On your wedding day, you’ll likely want to be surrounded by your close friends, family, and potentially, your beloved pet(s). Millennials are the largest demographic of pet owners, and as more and more of them are walking down the aisle, it only makes sense that pets are increasingly making the guest list. There are a variety of ways to include your pet at your wedding. Whether you want to assign them a significant role–such as ring bearer—or want to include them in your photos, there is no shortage of ways to make your pet a memorable part of your day.
When determining how you want to incorporate your pet into your wedding day, consider their temperament and personality. Are they friendly? Do they have good manners? Are they afraid of a crowd or frightened by strangers? It’s important to take these questions into consideration, as animals with anxiety might not fare well at a wedding. If you’re struggling to find the perfect way to incorporate your pet at your outdoor wedding, the wedding experts at Windows on the Water can help you determine a stress-free way to make your pet a part of your day. Here are some tips for how to incorporate pets in your outdoor wedding.
Assign Your Pet a Role
Once you start thinking about your pet’s personality, you can start to play around with assigning them a role in your wedding party. Depending on your pet’s obedience and personality, you can assign them a variety of roles in your wedding party, including:
- Pet of honor: You could have your pet walk down the aisle with your bridesmaids and groomsmen and then sit alongside them for the rest of the ceremony. To prevent your pet from running around, it might be nice to have them on a leash.
- Flower pet: Instead of having flower girls, give your pet the job. You can also choose to have your pet walk down the aisle with the flower girls. Be sure to get flowers that are safe for dogs to have in their mouth, as some flowers are toxic to dogs.
- Ring bearer: Consider making your pet the ring bearer by attaching your rings to a collar or finding a custom-made pet ring holder—yes, they’re out there.
- Guest: If you don’t think your pet’s personality is suitable for any wedding party roles, consider having them at your wedding as an honorary guest. You can sit them in the front row with a close friend so they can still be a big part of your ceremony.
You’ll also want to decide if your pet will attend your reception. It’s likely that the food, dancing, and crowds might be too much for your pet to handle. If this is the case, you should plan out the logistics of getting your pet home after their ceremony.
Make Sure Your Venue Allows Pets
Before you get too deep into planning how your dog will fit into your wedding, you’ll want to make sure that your venue allows pets. If you’re having your wedding at a religious venue, such as a church or a synagogue, it’s likely pets won’t be allowed. On the other hand, if your event venue is outside, it’s most likely canine-friendly.
What Do You Want Your Pet to Wear?
It can be fun to get your pet dressed up for your wedding. Consider choosing an outfit that matches your theme but is still comfortable. You can also choose to forego an outfit, but consider dressing up your pet’s collar with a bow tie or flowers.
Plan a Pet-Friendly Outdoor Wedding at Windows on the Water
If you are struggling to plan a pet-friendly wedding, let the expert wedding staff at Windows on the Water help you incorporate your pet into your special day. At Windows on the Water, we recognize that your venue will be the focal point for one of the most important days of your life, which is why we are dedicated to helping design a jaw-dropping atmosphere for your outdoor wedding.
Call us today at (609) 208-9475 or complete our online contact form to learn about the amenities and services we have available.