Man's (Bride's) Best Friend? (Ideas for Including Your Pet in Your Special Day)
Pet lovers are fueling a trend in the wedding industry that some people greet with enthusiasm and others greet with disbelief. "You're having your dog in your wedding? Are you crazy!?" I gues
s it's really not so crazy -- people love their pets and for many brides and grooms, Fido and Kitty are like their first children. Why NOT have them at the wedding?
Well, there are lots of reasons "why not", when you think about it. First, it goes without saying that many pets aren't well-suited for the wedding environment. And keep in mind, strange people and strange surroundings can bring surprising reactions from our pets.
Second, pets simply aren't welcome at a lot of wedding locations, including most churches. On the other hand, many parks, hotels and other outdoor venues -- including private residences -- are okay with it. More on that in a minute.
Third, consider the weather. If you want your dog in the wedding, it'll most likely have to be held outdoors. That will limit the dates you can choose from, since summer heat and rain probabilities could be problematic.
A fourth thing to consider is your guests. Allergies, age, fear of dogs--you'll want to carefully think through your guest list and be sensitive to the humans you want to share your special day.
So, with that said, if you have your heart set on having your dog in your wedding, you might want to consider setting a date and looking for a ceremony site even earlier than couples might ordinarily do. Research your options and be ready to be flexible on the date, to get the site you really want. And keep in mind, different venues will have different rules about whether you can bring your dog inside, if it should rain.
Here's a sampling of central Florida wedding locations and their pet policies. The Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora will allow you to have your pet in your outdoor wedding, although it would not be allowed inside the building--which is a historic site a
nd still-functioning inn. The city of Lake Mary's new event center has a beautiful "event lawn," where you can hold a ceremony with pets. However, there must be someone to handle them and take them away after the ceremony. No pets are allowed inside. Leu Gardens has lovely outdoor wedding settings but because it's a botanical garden, no pets are allowed at all. Mead Garden in Winter Park and Historic Dubsdread in Orlando both allow pets, as shown in the images above and below, respectively. Orange County's Cypress Grove Park is one location that is very pet friendly! Louise Markoe with Cypress Grove's Estate House says your dog could even come inside--as long as it's properly restrained and well-behaved. She says they host several weddings a year that include pets. One was a particularly memo- rable occasion when a bride who happened to be an animal trainer, had taught her little Papillion to carry the rings down the aisle for the ring exchange.
A well-behaved pet seems to be key to deciding whether to include it in the wedding. Linda Calderaro with Creative Elegance Wedding Services says in her experience, brides that choose to include something as non-traditional and informal as a pet in their ceremony seem more willing to accept whatever the outcome is. "Because pets can be unpredictable, the weddings that include them are, more casual and sometimes, more fun."
One important thought--you'll have a good idea of how your pet will behave at the wedding if you can observe him at the rehearsal. Still, it might be a good idea to have your "Plan B" in mind, long before that, so if
Fido simply falls apart rehearsal night, you can make the appropriate changes in the ceremony. The Reverend Kevin Knox of A Beautiful Ceremony says pets work out best if they've been "mutually cared for" by the bride and groom. They're more likely to come when they're called. He says they can be very good flower girls and ring bearers, in such cases. He says so far, none of his "pet friendly" couples has chosen to have their dogs attend the rehearsal, but that didn't seem to cause any problems.
Dogs are so common in weddings these days, you can get tuxes and bridesmaids dresses made just for them. If you're using a dressmaker, that person may have creative ideas for using your wedding colors and fabrics to dream up some- thing special for your pet. Simple neck ribbons that match the bridesmaids' gowns are popular and if your dog will wear it, a "floral collar" can be designed, using the same blooms as your bouquets. One bride was able to get her standard poodle to wear a floral "crown" on its head, as it played the role of her "maid of honor" and sat patiently by her side for the entire ceremony.
Perhaps the most important consideration, if you plan to have your dog(s) in your wedding, is who will tend your pet. It's a serious responsibility you'll be handing to a trusted someone that day and it should be someone your dog knows and likes. Someone who will know the game plan for getting the dog too and from his spot, keep an eye on him during the ceremony, or escort him away entirely if that's what you've decided to do. That's the person who might have to strike an uncomplimentary pose alongside the dog during the alter returns. That's the person who needs to remember the "poop bags" and make sure there's a bowl of drinking water on hand. Then there's the matter of taking the dog home after the ceremony--unless your reception is picnic in your own backyard! You'll want to give careful consideration to the person who will take on this role, on your specia
l day.
Finally, even if you've ruled out your furry friend having a role in your wedding cere- mony, there are still several options for incorporating your pet in this special event in your lives. Most often, brides and grooms who can't have their pet at the ceremony will ask the photographer for a special pose toward the end of the "getting ready" session at their homes. Here's your opportunity to include a pet such as a cat or bird that isn't suitable for a role in the actual ceremony.
Some newlyweds opt to have their dog join them posed wedding portraits between ceremony and reception. This will involve scheduling additional time for the photographs and possibly a third location that's "pet friendly". An experienced wedding photographer will be able to make suggestions on a locati
on that's convenient to the ceremony and reception site. Of course, you'll want to recruit a trusted friend or relative to help out here--someone who can pick up the pet, deliver him to the photo location, then return him home. If this "helper" is a wedding guest, that person might miss some of the proceedings to tend the dog, so consider hiring a "pet sitter" to handle this chore. If your home is nearby, you might even consider stopping for poses there.
Finally, perhaps the most convenient--and natural--way to include your pet is to simply schedule a portrait session well in advance of your wedding, and bring your pet along. More than one bride, for example, has chosen to pose with a beloved pet, during her bridal portrait session. If the pet is important to the both of you, choose an engagement portrait session and bring the dog along. True, you may not be in your gown and tux for these portraits, but you'll be able to look back and remember the special part your pet played, as you started your lives together!
For more ideas and beautiful samples of traditional and photojournalistic wedding photography, visit my website http://www.dougforner.com
Doug
Doug Forner Photography
NEXT BLOG: Grooms cakes. Do you need one? What's the point? I'll show you some great ideas I've seen, as an Orlando wedding photographer, and share some advice from one of central Florida's busiest wedding cake makers.
s it's really not so crazy -- people love their pets and for many brides and grooms, Fido and Kitty are like their first children. Why NOT have them at the wedding? Well, there are lots of reasons "why not", when you think about it. First, it goes without saying that many pets aren't well-suited for the wedding environment. And keep in mind, strange people and strange surroundings can bring surprising reactions from our pets.
Second, pets simply aren't welcome at a lot of wedding locations, including most churches. On the other hand, many parks, hotels and other outdoor venues -- including private residences -- are okay with it. More on that in a minute.
Third, consider the weather. If you want your dog in the wedding, it'll most likely have to be held outdoors. That will limit the dates you can choose from, since summer heat and rain probabilities could be problematic.
A fourth thing to consider is your guests. Allergies, age, fear of dogs--you'll want to carefully think through your guest list and be sensitive to the humans you want to share your special day.
So, with that said, if you have your heart set on having your dog in your wedding, you might want to consider setting a date and looking for a ceremony site even earlier than couples might ordinarily do. Research your options and be ready to be flexible on the date, to get the site you really want. And keep in mind, different venues will have different rules about whether you can bring your dog inside, if it should rain. Here's a sampling of central Florida wedding locations and their pet policies. The Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora will allow you to have your pet in your outdoor wedding, although it would not be allowed inside the building--which is a historic site a
nd still-functioning inn. The city of Lake Mary's new event center has a beautiful "event lawn," where you can hold a ceremony with pets. However, there must be someone to handle them and take them away after the ceremony. No pets are allowed inside. Leu Gardens has lovely outdoor wedding settings but because it's a botanical garden, no pets are allowed at all. Mead Garden in Winter Park and Historic Dubsdread in Orlando both allow pets, as shown in the images above and below, respectively. Orange County's Cypress Grove Park is one location that is very pet friendly! Louise Markoe with Cypress Grove's Estate House says your dog could even come inside--as long as it's properly restrained and well-behaved. She says they host several weddings a year that include pets. One was a particularly memo- rable occasion when a bride who happened to be an animal trainer, had taught her little Papillion to carry the rings down the aisle for the ring exchange. A well-behaved pet seems to be key to deciding whether to include it in the wedding. Linda Calderaro with Creative Elegance Wedding Services says in her experience, brides that choose to include something as non-traditional and informal as a pet in their ceremony seem more willing to accept whatever the outcome is. "Because pets can be unpredictable, the weddings that include them are, more casual and sometimes, more fun." One important thought--you'll have a good idea of how your pet will behave at the wedding if you can observe him at the rehearsal. Still, it might be a good idea to have your "Plan B" in mind, long before that, so if
Fido simply falls apart rehearsal night, you can make the appropriate changes in the ceremony. The Reverend Kevin Knox of A Beautiful Ceremony says pets work out best if they've been "mutually cared for" by the bride and groom. They're more likely to come when they're called. He says they can be very good flower girls and ring bearers, in such cases. He says so far, none of his "pet friendly" couples has chosen to have their dogs attend the rehearsal, but that didn't seem to cause any problems. Dogs are so common in weddings these days, you can get tuxes and bridesmaids dresses made just for them. If you're using a dressmaker, that person may have creative ideas for using your wedding colors and fabrics to dream up some- thing special for your pet. Simple neck ribbons that match the bridesmaids' gowns are popular and if your dog will wear it, a "floral collar" can be designed, using the same blooms as your bouquets. One bride was able to get her standard poodle to wear a floral "crown" on its head, as it played the role of her "maid of honor" and sat patiently by her side for the entire ceremony.
Perhaps the most important consideration, if you plan to have your dog(s) in your wedding, is who will tend your pet. It's a serious responsibility you'll be handing to a trusted someone that day and it should be someone your dog knows and likes. Someone who will know the game plan for getting the dog too and from his spot, keep an eye on him during the ceremony, or escort him away entirely if that's what you've decided to do. That's the person who might have to strike an uncomplimentary pose alongside the dog during the alter returns. That's the person who needs to remember the "poop bags" and make sure there's a bowl of drinking water on hand. Then there's the matter of taking the dog home after the ceremony--unless your reception is picnic in your own backyard! You'll want to give careful consideration to the person who will take on this role, on your special day.Finally, even if you've ruled out your furry friend having a role in your wedding cere- mony, there are still several options for incorporating your pet in this special event in your lives. Most often, brides and grooms who can't have their pet at the ceremony will ask the photographer for a special pose toward the end of the "getting ready" session at their homes. Here's your opportunity to include a pet such as a cat or bird that isn't suitable for a role in the actual ceremony.
Some newlyweds opt to have their dog join them posed wedding portraits between ceremony and reception. This will involve scheduling additional time for the photographs and possibly a third location that's "pet friendly". An experienced wedding photographer will be able to make suggestions on a locati
on that's convenient to the ceremony and reception site. Of course, you'll want to recruit a trusted friend or relative to help out here--someone who can pick up the pet, deliver him to the photo location, then return him home. If this "helper" is a wedding guest, that person might miss some of the proceedings to tend the dog, so consider hiring a "pet sitter" to handle this chore. If your home is nearby, you might even consider stopping for poses there. Finally, perhaps the most convenient--and natural--way to include your pet is to simply schedule a portrait session well in advance of your wedding, and bring your pet along. More than one bride, for example, has chosen to pose with a beloved pet, during her bridal portrait session. If the pet is important to the both of you, choose an engagement portrait session and bring the dog along. True, you may not be in your gown and tux for these portraits, but you'll be able to look back and remember the special part your pet played, as you started your lives together!
For more ideas and beautiful samples of traditional and photojournalistic wedding photography, visit my website http://www.dougforner.com
Doug
Doug Forner Photography
NEXT BLOG: Grooms cakes. Do you need one? What's the point? I'll show you some great ideas I've seen, as an Orlando wedding photographer, and share some advice from one of central Florida's busiest wedding cake makers.
I've enjoyed reading your blog. Good topics! Can I ask a question? What exactly is "Trash the Dress"? Are people REALLY destroying their dresses after the wedding? I don't know anyone who's done it--or is thinking about it.
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I am a pet lover and I would love my dog to be part of my wedding. I don't see something wrong with that. And for me it will make my wedding day complete.
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I know what a photojournalist is and I know there are wedding photographers who call themselves "photojournalists" but I'm only planning to get married once and I don't want to make a mistake with the type of photography we get. What's the difference?
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