by Triston Brewer
Proud pet owners often treat their animals like members of the family, and so it should come as no surprise that many people want to include them in one of the biggest events of their life.
There are some couples that decide to bring their pets as members of extended family, and there are others that choose to have their pets serve as ring bearers. Lots of time and energy typically goes into planning the event from selecting wedding dresses, picking a venue, invitations, and more.
Don’t forget to include your favorite four-legged friend at your wedding! There are plenty of ways of incorporating your dog into your wedding and highlight how much they mean to you on your special day.
The Four-Legged Ring Bearer
Dogs can be amazing furry ring bearers on your wedding day with a little bit of training and patience. Before the big day, however, you should get your dog prepared to perform admirably in front of a crowd and be disciplined enough not to misbehave at the actual wedding. Start by walking your dog through large crowds a few months before the big day to reduce their anxiety. On the day of your wedding, dress your pooch up with a festive collar, a tiny hat or classy bow tie. To ensure your wedding rings are not lost, tie the rings around your dog’s collar in a small box.
Include Your Pet in Wedding Photos
Being able to look back on your special day and see your four-legged friend in photographs is a memory that lasts a lifetime and if you are considering including your pet, start researching for a photographer that works well with animals.
The earlier they know, the more time they have to create themes that work with your dog, plus prepares you for any unpredictable behavior. Of course, no bride or groom wants to leave their dog alone, but on a wedding day, you may need someone to assist for what could turn out to be a particularly long and hectic day.
The bride and groom can take this opportunity to take a photo with their pet in their full matching wedding attire. Another option is to create a cardboard cutout of your dog that can be included as part of the photography fun throughout the day. This is a great solution if your dog is too anxious around large crowds and cannot be the ring bearer.
Include Your Dog in the Reception Entrance
Imagine the memories your pet could leave if made the greeter at your wedding reception! Surprise your guests on your wedding day by having a groomsman or bridesmaid carry your dog into the reception and then serve as the official doorman.
Your dog can stand in front of gifts for each guest upon arrival or each guest can pose with your dog as part of the reception. Or perhaps you can make an artist’s rendering of your dog and use it as the cover of a guestbook for attendees to sign. There are many fun ideas that can involve your dog at the reception entrance.
Name a Drink After Your Dog
Although it would be great to have your dog physically at your wedding, sometimes it is not always possible, so another cool way to incorporate your pet into the wedding day is by christening a cocktail after your dog in celebration.
After you have come up with a few innovative drink names that pay homage to your dog, you could even place your dog’s face on an actual beer mug for people to drink from at the bar. These are easy ways for everyone attending to be introduced to your dog and the simplest way to pull it off is by including a photo of them adjacent to the wedding bar or a nice photo to greet attendees at the front reception.
Conclusion
For your wedding day, you want to create an eventful day that you will never forget and incorporating your dog to come along for the occasion can be a great way to celebrate the affair in a memorable way.
A great wedding takes a bit of planning to map out the key events to ensure that everything flows smoothly, especially if you are adding your pooch into the activities of the day.
Be sure to have your guests prepared for your dog’s role for your wedding day. Once you have decided on a venue and researched the options, your wedding will turn into an occasion that stays in your memories for a lifetime.
