Post # 1
Member
80 posts
Worker bee
We’ve approved with our venue that our dog can be in the ceremony, they have a large kennel on site for our dog to hang out and everything after the ceremony (reception is at the same venue as well) and so there’s no issues there. My question is, for anyone that has or is planning to also include their dog in their wedding, how did/are you going about it?
We have 6 Groomsmen (The Best Man is officiating our wedding, so it’ll be 5 GMs standing to the side) and I have 4 Bridesmaid or Best Man. Would it be better to have a Groomsmen walk with him? Or maybe the Best Man? I’m not sure. I just want ideas on what would look nice. He’s a medium-large dog.
The way our venue is set up is that the GMs walk in from a separate are (the ceremony is outside) and the BMs walk from the back door of the garden house to the alter so we’re not planning to have BMs and GMs walk together.
For anyone who doesn’t like the idea of pets in a wedding, please don’t comment because not having our dog involved is not an option. 🙂
Post # 3
Member
2490 posts
Buzzing bee
We had our dogs come to the ceremony venue after the ceremony for pictures. Our wedding was out of town and they were staying at a kennel closeby, so the kennel people brought them out for us. Honestly, I love that we have pictures with them but it was pretty stressful on both dogs to be around so many people and I don’t know if I would put them through it again. My brother took really good care of them and calmed them down because they were so excited and stressed. They hadn’t seen us for almost two days though so I think that a had to do with it.
A friend of mine had one of her bridesmaids walk her dog down the aisle… the dog is usually super well trained but she got overwhelmed and almost had to be dragged down the aisle.
It can be done but definitely be prepared for anything to happen!
Post # 4
Member
80 posts
Worker bee
@orchidaloha: I didn’t even really think about it, but yes, we would also need him for pictures too. Which makes me a bit nervous because it is an outdoor wedding, he’s going to likely have dirty paws, and a white dress involved with pictures may not end so well. How did you handle that? He’s fairly well trained on a leash, we socialize him every week with dog park trips, and between now and the wedding, he’s going to be around lots of people I’m sure on a consistent basis.
Post # 5
Member
2684 posts
Sugar bee
I think you should have one of the GM’s walk him in. The best man may be carrying a book or items for the ceremony if he’s officiating, so it would be better for him to not have his hands full. It’s probably also better that the GM’s are walking in from the side instead of down the aisle. Fewer people to distract him during the ceremony. We’re having our dog in the wedding too and I just know that she’s going to get sidetracked with guests when she walks down the aisle. She loves people and is very social. I wouldn’t have it any other way because she is really important to us 🙂
Post # 6
Member
80 posts
Worker bee
@bleusteel: That’s exactly how the venue is set up too, so great point! The guys come in from the side and don’t really walk past the guests, so it’ll be easier for our little bear to be more focused 
Has anyone had any negative responses about involving a dog though?
Post # 7
Member
89 posts
Worker bee
My small dog was involved in my last wedding (I’m divorced). It was outside and about 50 people and my dog is well socialized. She walked up the aisle with my mom and sat in the front row with her during the ceremony (dog was on the ground- not in a chair). ha ha We did photos afterwards and never had a problem with her behavior, muddy paws, etc. A close friend of mine who the dog likes a lot took her out to potty before the ceremony (didn’t want her to squat half way up the aisle! LOL) and then when we went inside for the reception my friend took her and put her up. No one said anything negative and I think people would’ve been shocked had my dog NOT been there! ha ha The only thing my dog did was when I said “I do” she made a crying/groaning noise. ha ha At the time it was funny and everyone thought it was cute. Looking back maybe it was an omen of things to come with my now ex! ha ha ha
Post # 8
Member
283 posts
Helper bee
My dogs are both under 12lbs, they’re technically the family dogs but I love them dearly and I think it would be fun to have them in the ceremony. I’m an animal girl, as is my Fiance, but I’m definitely more of a critter person (I drew the line at bringing my pet rats, haha!)
We’re having them come for the ceremony, so they’ll probably be there 30min before the ceremony, and then they’ll participate and stick around for a couple of pictures. The kennel they’ve been going to when we go on vacation since they were puppies is just 10min away, so one of our family members is going to volunteer to drive them the 10min to the kennel, where they will have a sleepover for the night and be picked up the next morning by my mother and father.
I’m thinking my Maid/Matron of Honor, who is my sister, will be walking in with them and her escort will be my younger brother, that way the dogs will be with people familiar to them, and I’ll just have one of my other bridesmaids hold my flowers while my sister wrangles the dogs. I have given her full permission to break form and scoop up a dog if they get panicky, I understand that they’ll be in a room with tons of people and will probably be SO SO SO EXCITED OMG PEOPLE because that’s just what animals are like, and I really don’t mind if they’re around and things don’t go exactly as planned, it will keep it fun and informal.
My dog does have respiratory issues so he does cough and sneeze a lot (and honestly if you didn’t know him you’d think he was diseased and would probably not like him) but if he coughs or sneezes I won’t be concerned about it, if he’s really nervous I may even pick him up. Animals are apart of my life, and for some reason I always end up with pets who need a little extra TLC, so for my dog to need a little extra TLC during the ceremony wouldn’t surprise anyone and it would probably cause a couple laughs, they know how much I love all 9lbs of him and how important it is that he and his brother are there with me.
Post # 9
Member
47214 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@AlmostMrsJPS: If you are concerned about dirty paws and your dress, you have plenty of time between now and the wedding to teach him not to jump up on you.
I also suggest you ask the groomsmen if they want to escort the dog. They should be given the option and made to feel totally comfortable to say no.
Post # 10
Member
133 posts
Blushing bee
@AlmostMrsJPS:
we did pretty much the same thing that @orchidaloha did. We had a co-worker of mine take the dog for the weekend, and they brought her to the church after the ceremony for pictures. people loved seeing her! (everyone knows how crazy-important she is to us!). there was definitely some excitement and jumping on her part- and it had rained earlier that day, so double the chance of dirty paws!-but it turned out fine. She even jumped on me at one point. I don’t know if I was just in a daze or what, but everyone around me freaked out about the dress more than I did! I was just happy to see my pooch! (and, after the fact, it didn’t even leave a mark, so it was fine).
“But, Dad, I do this all the time! Why is it bad now?”
Post # 11
Member
1152 posts
Bumble bee
@AlmostMrsJPS: Commenting mostly to follow, we are planning to have our 20lb terrier in our beach wedding in Florida this October…I think we’ve got it all worked out, but I definitely want to see what others think!
I’m planning to have one of my BMs walk him down with her, someone he already knows well and is comfortable with, and we’re going to have a bone up front with a mat/blanket/something for him to lay on and focus on the bone during the (short) ceremony.
Post # 12
Member
739 posts
Busy bee
@delovely13: “what, dad????” LMAO I love her face!
Post # 13
Member
9589 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I don’t mind dogs in weddings, but I would just make sure your Groomsmen or whoever you want to put in charge of him is okay with it. A gal I work with had dog duty for her friend’s wedding and she was pretty upset afterwards. I guess she missed out on a lot of the “getting ready” type things because she had to care for the dog, and the dog barked during the ceremony and she had to take him out, so she missed most of the ceremony too. And then afterwards she had to take the dog home so she missed out on more pictures and socializing. She wasn’t a very happy camper.
Post # 14
Member
80 posts
Worker bee
We would definitely give the option to the groomsmen (they all love our dog and there’s one guy who is for sure the most comfortable with him and vice versa, so he’s a strong possibility) but like someone mentioned, we will give them the ability to say no if they’re not comfortable with the idea.
He’s not a barker thankfully, so I’m not worried about that. I like the idea of having a bone up there for him to stay occupied.
I’m just so excited to have him included!
Post # 15
Member
2480 posts
Buzzing bee
I’d have loved to have my dog involved (briefly) in our wedding but dogs are not permitted at civil ceremonies where we got married. Luckily, my friend brought her dog along to greet us after the ceremony so there is a Jack Russell terrier in my wedding pictures. She’s just not my JRT!
What I would say is that my dog would have had minimal involvement though. For sure he would have got too excited and barky at the sight of all those people in the family that he just loves. There’s no way we’d have had him with us for the whole day because, to be honest, I think it would have been a case of our indulgence over his comfort . Because actually, most dogs won’t love a wedding and certainly not a whole day at a wedding.
I also think even well trained dogs are likely to get a tad carried away and any friends of mine who have had their dogs involved discovered this. They also needed someone to take charge of the dog and make sure that it gets some chill-out time. This is not something you are going to have time to do.
So sure, have the dog walk in with one of the Groomsmen. But be prepared that dogs are as unpredictable as very small children. Thus your picture of his involvement may not necessarily be reflected in reality/
Post # 16
Member
80 posts
Worker bee
@Westwood: we are really fortunate that the location we are getting married has a kennel on site – it’s a little fenced in play area hidden in the bamboo trees, so thankfully we will be able to have him in there until just before the ceremony and he’ll be able to hang out there once it’s over. It’s still near the commotion so people can go over and pet him and give him attention so he’s not neglected. But I totally don’t want to put a person in that position where they’re screwed over and having to attend to a dog and miss out. I know a lot of people aren’t as fortunate to find a venue with a kennel, so that struggle of balancing the time out would be tough.
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