In last week’s blog post, we wrote about some of the traditional ceremonial roles that make up a wedding party. As we said last week, these roles are a great way to involve your nearest and dearest in your wedding ceremony. However, what if there’s someone very near and very dear whom you wouldn’t usually expect to find in a wedding party? Unfortunately, your pet is unlikely to be capable of fulfilling the typical duties of best man or maid of honour. Nevertheless, if you’re a pet owner, you may be very close to your pet and you may wish to find a way of involving him or her in the proceedings on your wedding day. Pets are a part of the family, after all.

In this week’s blog post, we’ll be suggesting some things to consider if you wish to include your pet in your wedding day. As always, we hope that you’ll find these thoughts helpful.

First Things To Consider

Most importantly, you should consider your pet’s well-being. How sociable is your pet? Will your pet be comfortable with the number of people at your wedding ceremony? Think about the type of ceremony you have in mind, and whether your pet’s personality is well-suited to the occasion. If you’ll be dressing your pet up for the day, make sure he or she is comfortable. As an animal lover, you will no doubt be aware of how important it is that your pet is relaxed and happy throughout the experience.

Secondly, don’t forget to find out what your wedding venue’s policy is on pets. Many venues will have a no-pets policy, especially places of worship. If your ceremony will take place at a venue that doesn’t allow pets, you may need to limit your pet’s involvement to the reception and wedding photography.

You should also make sure to check whether your guests are comfortable with animals, and especially if any of them have allergies. Naturally, it goes without saying that there should also be a clear plan as to who will be responsible for keeping your pet comfortable and well-behaved throughout the day.

Ways of Including Your Pet

One popular choice, particularly with dogs, is to include your pet in the wedding party in the role of ring bearer or flower girl. This might be done by dressing your pet in formal attire, and attaching flowers or a set of faux rings to his or her collar. A ring bearer could also carry a ring cushion attached to his back. Your pet can then walk down the aisle with the rest of the wedding procession. Be warned, though, that your pet might attract more attention than the bride and groom!

Alternatively, your pet can simply stand with or be held by a member of the wedding party during the ceremony. This might be a better idea for animals other than dogs, who might not be suitable for inclusion in the procession itself.

You can also include your pet in your wedding photos. Having some professional photographs taken with your pet is a great way to make sure that he or she is part of your enduring memories of the day. Just make sure to inform the photographer in advance, so that you’ll be assured of having the best photos possible.

If your pet is sociable, bringing him or her to the reception can be fun. Just make sure that he or she is well looked-after, and doesn’t stay up too late past bedtime!