Including Your Pets in Your Wedding

I’m a big advocate and fan for including your pets into your wedding day.

Dogs are the obvious candidates, but I’ve seen couples find lovely ways to include cats, rabbits and other much-loved animals too. They might walk down the aisle, deliver the rings, appear in your photos, or simply be there for a small part of the day.

The key is to think about what will actually work for your pet.

A wedding can be a lot: unfamiliar surroundings, lots of people, loud music, food everywhere and plenty of opportunities for a normally well-behaved animal to completely lose the plot. Which, depending on the animal, may or may not be exactly what you were hoping for.

Ways to include your pet

There are plenty of options beyond making them your ring bearer.

They could:

• Walk down the aisle with you or someone in your wedding party

• Be involved in the ring exchange

• Join you for photographs

• Make an appearance during the ceremony

• Wear a collar, bow or accessory that fits with the day

• Be mentioned in your ceremony or vows

• Have a photo or illustration included in your stationery or décor

• Spend the morning getting ready with you before heading home with a trusted sitter

You don't need to have them there for the whole day for them to feel part of it.

Think about their needs

Before deciding, consider whether your pet actually enjoys being around crowds and unfamiliar environments.

If they’re anxious, reactive, elderly or simply prefer sleeping on the sofa, a wedding might not be their idea of a good time.

If they are coming along, make sure someone is responsible for them throughout the day. Ideally, this isn't someone who already has an important role in the wedding. They should be able to take them somewhere quiet, manage food and toilet breaks, and take them home when they've had enough.

And check your venue's rules before making plans — not every wedding venue allows animals, particularly indoors.

Check the venue rules - and consider a chaperone

Before making plans for your pet to attend, check with your wedding venue about their rules. Some venues are happy to welcome dogs and other animals, while others may have restrictions around where they can go, whether they can be inside, or whether they need to leave after the ceremony.

It’s also worth thinking about who will actually be responsible for your pet on the day. Asking a friend or family member can work, but they may already have plenty to do.

A professional pet chaperone can be a really useful option. They can bring your pet to the venue, look after them throughout the relevant parts of the day, take them for walks and breaks, keep an eye on them during photos, and take them home when they've had enough.

That means your friends and family can concentrate on enjoying the wedding - and you don't have to spend the day wondering where your pooch has disappeared to.

They can still be part of it if they can't attend

If having your pet at the wedding isn't practical, you can still acknowledge how important they are to your life together.

A photograph, a mention in the ceremony, a small detail in your stationery or simply telling the story of how they became part of your relationship can be enough.

As a pet-friendly celebrant, I’m very happy to work with you on ways to include your animals in the ceremony that feel natural rather than bolted on.

"Knowing that Cat was pet-inclusive took out a lot of work for us from the beginning. She wanted to meet our special little guy ahead of the wedding day, ensured we were practising the ring-bearer walk with him and introduced us to an amazing dog chaperone so we could relax on the day itself."