How to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding

Your special day is an occasion for celebrating with ALL your nearest and dearest, and for many of us that includes our furry friends. Honouring your romantic bond with the one you cherish is a momentous event that you’ll remember for the rest of your lives. To exclude beloved pets is inexcusable, so we thought we’d take a closer look at how to include your dog in your wedding.

Leaving your dog behind while you drink, dance and be merry may be fine for some fur baby parents. But if your dog is as important to you as your nan, your kids and your soon-to-be spouse, then finding a way to celebrate that involves them too is essential.

Below we’ll show you how to include your pooch in your wedding, what roles they can play in your special celebration and tips for ensuring this momentous occasion is enjoyable for all involved.

Step-by-Step Guide to Involving Your Dog in Your Wedding

Before considering how to incorporate your dog into your wedding, stop and consider a few important questions. Does my dog want to be included in my wedding? How will they cope with lots of people, noise, dancing, music, new places and new faces? How will my guests feel about a dog at a wedding? With the best will in the world, if your dog is not a people dog, they may find the whole day stressful, overstimulating and confusing.

If your dog is the kind of dog who’d love a day of cuddles, eating scraps of wedding breakfast, chewing discarded shoes and revelling in the extra attention, then keep reading.

Our step-by-step guide details how you can include your pets in your ceremony, what support you might need and how to plan for every eventuality.

1.        Dog-friendly wedding venues

First and foremost, ensure you book a dog friendly wedding venue. An important part of starting to plan a wedding is finding a wedding venue that has enough space for your guestlist, works logistically from a geographical perspective and that’s within your budget.

After finalising your ideal venue size, vibe and your wedding date, you should have a shortlist of wedding venues to go and see. Before arranging appointments, to avoid wasting time and disappointment, find out if your shortlist is dog friendly. This will inevitably shorten the list further, but will mean your time viewing venues is spent looking at viable options that don’t exclude your pet. Wedding venues accepting dogs are becoming more common but never assume it’ll be fine without first asking.

A quick trawl of their website, social media or a phone call will confirm whether they accept pets or not. Further to this, try to find out how dog friendly the venue is. For example, will your dog be allowed in the restaurant or reception area? Are they allowed off the lead in the grounds or outdoor space? Are they welcome in the licensed ceremony space? Are they permitted in the bridal suite or wedding accommodation?

Again, qualifying your preferred venues at this stage helps to narrow down wedding venues that welcome your dogs and those that accept them with strict restrictions imposed. The answers to these questions will ultimately help you determine if a wedding venue is suitable for you, or not.

If you’re getting married in a church before a hotel wedding reception, check with the church office before assuming they’re dog friendly too. Again, this might sway your decision on which church to get married in, or whether to get married in church at all, if they won’t allow your pets to attend.

2.        How to involve your dog in your wedding ceremony

Once you have your dog friendly wedding venue booked, you can start to think about the role you’d like your furry friend to play. Likely, this will be determined by your dog’s personality!

Are they exceptionally well-trained and will follow commands even in the face of multiple distractions? Are they likely to wander off at the first chance they get? Building your pet into your wedding ceremony should be tailored to each individual pet. Make sure you have realistic expectations to avoid chaos on your wedding day.

Here are just a few ideas for incorporating your four-legged besties into your wedding day.

• Ring bearer – is there anything cuter than a dog with a bow tie or pretty collar strutting down the aisle with the rings tied to them? We don’t think there is! Smaller dogs could be led by flower girls or page boys, or more unruly pets could be escorted by a bridesmaid or groomsman. Gorgeous.

  
  

• Part of the processional – the processional is the entrance of the wedding party. Why not have your dog walk you down the aisle? Making your dog wedding chaperone in place of a parent is a lovely way to enter into married life. Once you’re at the front, you can hand custody over to the best man of honour, so they remain front and centre with you both. Or go one step further and include your pooch as a bridesmaid or groomsman and have them front and centre throughout for all to see.

  
  

• FROW – the front row of the wedding ceremony is where the VIPs sit. Save a space for your dog here so they can witness your joyous union alongside your family and friends, if a spot in the wedding party is too big an ask.  

  
  

• Wedding photos and video – Talk to your wedding photographer or videographer beforehand on how to stage unforgettable shots that showcase you and your pet – a fantastic memento of your special bond. 

3.        Dog wedding outfits

After confirming your wedding venue and deciding on the role your pup will play, it’s time to think about their attire. This is not an essential part of the wedding planning, but it is super fun, and there are lots of ways to coordinate your outfits without overwhelming your pooch.

Dogs in wedding outfits make wonderful photos and will have your guests smiling in

delight. Wedding apparel for dogs can extend from dog wedding collar accessories such as garlands, flowers and bow ties to full-on dog wedding outfits that look like dresses or suits.

Bear in mind that your pooch will have to wear this, so try not to choose something too traumatic unless your dog is used to dressing up and comfortable wearing doggy clothing. You could choose something for the ceremony only and remove it afterwards, sparing your pet discomfort whilst still offering maximum impact.

4.        Back-up support

If you decide to bring your dog along on your wedding day, remember to enlist some support! Ask a friend or family member to keep custody of your dog, taking them for regular toilet breaks, making sure they have access to water and food, and that they are supervised in your absence. Not only will this mean your dog is well-looked after, but even the most dog friendly wedding venues may object to a dog running wild through their property without supervision.

Choose someone that isn’t integral to your day, such as an uncle or aunt, a friend not in the wedding party or perhaps a teenage guest looking for some extra cash!

Top Tips for Dog Friendly Weddings

•  Allocate a chaperone to supervise your doggo on the day

• Remember to walk them regularly so they can burn off pent up energy

• Don’t forget to bring food and water bowls for the day

• Plan logistics – think about where they will be at each stage of your wedding day

• Don’t forget to dress your dog appropriately - whether a bow tie or a floral collar, dogs in wedding outfits are always super cute!

• Practice runs – getting your dog familiar with what will happen during the ceremony will help plan for all eventualities

• Consider your guests' needs – inform your guests that your dog will be at the wedding and account for anyone with allergies by seating them away from your dog. Dogs at weddings may cause anxiety or fear for some guests, so ensure your dog is supervised at all times to alleviate any concerns.  

Alternatives

Realistically, not everyone can have their dog at their wedding. Your dream venue might not accept doggy pals, your dad might be allergic or your dog may be too much of a rascal. Whatever your reasons, there are ways to cater for your dog on your wedding day that include less involvement, or none, that still show you care.

Local dog sitters, doggy day care providers or kennels may offer a wedding service package where they’ll come and supervise your dog on your wedding day, either at home or at the venue. This means your pet won’t miss out on their walks, but will still be close to you and can revel in the attention as much or as little as they want.

Alternatively, if you opt to treat your dog to a day at doggy daycare, you can still include their likeness in your wedding plans and keep them in your thoughts on your big day. Wedding stationery, wedding favours, even wedding attire can be dog themed with cute images, drawings or paw prints personalised to your special friend. You can get dog likenesses as cake toppers, or pocket squares with your pet on too.

Including photographs and tokens of your pets in their absence may be a compromise but will ensure they are not overlooked as you celebrate your union together.  

FAQs

Can a dog be a wedding witness?

Unfortunately, not. A wedding witness is required to sign the register which is something your pet can’t do.

Are dogs allowed in church for a wedding?

This will be down to your chosen church. Check with the church office or vicar before booking your wedding ceremony to find out whether they allow dogs inside. Many churches are open to the general public and allow well-behaved dogs entry, however it’s always best to check before assuming it’s permitted.

What should my dog wear to my wedding?

Whatever you like! So long as they are comfortable being dressed up and not wearing anything that causes pain or discomfort, your imagination is the only limiting factor. That, and having an appropriate opening for going to the toilet!

Can a dog officiate a wedding?

Not legally, no. They can’t talk ….  

Dog Friendly Wedding Venues in Lancashire

You don’t have to worry about leaving your dog at home when you get married at Springbank Manor. Our gorgeous wedding venue in the heart of Lancashire warmly welcomes well-behaved dogs. We have dedicated dog friendly accommodation, plenty of wide open space outside and allow dogs into our reception rooms, so you don’t have to exclude your pups on your wedding day.

Our experienced team of wedding coordinators are here to help make your day as unique and special as you are. Get in touch to discuss how we can facilitate your pet plans at our exceptionally dog friendly wedding venue!

Dog Friendly Weddings at Springbank Manor