Guys, I totally get it! Your fur baby is your child—I, myself, am a proud dog mom and would shout it from the roof tops. It’s a no brainer that you love your pup so much and they need to be a part of your big day, but here are a few things to consider when deciding if you have the perfect ring pupper or flower pup:

1. They have to be ok around a lot of people.

   Not every dog is going to be totally cool about being around so many people. If your dog is anxious or very high-energy, it might not be the best fit for them. You know your baby better than anyone so think about what they’d prefer over what you’d like.

2. They have to be able to listen and sit there during the ceremony.

   Just like children, you really never know what a doggo is going to do! They might run down, they might refuse to go. Whatever they do is super cute, but they can’t be jumping all over guests and running around. I usually recommend to appoint someone as the “doggy sitter” to walk them down and have a bone or something for them to do while they sit.

3. More of a logistics thing—How’s your pup getting home?

   As much as I would LOVE for your pup to stay for the reception, county regulations do not allow it :(! You’ll need to appoint someone to bring them home after pictures. This might be difficult as you don’t want to make a relative or friend feel obligated to leave, so hire someone! There are tons of professionals out there who do this as a paid service. Some of them will even walk your pup so they get nice and tired before leaving them at home to rest while you enjoy your reception knowing your fur baby is well taken care of!

Lastly, if you’re considering all these factors and you’re totally upset your little woofer can’t be in your ceremony then find a way to have them be in your pictures! You can do a first look at your house beforehand or pay a professional to bring them to pictures after the ceremony. In wedding planning, logistics can be tricky, but you can always find a compromise to include what you want!

Other ways to include your fur baby in your day:

-Name signature drinks after your animal(s)
-Have an animal treat bar for people to take treats home to their fur babies that can’t be there
-Take pictures of your animal(s) with different numbers and frame the pictures to use as table numbers
-In lieu of favors, donate to a rescue or animal cause in honor of your pet(s)
-Get a cake topper made of your animal(s)
-Have giant cardboard cut outs made of your animal(s) and use as a photobooth prop or by your table