• By petcloud
• 19 February 20214 January 2023
• dog at wedding dog friendly wedding elope elopement pet concierge pet friendly wedding
• With 4 comments

Want to include your dog in your wedding but not sure how?  We’ve pulled together some terrific wedding ideas for dog lovers on how to include your pup on your special day.

If you are getting married soon, including your dog in your ceremony and photos is a great way to create a happy celebration that is uniqely you and your partners. Pet concierges are growing in popularity because they provide dedicated care on the day, instead of calling on a friend or a bridemaid or a family member, who instead, should be care-free and enjoying the occassion with you.

What is a Pet Concierge? 

A Pet Concierge is a caring animal handler who supervises the bride and groom’s dog, enabling them to take part in the wedding ceremony and photographs.

What does a Pet Concierge do? 

• Pet Presentation Preparation for the Wedding Ceremony (making them look clean and smell nice).
• Animal Handling and Supervision on a leash during the ceremony and during photographs. 
• Pet Waste Pickup
• Ensuring Water Hydration and Shade
• Treats

At the ceremony the Bride and groom might request for the Pet Concierge assist the dog in meeting guests on arrival.  Or walking the dog down the aisle to as the ring bearer.

Other Pet Services a Pet Concierge might do in addition to the Pet Concierge role for a wedding are:

• Pet Taxi
• Pet Sitting
• Dog Walking

How do you include a dog in a wedding?    

Get a photographer to capture some engagement photos in some botanical gardens with your dog. The photos could have you and your fiancé in the background and your dog in the foreground wearing a sign around its neck saying “My humans are getting married!”  Print out postcards and send to wedding guests, along with the date.

When PetCloud Founder Deb Morrison got engaged, having her dog Milly involved in the announcement photoshoot was a must!

Notify guests that a dog will be present. Guests who might have allergies or a fear of dogs can plan accordingly.   Check with your chosen elopement or wedding venue location to make sure they are a pet friendly wedding venue.  Notify the venue manager, wedding planner, photographer, celebrant, caterers, band, florist so they are aware of your plans. A high reputation website such as PetCloud to find a reliable Pet Sitter who is willing to be your Pet Sitter and Dog Concierge on your special day.

Instead of a traditional wedding gift, ask your guests to donate to the RSPCA.  Start ordering wedding products such as dog wedding attire, dog ring pillows, dog lead, dog collar, dog treats, enrichment toys and designed dog cufflinks and personalised groom socks with your dog’s face on them.  

On the Wedding Day before the Ceremony

We recommend booking them to stay at a Pet Sitter’s home the night before and having the Pet Sitter drive them in a Pet Taxi to the ceremony.

Why? On the morning of your wedding day, you won’t be able to give your dog the full attention they need, and having your dog do a sneaky wee or accidental poo explosion on your wedding gown from guests feeding them treats their stomach is not used to would not be ideal.  And, with the increase of people through your home or accomodation, powerful perfume smells, hair dryers, stress levels – your dog will pick up on all of this and may become a little more anxious than usual.  

So to prevent this, pre-arranging them to stay at the Pet Sitter’s the night before and for the Pet Sitter to walk them around the block will stimulate production of endorphins that will relax them. You may wish to also buy some dog calming treats that contain tryptophan that will help them cope.  Having a full stomach on the morning with chicken and rice will also keep them settled and less hungry, which may mean less jumping all over guests.

If it’s a cool day, you could request your Sitter to prepare your dog in dog wedding attire – for example dog bow tie, dog tuxedo, dog wedding dress, dog tutu, dog flower collar/wreath/lead (ensure your florist doesn’t include any toxic flowers), ring pillow, or a custom-made dog wedding sign. Ask your photographer to capture a well-timed photo of your rings resting on their nose or paw.

Dog involvement ideas during the Ceremony

At the ceremony you could have your dog meet and greet guests on arrival.  Another idea might be to have your Pet Sitter concierge your dog down the aisle to be the ring bearer. To do this, your Pet Sitter Concierge might tie your rings on a dog ring pillow and place the pillow on the dogs back or around their neck.  Your dog could walk down the wedding aisle wearing a sign “Dog of honour”. Below are some photos of PetCloud Sitters and Wedding Pet Concierges – Ros and Gary of Willetton in Western Australia who will transport your pet to and from your wedding, attend to their needs, and have them stay overnight.

You could strap a go-pro video camera to your dog and have your dog film the ceremony from the dog’s perspective. This incredible movie can highlight the most memorable moments of your wedding day and can be accompanied by your favourite music. This is something that will last a lifetime, that can be watched time and time again and be easily shared on all social media platforms with your loved ones and guests.

After Ceremony Photos

Including your dog in your wedding photos after the ceremony is a fun way to have them involved. Ensure that your chosen Pet Sitter and Photographer will have a squeaky toy and treats on hand to capture their attention and water to ensure your pet is well-hydrated during the shoot.

Dog Travel Water Bottles are a must

Can my dog be my maid of honour?

You could have your dog accompany the bridesmaids, page boy and flower girl down the aisle.  You could include your dog in the vows by having them by your side or holding them. 

Should you include your Dog at the Reception?

We don’t recommend having your dog at the Reception because they will most likely be worn out after participating in the ceremony and photos after the ceremony so after the photos, you may wish to thank the Pet Sitter and have them take your dog home to stay with them for another night. At the reception use dog-themed accessories like place cards, photo holders or paw print confetti.  Have a custom dog inspired wedding cake topper.  

Another lucky doggy customer who stayed with PetCloud Sitters Ros and Gary in Willetton, Western Australia.

After the Wedding Day

Send thank you card photos of your dog wearing a ‘Thank you’ wedding sign.  Create a customised photo jigsaw puzzle of your wedding day. This is the perfect gift for a wedding anniversary present or a memento of your special day.

Read about how we helped one bride and groom at their Byron Bay wedding.

• Share
• Tweet
• Pin