Wedding tips for a dog friendly wedding

I’ve been a planner for 10 years and in that time a few clients have wanted their dogs involved in the day. The most memorable was 2 pug dogs who wore fairy wings and were trained to walk down the aisle with the ring in a special sparkly collar. So it was with interest that I came across this article in Modern Dog Magazine celebrity planner David Tutera in case you were wondering why I was reading a U.S dog magazine!

A civil partnership I’m planning this summer will also have their 3 dogs as part of the ceremony & pictures but won’t be staying for the party. If you are intending on having dogs at your wedding here are my 7 top tips.

 

  1. Remember not everyone is ‘dog friendly’ so keep the dog on a lead at all times and delegate someone to be in charge. If this is not a family member think about hiring a professional dog walker to be present at the wedding ceremony.
  2. Ensure that you keep to your dog’s regular diet and don’t introduce anything new to them. Ahem need I say more then ‘upset tummies’
  3. Remember you can’t reason with a dog so if they decide on the day they’d rather sleep under a tree, well let them and resort to your backup pan – you do have a backup plan right?
  4. Ensure the ‘dog walker’ takes them for regular walks especially just before the ceremony if they are to play a part.
  5. Bring the dogs familiar items like dog bowl and bedding so they have an area they feel comfortable in
  6. Ensure the venue are happy with dogs before booking, many rural venues are more then happy for you to bring your dogs
  7. If the dogs are to act as ring bearers spend some weeks training them with treats first. If possible take them to the ceremony venue and practice the walk with the music you will have as you entrance playing – loudly. If you can get the dog to walk on command with the background noise there is a much higher chance of success on the day.

Dog lovers out there might like this blog post featuring a dog poem! Falling in love is like owning a dog

Photo Credit: Kerry Morgan

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1 Comment

  1. christina on 19th March 2012 at 12:37 am

    The idea of a dog being a vital part of a wedding makes me laugh, but i suppose that some people love their dog almost as much as they love their spouse that they are marrying.

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