It’s your special day and you would like everyone you love to share in the joy – including your beloved, furry friend. Pets are such an important part of a couple’s relationship, it’s only natural to see more furry friends participating in the wedding day celebrations. A popular trend is having your four-legged friend walk you down the aisle, either as part of your wedding march, as a ring bearer or as a flower dog. Another popular trend is to include your pets in your wedding party or family photographs before or after the ceremony.
If you are planning to include your furry friend in your wedding plans, it is important to consider the following:
- Check that the wedding venue is pet-friendly and do a practice run to familiarise your dog with the surroundings.
- Never let your dog walk with your real rings in a bag. Replace the rings with ‘dummy’ rings and quietly remove the real rings from your pocket when you bend down to get the rings from your pet.
- Have a family member or a handler on site to look after the needs of your dog, just in case Fido gets excited and starts licking and smelling guests while walking down the aisle.
- Ensure your pets have been bathed and groomed before the wedding and that you have applied a trusted tick and flea product such as FRONTLINE® Plus that will kill ticks and fleas within 24-48 hours after application.
- When it comes to photographs, have a family member or handler available to make sure your dog is ‘photo-ready’, so you won’t have to worry about it on your big day.
- As many things could go awry, a sense of humour will go a long way if you plan to include your pets in the wedding!