Should You Have Your Dog at Your Wedding?

Almost everyone who has a pet considers them part of the family. It makes sense then that when we start planning our ceremonies our first instinct is to put a bow-tie on the pup and bring him along. As a marriage celebrant in Sydney I’ve seen a few weddings with pets so here’s my thoughts on what to consider before bring the pooch along.

It’s a logisitical challenge.

Unless you’re having the wedding in the backyard you’ll need someone to look after the dog before, during and after the ceremony. This means tasking a friend or family member with the job or paying a professional to handle things. Either way make sure you consider the added challenges on a day that’ll already have a couple of extra stresses.

How well trained is your dog, really?

There’s a bunch of great videos that float around the internet featuring perfectly trained labradors delivering rings down the aisle. The key thing in these videos is just how well trained those dogs are. In order to succesfully get down the aisle your dog will need to be comfortable in a new environment full of new peoples, sights and smells. My dog’s first instinct would be to ignore the boring aisle and head straight into the crowd looking for an expensive dress to rip up. Have a big think about how your furry flower-girl is going to react before you commit to sending her down the aisle.

Your dog won’t mind if they miss the wedding.

The key difference between the dog and the rest of the family is that they won’t mind if they miss the wedding. While I’m sure they’ll have a good time on the day if you do make the call to leave them out it won’t be the end-of-the-world for them. They’ll be be none-the-wiser and will be super excited to see you as soon as you can get back!

Of course the golden-rule with weddings is that you should do what works for you! If you can’t imagine the day without your dogs then: go for it! I love to work with couples to give them the ceremony that works for them. If that means a Great Dane for a bridesmaid I’d love to chat with you about how to make it work.