Tips for Including Your Dog in Your Wedding

Planning significant events around the chaos of your pet can be rough, but there’s no way you’ll exclude them from your wedding. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you how to totally avoid puppy havoc during your big day. But, we can give you some great tips for including your dog in your ceremony.

Be Realistic

This is the biggest rule. Remember, the goal is to avoid totally awry wedding plans, so you have to be realistic when it comes to including your dog. Assess your dog’s training and personality, and be honest with yourself. If you know your dog isn’t properly socialized, it’s not wise to keep them in the spotlight during the ceremony. That said, remember that nothing ever goes entirely according to plan. So, if you find the perfect spot for your pet but they still make a scene, don’t worry. It’ll make a great story in a couple of years!

Embrace their Strengths

Part of being realistic is admitting your dog’s shortcomings and working around them. If your dog is energetic, don’t keep them upfront during the ceremony. Instead, give them an active role, such as flower girl or ring bearer. Likewise, if you know your dog is well-behaved, you might think about making them your maid or man of honor. The dog of honor, if you will.  Make sure you start this assessment as soon as possible to avoid any last-minute mishaps. 

Double Check Comfort

Imagine: you’re in the middle of your vows, and your mother-in-law’s cousin’s uncle starts sneezing up a storm. The whole ceremony would be ruined! (No, it wouldn’t, but let’s pretend it would be.) The best way to avoid something as dramatic as an impromptu allergic reaction is to inform your guests that you will be having your dog attend your wedding. This way, they can plan accordingly and bring any necessary medications. Similarly, informing your guest acts as a trigger warning for guests afraid of dogs. 

Triple-Check Policies

If you wouldn’t plan for alcohol at a venue that doesn’t allow it, don’t plan for pets at a pet-free venue. Always triple-check your location’s animal policy and plan accordingly. That way, you can avoid any heartbreak on your special day. Suppose you’re having trouble finding suitable locations. In that case, BRIDES has a great list of beautiful pet-friendly spots for you to consider. 

Finding the time to train your dog in the middle of your wedding planning will be hard. Here at Sit Means Sit we offer excellent training plans to help your dog sit, stay, and roll over on your big day!