Tips for Including Your Dog in Your Wedding

Traditionally, almost newlyweds would arrange kennels for their furry family members to stay whilst they tie the knot, but there’s no better time to say ‘I Do’ with your pup by your side.

Be it the main event or pre-wedding celebrations, you can find ways to include your four-legged friends without overwhelming yourselves or them (how cute would dog wedding attire for your furry friend be).

There are a few things to think about to make sure the environments and the events are pet friendly and suitable for bringing your beloved pets along to join in the celebrations.

This is all dependent on the location! If your venue (or location, particularly if you’re abroad) allows this then it’s usually up to you. It’s a good idea to disclose to parties you’re hiring on the big day (wedding singers, the band etc) to ensure that everyone is aware of your dog’s presence in the event of allergies. Be mindful of guests who may also have allergies (or small children, who may not have been around dogs before). It’s probably a good idea to consider how well behaved your canine companion is too – you don’t want them running off and knocking over the cake!

Whilst it’s not officially recognised in the UK, some US states allow your canine companion to be an official witness – they can even sign with their paw print! How cute. Fancy a wedding abroad?

You can dress your dog up to the nines to have them fit in on the day of celebrations, but your pup’s comfort should always be at the forefront of these considerations. While some dogs will enjoy wearing a dog wedding suit harness or mini suit, others may find it restrictive and uncomfortable if they aren’t used to wearing clothes.

If your wedding is outside, you may want to consider a nice coat to keep them warm and dry, dependent on the time of year.

Keeping it tasteful but still very fancy with a doggy wedding bow tie is possible; your pooch doesn’t have to wear a whole outfit to join in. Key accessories such as the House of Paws Brown Tweed Hat that matches with the House of Paws Brown Tweed Bow Tie, will perfectly compliment the grooms side.

If your theme is more metallic, this Rosewood Velvet Silver Bow is subtle but still fitting for the celebrations.

Just think how cute dogs at weddings outfits can be, especially in an Instagram post!

There are an increasing number of dog friendly wedding venues, so you don’t have to compromise and get married somewhere less than ideal just to bring your pup along.

Before saying yes to the venue, scan their website to see their policy on allowing pets into their venue. If there’s no visible information, a quick call to check will avoid any unwanted surprises on the big day. Some venues may require a small fee for pets to attend or will have rules about what areas your four-legged friends can and can’t have access to.

Talking to a venue to make sure they can offer what you’re looking for should be step one when you want to include your dog in your wedding.

Your photographer should be the next person you inform about your plans to include your dog in your wedding. Having a beloved family member join in on the day means they may need to reconsider the style of pictures. They may also need to take and any extra equipment to make your pup shine in the images.

Most photographers are usually more than happy to accommodate dogs at weddings and include them in the pictures. You may even get some lovely solo professionally taken pictures of your canine companion out of it!

If your pooch isn’t a fan of getting dressed up, then a collar or harness will be the perfect wedding apparel for dogs.

Finding a harness in the colour of your choice is easy enough, but good harnesses for weddings should be simple like the Doodlebone Airmesh Dog Harness Teal. You can find these Doodle Bone harnesses in lots of different colours to suit whatever theme you’ve gone for.

Similarly, you can get nice bright collars in different colours with leads to match. The Doodlebone Bold Dog Collar Purple would fit in with any wedding day where purple was a running theme.

For something more neutral, greys and tans always look good with everything and a brand new Ancol Heritage Leather Dog Collar will easily have your pooch looking the part.

Just like the beautiful bouquet you carry down the aisle, how fitting would a dog flower collar be for your pooch. Whether it’s floral patterned or has artificial flowers attached, your furry friend will steal the spotlight alright!

If you’re worried about the event being too overwhelming for your pup, then you don’t have to have them there the whole day. You can have them be a super memorable part of the ceremony by being a doggy ring bearer. All they have to do is deliver the rings to you and then they can spend the rest of the day relaxing! Wondering how a dog brings rings to wedding ceremonies without it being a stress? Keep reading.

To get your four-legged friend comfortable with their important job of being a dog ring bearer, you’re going to need some food bribes. A member of the bride or groom party that knows your pup well can do the honours of bringing them down the aisle, but they should be armed with treats to reward and encourage them.

A small bag of treats such as the Pedigree Tasty Bites Chewy Cubes With Chicken or Wagg Tasty Chunks with Chicken, Ham & Beef Dog Treats, both make for ideal rewards that can be tucked away in a pocket or bag to be discreet.

If you want to be even more stealthy you can avoid packets rustling with this Rosewood Dog Treat Bag to reward your dog wedding ring carrier without drawing any attention.

It’s best to put the ring in some form of contained bag/pouch or box to ensure your furry friend can’t sniff it out and swallow it! A bag will be easier for your dog to carry in it’s mouth, or to be dangling from their occasionwear harness. This dog wedding ring bearer will be a professional in no time!

When you’re busy picking a colour scheme and trying to get everything to match for the big day, make sure to consider your pup when making your flower choices.

Many plants and flowers are toxic to dogs so to make your wedding pet friendly and safe for your fluffy family members, it’s best to avoid choices of flowers that can harm them. Common flowers found in bouquets that are toxic to dogs include:

·       Lilies

·       Carnations

·       Baby’s breath

·       Daisies

·       Peony

·       Chrysanthemum

·       Tulips

Thankfully there are lots of pet safe flowers to suit all colour themes such as roses and sunflowers, just make sure you do your research before choosing.

Everyone overindulges at weddings, be it food or alcohol, there’s usually too much of something, but this shouldn’t be the case for your pup. The day will already be a big change in their routine, so sticking to their usual diet and feeding times is important to give them some sort of predictability. Keeping a selection of their favourite treats on hand is best to keep them distracted.

Whether you create their own food table filled with treats or create “human” inspired dog food offerings (mini raw steaks, carrot fries etc) there’s definitely some fun you can have with how your dog’s snacks are involved! A trail of treaties for them to follow down the aisle is another super cute way of involving your furry friend.

If they’re getting handouts from everyone at the wedding this could amount to several meals worth of food in just one evening and the last thing you want is your pooch having a poorly tummy on your wedding night!

Asking guests not to feed your dog throughout the wedding will help with this and many venues have doggy rest areas, so your pup can have somewhere quiet to relax away from the event. Especially if they are prone to anxiety. You could also arrange to put them in another room while your guests are eating.

As is tradition to gift your bridesmaids and groomsmen something to commemorate the occasion, why not treat your pooch to something luxe as a thank you for being good as gold on the big day! Who knows, you might get a gift back at their own doggy wedding.

-        An engraved dog bowl: treat them to a new dog food and water bowl, but make it extra special by going to get it engraved! There will be local businesses to you that can get them engraved – add their name and the date, and it becomes a beautiful memory keepsake of your special day.

-        A new collar; have your canine companion match the bride and opt for a white collar on the big day.

-        A luxurious bed; keep your pooch sittin’ pretty in a luxurious bed whilst you get ready. They’ll chill out in style and can sneak in naptime in the meantime.

The most important part of the day is to enjoy it. Involving dogs in a wedding makes room for mistakes but sometimes those are where memories are made too. If your pup spots their favourite uncle halfway down the aisle and has to say hello before they can bring your rings, these things are always remembered fondly.

All the doggy essentials you need to make your beloved family pet a part of your big day can be found online or in store.