Five Ways to Incorporate Your Pet Into a Wedding

If you’re someone who considers your pet to be a part of your family, then it would make perfect sense why you would want him (or her) to also be a part of your very special day. Of course, to insure that your dog, cat, bird (or some other “special friend”) has as wonderful of a time as you do, it’s a good idea to speak with the officiant, someone at the venue where you are having your ceremony and reception, along with wedding party to see if everyone is comfortable with that idea and no one is allergic to dander. If everyone is on board, then here are five ways to creatively incorporate your pet into your wedding day.

You can have your dog be your ring bearer. Perhaps the most popular way of using a dog in a wedding is to have it be the ring bearer. The thing to keep in mind is that this works best with a trained pet that is older than puppy. Unfortunately, puppies are not as reliable as they are cute.

You can have your dog walk down with your flower girl. If you have someone under five as your flower girl, she might find herself a little nervous at the thought of walking in front of a lot of people. One way to ease her anxiety is to put a leash on your dog and have it walk down with her. Not only will it keep a smile on the flower girl’s face, but it will pretty much guarantee that she’ll get down to the bottom of the aisle (if she likes dogs, that is).

You can use your bird to escort you. Is your bird the kind that can sit quietly on your shoulder at home? If so, perhaps consider having it do the same for your wedding day, as your escort. One word of caution: It’s probably not the best idea to do this if you are having an outdoor ceremony. At least if it’s inside and your bird flies a way, you have a greater chance of catching it.

You can put your pet in your pictures. Whether or not your pet partakes in the ceremony, that doesn’t mean that it can’t go into your pictures. As a matter of fact, they can be a perfect “accessory” in some of the more fun and casual pictures that you want to take, whether it’s with the entire bridal party, you and your spouse or you alone.

You can dance with your pet at the reception. The reception is the time when everyone “let’s their hair down” and simply enjoys having a good time. So who said that your pet can’t be a part of the festivities? Now honestly, probably only a dog is really going to appreciate being in crowd that’s filled with loud music, but if you want your cat or guinea pig or some other kind animal nearby, remember to bring their cage…just in case the excitement is too much for them.

These are just a few ways to include your pet into your wedding but you’re certainly not limited to only these options. With whatever you decide to do, remember that it’s your wedding. Celebrate the day with the ones that you love—including your pet!

About the author: SimplyBridal.com is an online retailer of quality wedding dresses, bridesmaid gowns, and bridal accessories. Started in Los Angeles in 2011, SimplyBridal now ships to North America, much of Europe, and parts of Asia. SimplyBridal’s dresses have been featured on Style Me Pretty, Rock ‘n Roll Bride, and Wedding Chicks.