Ten 10 ideas for involving your dog in your wedding, civil ceremony or vow renewals

As dog ownership in the UK has become ever more popular over the last couple of decades, so too has the number of places where dogs are allowed and where people accept seeing dogs has grown too, and one thing in particular that many people now wish to involve their dog in is their wedding, civil ceremony, vow renewals or other special occasions where all of the family are involved!

The chances are that such events will see all of your family, kids and all, attending on the day and as many people see their dogs as part of the family too, many people also wish to have their dog in attendance on the day itself, or even having an important role to play!

The concept of involving your dog in your big day is not one that should be decided upon in haste, and there are a lot of variables and factors to take into account if you do wish to do this, such as getting permission from the venue, finding out if any of the guests are allergic to dogs, and how your dog will behave. However, if you have decided that you want your dog to be involved in your big day and are wondering how to get them involved, plenty of inspiration is available online from people who have already done it-and so in this article, we will share ten top ideas to get you thinking about how your dog could play a part in your big day that you might want to consider. Read on to learn more.

Helping you to get ready

A good compromise is the idea of having to watch your dog during the ceremony itself is just too much is to have your dog with you before you head out to the venue to help you to get ready. Having your dog beside you while you dress and prepare will not only allow them to play a part in the day, but will also help to reassure you and keep you calm!

Walking the bride down the aisle

If you want your dog to have a really important task and particularly if you don’t have a father or father figure to walk you down the aisle, why not let your dog do the honours! Your dog will need to be calm and well behaved, able to walk to heel reliably, and like being the centre of attention too!

Walking with the bridesmaids

Having your dog walk in with one of your bridesmaids is an alternative to this, and is a great idea if you have asked one of the bridesmaids to take care of your dog and look after them on the day too.

Standing with the groom

Standing in solidarity with the groom while waiting for the bride to arrive can help the groom to relax and feel more at ease, and your dog will likely view this as a very important job that will see them right in the middle of the action! They may even pick up on the bride’s arrival before the human guests do, which can be interesting to watch!

Being a groomsman

There are never enough groomsmen to take care of everything on the day itself, so why not appoint your dog to be one of them? They can help to meet and greet people on the way in, and accompany your special guests to their seats!

Bearing witness

While your dog cannot actually sign their paw print to be a formal witness at your wedding, if your dog is a little shy and would not enjoy joining in with the ceremony itself, why not have them meet you to sign the register and be present for the paperwork part of the ceremony?

Accompanying you to your venue

Having your dog ride along to the venue with you can help to keep you calm and relaxed on the journey, without the potential stress of having to watch your dog during the ceremony itself.

Seeing you off on your honeymoon

Similarly, having someone bring your dog along to see you off on your honeymoon (particularly if this person will take care of them while you are away, or is going to drop them off at their kennels) is a good way to see your dog before you head off into the sunset for a week or two!

Being involved in the photoshoot

Get your dog primped and groomed with a special collar or hat and having them take part in your formal photographs is a brilliant way to create a lasting memory of your day and your dog’s presence in it. Additionally, you will not have the potential stress of having your dog along for the whole day too!

Welcoming people to the reception

When your guests enter the reception or party after the wedding itself, it is traditional to have a line-up of relatives or close friends welcoming people in, and thanking them for coming. Why not have your dog take part in this too, and allow them to meet some new people and probably, enjoy a lot of fuss and attention!