Pets

jdailey1 · June 2012

I am considering having my Cavalier walk down the isle with my fiance and I. He really is like our child, doesn't bark, and would be taken home right after the ceremony. We are having a really casual wedding outside at a vineyeard, so the venue fits. However, is it really weird to have a dog in your wedding? Think I'll regret it? I think he will be SO cute in pictures with us, so I may have him pose for pics and not walk down the isle. Thoughts?

OBX2011 · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_pets?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:d6a61ac6-2750-412a-b08b-68233aa8a420Post:b0d57d1b-c986-4719-8ccc-205f8af25a45">Pets</a>:
[QUOTE]I am considering having my Cavalier walk down the isle with my fiance and I. He really is like our child, doesn't bark, and would be taken home right after the ceremony. We are having a really casual wedding outside at a vineyeard, so the venue fits. However, is it really weird to have a dog in your wedding? Think I'll regret it? I think he will be SO cute in pictures with us, so I may have him pose for pics and not walk down the isle. Thoughts?
Posted by jdailey1[/QUOTE]

You will get A LOT of negative feedback from posters that don't think it's appropriate to use your dog in your ceremony, but I for one, am all for it. We were married on the beach and she was our ring-bearer, seeing as how he proposed to me with the ring on her collar. She was lead by my 2 nephews and sat right by our feet the entire time and didn't move unless we moved.

Only YOU know your dog and his behavior but please make sure that you make all of your guests aware that a dog will be present in case someone is allergic or could possible be terrified of dogs. I made sure that my guests were aware of this and all of them have been around her plenty of times before, so it worked out for me.

In my sig pic, you can just barely see the tip of her nose sticking out from my dress.

HobokensFury · June 2012

There are too many things that could go wrong to make this a good idea.

jdailey1 · June 2012

I see your pooch's nose! So cute. Thanks for the advice--I'm glad it worked for you to have your puppy there!

Cackle6 · June 2012

We love our dogs, but they are a little nutty and while they would have walked down the aisle just fine, they would have sat and cried through the whole ceremony. We had someone bring them right after the ceremony so we could take pictures with them, because that was really important to us.

So if you think your dog will be well behaved during the ceremony, then I'd say go for it, but just keep in mind if your dog isn't used to being around a lot of people he might get stressed out, so just be sure to do what's best for your dog. For sure do the pics with him though, pet pics are so cute!

Summer2011Bride · June 2012

I am a huge dog lover, but I would be careful with it. Only you know your dog, but I would be concerned about guests having allergies. Even if if no one you know personally has an allergy, they might bring a guest who does.

Even if your dog is very mild-mannered and calm around you or on walks, putting them in front of a whole group of people is a very different scenario and it might freak them out. I wouldn't want to scare my dog firstly, nor would I want something to possibly go wrong/chaotic if he did start freaking out.

There are some other ways to incorporate your dog: take e-pics with him, use pics of him and you both as table numbers, or even take some pre-wedding photos of you in your dress, etc with him without making him a part of the ceremony.

ootmother2 · June 2012

Please consider your guest who may have asthma or are otherwise allergic.

Aside from it being just a disaster waiting to happen

jdailey1 · June 2012

Great things to think about until the wedding. I definitely want him in for the pictures, and want him with me while I am getting ready, but the actual ceremony is questionable. Thanks for the advice ladies!

ElisabethJoanne · June 2012

My church has had at least 2 weddings with 1 dog in each. One of those dogs regularly attended the small Wednesday services afterwards. The dog who didn't often come to church barked during the wedding, but it was cute. I wasn't at the wedding with the other dog. I did see him come up from the back right to the Altar during one Mass. A certain kind of traditionalist will call sacrilege, but it made the 5 of us at church that day smile.

I don't like dogs, but they're EVERYWHERE here in the San Francisco Bay Area - the subway, restaurants, shops. I'd totally not blink if there were dogs at an outdoor wedding. If someone had a problem, I'd blame the person with the problem, not the couple with their dogs.

Analogy: Dogs are like gluten. Do some people have serious gluten intolerances? Yes. But gluten is everywhere, and the sensitive people learn to deal. Now, if you have a guest you know has a gluten intolerance, you need to make arrangements. Same if you know a guest has an issue with dogs. It'd be a rare issue to be a factor outside, though.

michellesean · June 2012

I think it would totally be fine. Even if there was a guest who has asthma or is allergic. And before anybody gets mad, I am highly allergic to cats and my FI has asthma and is highly allergic to dogs and cats and we would both be totally fine sitting in a chair away from the pets up at the altar for the hour and a half max that the ceremony would be. Just as long as the pets dont jump on all of the guests I think it would be great.

[Deleted User] · June 2012

I don't think it's weird. I love the idea of your dog in pictures, especially the getting ready part. Our photographer took a great picture of the bride's dress, shoes, and veil all layed out and in the middle where the three dogs all napping. My only reservation/concern is it's still a dog and may be unpredictable in behavior due to all the wedding chaos. One more thing to worry/fret over, so is it really worth it?

MrsKathyC · June 2012

We would have loved to have our dog at our ceremony, but she would have spent all her time visiting with the guests instead of behaving herself at the alter. She's quite the social butterfly

Plus we'd have to bring her home during the reception.

ladydaisy · June 2012

My FI and I are huge dog lovers. We did consider adding one of our dogs too, especially my little fluffy white sweetheart dog that is an absolute angel. But I just cant do it. I already feel so stressed about everything going right and being perfect for the day. I cant bring myself to throw in more stress from a potential problem and I would be devastated if it somehow didnt work out right because of the dog.

TheSlowskys · June 2012

I used to think people who did this were crazy flakes but now that I have my own dog I get it. I would totally do this if my wedding wasn't in a church and my dog wasn't a spaz. It's your wedding. People do way stranger things in their ceremonies. I wouldn't worry about allergies either if it is outside. Someone would have to be extremely allergic.

crmullican · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_pets?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:d6a61ac6-2750-412a-b08b-68233aa8a420Post:b0d57d1b-c986-4719-8ccc-205f8af25a45">Pets</a>:
[QUOTE]I am considering having my Cavalier walk down the isle with my fiance and I. He really is like our child, doesn't bark, and would be taken home right after the ceremony. We are having a really casual wedding outside at a vineyeard, so the venue fits. However, is it really weird to have a dog in your wedding? Think I'll regret it? I think he will be SO cute in pictures with us, so I may have him pose for pics and not walk down the isle. Thoughts?
Posted by jdailey1[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I got married last month (5/19/12) at an outdoor venue. We have two dogs, a Newfoundland and a maltipoo. They are both so special to us and we couldn't imagine them not being there for our big day. There is a lot to consider before you decide to go through with it. We have several cousins ages10-14 that LOVE dogs and they were willing to watch them during the reception. </div><div>
</div><div>For the ceremony we had our moms walk our dogs down the aisle and they sat on the front row with them.</div><div>
</div><div>We got a lot of comments from guests that they loved that we included them. All of our friends know that our dogs are a big part of our lives, so I'm not sure many people were surprised! Here is a picture of me with the pups before the ceremony!</div><div>
</div><div>I say go for it! :)</div><div>
<a href="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/images/store/1/0/41c3df18-56fe-4a57-8086-8030956d5449.large.jpg" title="Click to view a larger photo" class="PhotoLink"> <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/images/store/1/0/41c3df18-56fe-4a57-8086-8030956d5449.medium.jpg" alt="" /></a>
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mgkush · June 2012

I'm getting married next April at a park and my fiance and I are planning to have our pitbull pup be the ring bearer. FI has a 14 year old brother who is great with our dog and Roxy is incredibly well behaved around groups of people. She's like our kid so there was really no question about it. She has to be there. But since we'll be outdoors in a public park she'll be on a pretty, decorated leash and just sit next to FI's brother for the ceremony. It'll be short and she can definitely handle it. Like just about everyone else said, you know your dog best. And it's YOUR day after all!

BMSawa · June 2012

If my pup was more well behaved and had more manners, she would be my first choice for the flower girl AND ring bearer at the same time

She gets way to excited and would be so distracted and just HAVE to go and see everyone. I think it is an awesome idea for you. As far as people with allergies, since it IS going to be outside I don't think is that much of an issue. If it was inside in a smaller area, MAYBE yes, but even then I think it is a stretch. Go for it!!

alissaschoff · June 2012

I am all for having dogs in ceremonies. This ceremony is about what is important to you and if all does not go perfectly you will look back and laugh about how funny it was. Having your dog in your ceremony may be important to you and if so you should go for it. We are having our dog be our ring bearer and she is very well behaved but you never know how your dog will react to the specific situation. We are having her walk down with my matron of honor and we have actually hired a gentleman from our dog daycare to hang with Fenway (or dog) before and after the ceremony. He is in charge of tiring her out completely before the ceremony.

My suggestion would be to have someone 'in charge' of tiring your dog out. We have hired the gentleman to have her for hours before the ceremony for pictures and then be on standby during the ceremony for 'just in case'. It's hard to say what will happen but you can't live life knowing it all. Things may go perfectly but having him there to help has helped me to feel no stress at all about the outcome.

All and all you want to do what is best for you and having someone in charge of the dog was my #1. Just knowing that I don't have to worry is comforting.

I hope it all goes well for you,

ladyscronin77 · June 2012

All 4 (yes 4) of our dogs will be in our ceremony. We have a LARGE outdoor venue and have hired a dog handler to bring them later in the day (right before the ceremony) and take them home right after. We each have 4 attendants and each couple will walk a dog (Bridemaids carry flowers, Groomsmen have the leash) and they will hand them off to the dog handler who will walk them offsite for the remainder of the ceremony. They are our life so there was no question that they would be involved. After the ceremony we have set aside special time to say goodbye to them and then they get to go home.

I hope it works out for you!

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