You’ve said YES to the dress. You’ve said YES to the venue. Now it’s time to say YES to your pet! As an important part of your family, your dog has become your best friend and true companion, so should they, and can they, be part of the big day? The answer is absolutely YES! While the logistics may be a little more complicated, more couples are wanting to incorporate their furry friends into their wedding days and we’re here to help you figure out how and what that could look like!

In a recent survey conducted by OnePoll, 60% of 2,000 dog owners surveyed said they already knew someone who had their dog at their wedding and 70% would ask if a venue was dog-friendly when scoping out possible locations for the big day. Overall, two-thirds of the people surveyed said they would have their dog involved in the wedding.

With numbers showing that dogs and weddings are pretty paw-some together, there are some considerations you should think about before saying yes to your pet’s presence on your big day. Temperament and personality are two very big factors of your dog that will let you know if they can handle a day at your wedding. Consider these questions about your pup:

• Is he happy to meet and greet everyone and anyone?

• Does he have at least a couple of commands nailed down such as sit, stay and down?

• Does the sight of a crowd have him excited?

• Or is he shy, reserved or frightened around strangers?

Dogs with anxiety or socialization issues should probably be a no when it comes to being physically there for the wedding. You should also consider your own personality as well. Having your dog in the wedding calls for a relaxed attitude since things won’t always go to plan with your pup. If you think having your dog in your wedding would bring on unnecessary stress for you and your partner, you should definitely rethink involving them on your big day. But don’t fret! Whether you choose to have your dog in your wedding or plan to incorporate them somehow, we have 7 ideas on how to keep your pup involved with your big day.

1. Have your pet attend the wedding. If your dog has the personality and temperament to be part of your wedding, then why not let them attend! You can consider your pup for the role of flower girl, ring bearer or pup of honor if you want them to be part of the bridal party. If the wedding party is too much, consider them to be an honored guest with a reserved seat in the front row with someone who they are comfortable sitting with. You can always consider a local pet company that handles weddings, like Going Mutts Pet Services! Our Fur-Ever Wedding Day Services has something for everyone when it comes to your vision of having your pup part of your big day.

2. Have a cardboard cutout! If physically having your dog at the wedding is not in the cards, why not get a life size cardboard cutout to join the party that day. As crazy as it sounds, your pup can now be part of everything and will be a hit when it comes to taking pictures with guests. You can still reserve a special seat for them at the ceremony and at the reception with their cutout and still make memories with them.

3. Include them in your stationary. You could have a photo shoot with your pup for your save the dates, hire an illustrator to draw them on your invitations or print an illustration of them onto your menus, signage, napkins or any brown paper ‘doggie bags’ that you may have at a sweets table for your guests. 

4. Incorporate them into your decor at the venue. Whether you’re keeping things simple or going all out, you can easily add some pictures of your pup into your decor. Whether you make a display for them or scatter them in picture frames throughout the reception, you can still keep them part of your big day with these little details!

5. Make a charity donation to an animal shelter. This is a particularly great idea if you found your pet through a rescue or rehoming charity and can be a way to give back and honor your favorite furry canine. You can make a donation to a chosen charity of your choice and then think up a creative way to let your guests know about it. There are a lot of charities that will print up cards for you, using a photo of your pet, to leave on the tables for your guests to find!

6. Have your signature drinks reflect your four-legged friends. Typically weddings have a signature drink or two to represent the bride and groom, so why not do a twist on this and have a signature drink that’s named after your canine companion. You could say that they’ll definitely be there in ‘spirit.’ 

7. Have a goodie table for the dogs. A fun and delicious way to incorporate your pup into your wedding is to have a table full of treats for other pet parents to take home to their favorite furry friend. You could keep it local and find a pet bakery in your community to support. Have the sweets available on a table with small ‘doggie bags’ for your guests to make up and take on their way out.

But before you start to make plans for your pooch, here are four reminders to think about when it comes to having your pup in your wedding:

Remember to always check with your venue on being pet-friendly. If you want any of your plans to work that involve having your pup with you on your big day, this is absolutely at the top of your list. Not sure where to start your search? Check out three of our favorite pet-friendly venues: Britain Hill Venue and Vineyard, Lauxmont Farms and Moonstone Manor.

Prep your pup ahead of time. Naturally dogs are curious about new environments, so plan to bring your pup to the site before the big day so they can explore, sniff and just get everything out of their system ahead of time. The goal is to have them be less inclined to be as curious on the actual day of the wedding. Your dog should also be part of your rehearsal so he can practice his part so everyone has an idea of how their role will work that day.

It would be a nice gesture to let your guests know that your canine friend will be part of your day. This is a great heads up for those guests who may have allergies to be a friendly reminder to prepare for that ahead of time as well as let people know that there will be a four-legged friend walking around so they won’t trip over them too. You should also let your vendors know about your dog ahead of time too so you can keep them in the loop.

Remember to have realistic expectations for your dog that day. It’s a big day with a lot going on, so just remember that there is a lot going on for your pup as well and know that not everything may go to plan. So keep the expectations simple and light for your pup so you’re not setting them up for failure that day.

Saying yes to your pet can take many different forms when it comes to your wedding, so don’t fret if Fido isn’t the best choice for a personal appearance that day. Remember to think about your pup and how they would fit in best with your wedding to make the day as memorable and fun for everyone!

Want your dog with you on your wedding day but aren’t quite sure how to conquer another to-do on your big day? We’ve got you covered! From getting them down the aisle to helping with photos or just being at your house with your furry friend during the wedding, Going Mutts Pet Services would love to be there for you. You can check out our Fur-Ever Wedding Services to see how we can help customize a plan that works for you and your canine companion. Contact us today to start your paw-some wedding planning for your best furry friend!

Sources:

https://onefabday.com/include-pets-at-weddings/

https://www.newsweek.com/people-want-pets-involved-their-wedding-survey-shows-1737706

https://www.cesarsway.com/more-than-30-of-owners-include-their-pets-in-their-wedding-survey-shows/