5 Of The Most Creative Ways To Include Your Pets In Your Wedding
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Pets compare to children in many ways; they rely on their human parents to keep them fed, happy, healthy, and, of course, entertained with toys and playtime. Since children are often included in weddings, why not let Milo and Rex attend, too? If you're currently planning to tie the knot with your special someone, you have many creative options for including your pet — or pets — on the big day. From being featured on the cake to being part of the wedding party, you won't have a problem letting your guests know how important your fur baby is to you.
Bringing a pet to a wedding isn't a new concept, either. Brides and grooms have been doing it for decades, but new ideas for inclusion seem to emerge every few years. Just be sure to check with the venue owner if you plan to physically bring your pet to the wedding or reception since some venues have pet restrictions. Even if you'll have an outdoor wedding or reception — or both — some spots may still not be pet-friendly outside of service animals.
Once you have the green light, you can start the planning and decide how best to include your animal companion in your happily ever after. It's easy to find online photos of dogs stealing the show at weddings, along with other pets, so here are five creative ideas to consider for your own wedding.
Include your pets on your wedding cake
One of the easiest ways to include your pet in your wedding is by adding its likeness to your cake. Regardless of what type of pet you have, it can be featured as a cake topper, as one possibility. If you want something minimalistic or just aren't concerned with detail, a silhouette cake topper like the JIEEIN Wedding Cake Topper might be enough for you. Stores sell different styles with pets alone or of a couple and their pets together. You also have the option to use a small toy figurine like the EYSCOTA's Cat Figurines as the topper, which can come in handy if you have a less-common pet, like an iguana or rabbit.
If you have trouble finding a topper that represents your pet to your liking, many online stores make custom toppers based on customer-submitted photos, like the Juju Gigi Clay Play Personalized Wedding Cake Topper. Many small businesses on Etsy also offer custom wedding-cake toppers in various sizes. Your local cake decorator might even be able to create one that looks exactly like your pet.
As an alternative, or in addition, to the item atop the cake, you might want to include your pet on one of the layers or at the base in the form of a topper or figurine. Or, consider having your pet's likeness as part of the cake design itself. If you prefer something more discrete, a simple set (or a few sets) of paw prints somewhere on the cake could suffice.
Have your pet be the ring bearer (or other wedding party member)
Who can resist the cuteness of a pet that walks down the aisle as the ring bearer? A dog can wear the bands on its collar or harness, and if you have two dogs, each one can wear a ring. Cats can do the same, but they might require more training. If you're unsure if your pet will cooperate with its assigned task, you can have someone walk it on a leash, carry it, or push it in a stroller instead — still with the rings attached. And yes, it's possible to leash and stroller train a cat.
Carrying the rings is obviously an essential part of the ceremony, but it's not the only wedding role your pet can play. Let it accompany the flower girl or be your best man, maid of honor, groomsman, or bridesmaid instead. And again, if you think there's a chance your pet won't make it all the way down the aisle alone, ask someone to tag along, even if they're not part of the official wedding party.
What's nice about including pets in your wedding party is that it allows you to dress them up, including the reptilian ones; you might find that turtles and tortoises in costumes are your new obsession. With the rising popularity of dressing up pets, you'll find dozens of adorably stylish wedding outfits for dogs, cats, and other species online and on store shelves. Buying a snazzy custom-made outfit is also an option.
Include your pets in your the getting-ready or first-look photos
Many photographers snap photos of the couple and wedding party getting dolled up, with close-up and wide-angle shots featuring hair, makeup, cufflinks, dresses, tuxedos, shoes, and sometimes even socks. Some couples also request private first-look photos in which they see each other dressed in their wedding attire for the first time. Consider welcoming your pet to either or both of these sessions.
If you want your pet to be physically present on your wedding day but not necessarily at the ceremony or reception, including it in these photoshoots might be a happy medium. It gives the photographer (and videographer, if you'll have one) the opportunity to stage shots and take candid snaps of those tender and humorous moments between you and your companion. And of course, your pet can have its own getting-ready photos if you plan to buy it an outfit.
Even if you and your soon-to-be spouse don't plan on doing a first-look photoshoot, you can still arrange for a private session with just you and your pets. Just be mindful that paws, claws, or other appendages could dirty or damage your dress or tux if they make contact with you.
Include your pet as a sign holder or as part of the sign
Weddings involve many details and directions that often need to be typed or written on a sign. Sometimes, these signs are displayed on a stand or table near the entrance of the ceremony or reception venue. Your pet can take the place of that stand or table, depending on the sign type and your pet's species and cooperation level. Obviously, it will need to remain in a small designated area for a certain amount of time, so you may need to use a leash.
The sign you choose for your pet to hold might be a simple "welcome" sign with an attached string, which may be worn like a collar. It can also be a cutesy message like "My mom is getting married" or "My dad is getting married." Or, if the pet belongs to the couple, not just one person, it can read, "My parents are getting married." This also gives your photographer a great photo opp.
Alternatively, you can include a photo of your pet on a sign, whether it's the sign at the ceremony featuring a photo of you and your betrothed or the seating chart at the reception. Or, consider including pictures of your pet on the reception tables, on a bar sign, or near the guestbook table.
Your pet can be a videographer, too
Even if you already have a human videographer lined up for your special day, having your pet serve as a second videographer could create the opportunity for some unique footage. All you need is a GoPro, Insta360, or similar action camera. These cameras can be mounted on a pet harness on the pet's back or on a collar near the neck. This gives you the rare chance to see what your wedding day was like from your pet's perspective.
If you plan to have your pet as part of the wedding party, the action camera will give you rare footage that no one else walking down the aisle will have (unless they're wearing smart glasses). If you plan to let your pet make an appearance at the reception with the camera, have someone walk it around the venue to get footage of your guests. Check with the venue owner/manager ahead of time, though, to make sure they allow pets at the reception.
Depending on how long you let your pet be present at your wedding, you could sit back with your spouse at the night's end and watch the footage. You'll likely find some great moments that you can send to your human videographer to include in your final, edited wedding video.