Today we are discussing something that comes up more and more with my couples with each passing year – including your dog in your wedding ceremony.
With all the wrangling that goes into making sure the tiny tots who serve as flower girls or ring bearers make it down the aisle. why not consider including Fido in the wedding party? To those of us who consider our pets to be part of the family, this only seems natural! If you are planning to have your dog walk down the aisle, here are some things I’ve learned from my experience with many pet-friendly ceremonies:
- First things, ensure that the church, hotel or other venue that you are using for your ceremony allows pets on the premises. They may have a strict no-pooch policy or you could be required to place a non-refundable deposit to cover the cost of cleanup of any “accidents” (this practice is most common with hotel chains).
- Next, practice makes perfect! If you haven’t already taken them, consider enrolling in obedience classes to learn the basic commands for sit, stay, and heel. This will benefit you beyond the wedding, but it will aslo teach your precious pup good manners when it comes to walking down the aisle. Socialization is important, too. Only you can gage how well your dog does with groups of people and receiving a lot of attention.
- Assign a handler to your dog. This person should be in charge of not only escorting them down the aisle, but also making sure they have been walked before hand (this will get a lot of their energy out as well as give them a chance to use the potty) and are provided with water afterwards. Make sure you have a plan for what to do with your dog after the ceremony. Remember, you will likely be moving on to family photos and the reception and your pet(s) will need a safe and comfy place to go, as well.
- If you’re planning to make your dog the honorary ring bearer, do not allow them to carry the actual rings (most bride I’ve encountered have sewn a small ring pillow to the collar on larger dogs or attached a lightweight pouch for smaller dogs). This is akin to trusting a small child to hold the most precious (not to mention expensive) tangible expression of your union, and the last thing you want is for them to get lost, chewed up, or swallowed.
If you keep these suggestions in mind – find out if your venue allows it, do some training ahead of time, put a friend in charge, and let the (human) best man hold the rings – your dog will be a comfortable, obedient, and treasured guest at your wedding.
Source: perfectweddingguide.com
