It’s Wednesday which calls for a blog post designed to help you plan the wedding day of your DREAMS! If you have a furry family member, you are absolutely going to want to tune into this post.
I know I don’t personally have a dog of my own, but it is pretty much a guarantee that, if I do have a dog as I am wedding planning, I’m going to try my hardest to include them on my day in every possible way! We’ve chatted before about including your pup during your engagement session, and today, we’re chatting all about fun ways you could incorporate your pup on your wedding day! I can’t wait to share a few tips and links to help inspire the way you incorporate your pup on your wedding day. Let’s get started!
Include them in your wedding party or ceremony
This one may be totally obvious, but if you know your pup would thrive being featured during your ceremony with a walk down the aisle, this is one of the SWEETEST things I’ve seen! That said, the keyword here is THRIVE! If your pup will be nervous, overwhelmed, misbehaved, or otherwise unhappy, DON’T force it just for the photos. (I have another option for you if that is your worry at the end of this post!) Your pup’s safety should always be the top priority. If you DO think your pup would be the happiest thing with a walk down the aisle, I highly recommend Furever and Fur Always to help make this happen. They’ll help you set up your pup for success down the aisle, and I’ve even seen them walk pups down the aisle too!
I know having your dog present in an environment with so many people may not be possible for everyone which is why I would love to recommend a few more fun options to include your sweet, furry family members in your day without them being physically present at your venue.
Opt to display a custom pet portrait
I’ve seen couples commission and display some seriously gorgeous, custom images of their furriest family members in their wedding day design! From pet portraits displayed in large frames, to invitations, programs and menus, crests, and MORE there are SO many ways to utilize custom pet portraiture in your wedding day design. Plus, I love that this gives you such an incredible, custom heirloom from your wedding day, right off the bat! You’ll have a gorgeous piece of art to display immediately following your wedding, depending on how you opt to display your pet portrait.
I highly recommend reaching out to my dear friend Alica of The Welcoming District for all of your custom pet portraiture needs!
Incorporate your pup at the bar
This takes the previous pet portrait just a little deeper! Consider incorporating your pup at the bar— whether you are naming a signature drink after them, have included them on your bar sign, print custom napkins or drink stirrers, or do a little something else, there is SO much room to have fun here! Incorporating your pup at the bar is a really fun way to add an intentional, personal touch that is sure to have all of your guests smiling all night.
If you are looking for someone that will knock pet cocktail-ware out of the park, you’ll absolutely want to reach out to The Emerald Hound. She has a little bit of everything from cocktail napkins to custom drink stirrers, coasters, bibs, and even to-go doggy bags!
BONUS: Take portraits together earlier in the day
I told you I would have a little something for those that want portraits with their pup but aren’t quite sure how they would do with lots of guests around! YES, it is an option to have photos with your pup on your wedding day— they’ll just need to happen a little earlier in the day! I have had friends opt to include their pup during the getting ready portion of the day, and have seen other clients opt to have their pup come for wedding party and bride and groom portraits, and have had others include their pup at another strategic time during the day. Again, pup safety should always be top priority. If you don’t think this would make them happy, you already know that you have a few other fun options to incorporate your pup in your wedding day + so much room to get creative! Always be sure to check that your venue allows for visits from pets. Furever and Fur Always also offers this as a service too, just in case you were wondering how to safely transport your pet from location to location!
One last bonus, bonus idea: consider incorporating your pup into your cake design!
This one isn’t included in the body of the post because I don’t have any specific recommended vendors for the task. That said, I’ve seen many couples incorporate their pup into their wedding cakes, whether that be on the cake topper, peeking out between cake tiers, or as a groom’s cake!
Have fun with this, friend! The sky is truly the limit when it comes to getting creative!
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