how you include your pet in your wedding. Consider looping them in for photos only, whether it’s your engagement session or wedding photos earlier in the day. If you feature your fur baby in your engagement pictures, you could use the photos of your little family either for your save-the-dates, on your wedding website, or displayed at your wedding reception. Some couples take their odes to their pets to an even more artistic level, commissioning a custom drawing or painting of their furry friends to frame at their reception in a fancy way.

It’s also easy to include your pet’s likeness on paper goods for the ceremony or reception. Think about how your pet might liven up your programs, seating chart, escort cards, or cocktail napkins. It doesn’t have to be a literal photo of your fur baby, rather it could be an elegant ink stamp or letterpress detail.

Another option is to get inspired by your pet when it comes to food, drink, party favors, or other fun extras. You might name a signature drink after your furry friend, hand out favors from your pet for guests to take home to their fur

babies, or print paper masks of your pet’s face as a photobooth prop. Need a wedding cake topper? You could have one custom made to feature the two of you and your pet. Or say, for example, you have a beagle: track down a beagle cake topper. You might also incorporate your pets into your fashion. Consider custom socks for the groom printed with your pet’s face, animal cufflinks, or an embroidered pocket square with your pet’s silhouette. For brides, you might attach a small photo, enamel pin, or charm to your bouquet that represents your pet, so it’s like they’re with you as you walk down the aisle. In the end, keeping your pet in your heart is the most important thing. B