5 Fun Ways to Incorporate Your Pet Into Your Wedding Day

One of the most magical parts of any wedding day, big or small, is being able to celebrate alongside those that mean the most to you and your soon to be spouse. From your family that’s been at your side from day one, to all the incredible friends you’ve made throughout this journey through life, there are so many loved ones to include into your wedding day. For some couples though it can feel as if someone special is missing from their wedding, their beloved pupper or other pet! For many couples, their pet is a part of their family unit which is why this article is focused on 5 ways to incorporate your furry friend into your wedding day.

1. Bring Them!! 

The first and most straightforward way to incorporate your pet into your wedding day is to simply bring them along! Whether it’s for your ceremony, cocktail hour, portraits, or part of the reception, having your dog or other pet at your side can make for some incredible memories and photographable moments from your wedding day. This does depend on the venue as some may or may not allow animals, and you’ll also need to consider travel time as you’re not going to want your little pal around for the entire wedding day. This also really only works for those pets that are chill, well behaved, or incredibly trained. If your pup is easily excitable or energetic then this may be more stressful for you than enjoyable. Lucky enough though the next point is for just that scenario!

2. Have Someone Bring Them for Photos

For the more hyper, energetic, or jumpy pets that just CANNOT sit still for more than a few photos, have someone else bring them for your wedding day portraits. It can be your dog walker, dog sitter, the spouse of someone in your wedding party, one of your cousins, or really anyone you can trust. Once you decide who’ll be responsible for transporting your furry friend you have a couple options for when to do these photos. The first and most ideal option would be to have them as a part of a designated portrait time of your wedding day, either before or after your wedding ceremony. If your pet is a jumper though and struggles with the concept of personal space, have them instead be present while you’re getting ready so you don’t have to stress about your wedding attire.

Having someone else transport your pet to your wedding day is a great solution for those pets that just have a little too much energy for the full wedding day experience, but that you still want to incorporate into your day. Once their role in the portraits is finished you can then have your designated person bring them back home, give them a quick snack, and then they can rejoin the wedding after. Even for pets that are calmer and can more easily be a part of your wedding, I do recommend having someone designated to bring them home after a certain amount of time. As I mentioned, you don’t want them there for the entire wedding day, and after hanging out and taking portraits your pet is going to want to go home and take a nap anyway!

3. Include Them in Your Wedding Details

If your pet can’t physically attend your wedding day due to venue restrictions, travel time, or any other reason, don’t worry as there are still PLENTY of ways to include them! The first of which is to include them into some of the details of your wedding day. There are so many fun ways to incorporate your pets into your wedding details. Have temporary tattoos for you and your guests to put on during your reception, give out drink koozies with their faces on them as party favors, use pictures of them as your table numbers, or get some custom cufflinks with their faces on them.

4. Name a Signature Drink After Them!

Another great way to incorporate your pets into your wedding day is to name your signature drinks after them. This is a pretty popular and fun trend in the wedding industry today, and for good reason. It’s a simple and fun way to include your pets into your wedding day with about as little stress involved as possible. Name an old fashioned after your pup, or create your own signature drink with their name attached to it. You can also hire an artist to do an illustration of your pet for you to use on the drink menu itself to make this idea even cuter!

5. Include Them in Your Engagement Photos

Lastly, you can always include your pets into your engagement photos, which you can then use in different areas on the day of your wedding. This is a great option as your engagement session has much lower stakes than your wedding day, so the stress of including your pet in your photos will be practically non-existent. Once you have your engagement photos you then have the freedom to decide where they are used on your wedding day. You can use them for your save the dates, wedding invites and RSVPs, your welcome sign for your reception, or anywhere else you want to really. It’s a simple way to include your pets in your wedding day while they’re able to enjoy a nap at home as you celebrate!

And there you have it, 5 great ways you can incorporate your pet into your wedding day! As you can see there are plenty of options to choose from, and which you decide to go with really depends on your pets themselves. If you’re comfortable and confident in them being fine while physically at your wedding day it’s a fantastic way to make the day feel even more personal to you. If that would bring too much stress to the day though the other options are just as much fun to include. For more wedding planning tips check out some of my other articles, and if you’re looking to book me to document your wedding day be sure to send me an inquiry via my contact page.