Pets, they see you at your best, and at your worst. They see you when you’re happy, and they see you when you’re sad. They are there for you when you laugh, and they are there for you when you cry. Therefore it is only natural that you may want them apart of your special day. After all, your pet is apart of your family, and if you choose to have them at the wedding, there is no doubt they will bring you smiles, laughter, and unfortgettable memories to share with your partner forever.

Before you start teaching your cat how to do the chicken dance, and doing warm up bouquet tosses with your dog, there are some considerations to take in to account, as to whether your pet is suitable to have in, or at your wedding. Prior to you customizing your wedding to be pet friendly, you must acknowledge your pets temperament. Will having your pet at your wedding cause them, and in the end yourself, stress? Not all pets have the calm nature required to be present at a wedding. Most weddings are a gathering of many excited people, which equals a lot of loud talking, enthusiastic movements and all things unpredictable. Questions you should ask yourself are- Is my pet anxious around unfamiliar people and loud noises? Do they suffer separation anxiety? ( A lot of the time they will see you, but not be next to you), and finally, will having my pet there, while meaningful to me, cause immense stress to my pet?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, don’t be discouraged, as there are plenty of ways you can incorporate your pet in to your special day, without actually having them there.

You can show your guests just how much your pet means to you before the big day by including them in your engagement photos, which you can use as your ‘save the date’ cards. If having photographs with your pet is out of the question, why not do one of the following..

– Style your invitations with a silhouette of your pets breed- E.g German Shepherd

– Include your pet when styling your table decors, to symbolise your pets inclusion in your wedding- E.g for each guest table, have a different photograph with you both, and your pet

– Use a custom made cake topper, including a mini version of your pet

– Mention your pet in your vows

If you decide to have your pet at your wedding, you must ensure your chosen venue allows, not only animals in general, but the species of your pet. As a venue may allow dogs, but draw the line at a rat. Many venues do not allow animals on their premises, so before you have your heart set on a place, and pay the deposit, this a question you must ask- as many will not provide a refund if you change your mind, due to them not allowing your furry (or scaly) family member. You must take in to account the venues theme and style- E.g boats are not suitable for pets, but if you decide on a beach ceremony, you must make sure pets are permitted on the beach.

Once you have the all clear from your venue, you should ask them the following questions, to guarantee your pets safety on the day, as the last thing you want to be doing is spending your wedding day in the waiting room of a veterinary hospital.

– Have there been any pesticides/rat bait or snail baits planted throughout the venue? If so, can they show you where, so that you know where your pet is restricted to?

– Are there any toxic plants in their gardens? E.g Lillies are highly toxic to cats.

– Will there be any resident wildlife wandering around your chosen area? E.g free range peacocks. Even the most well behaved dogs can go rogue when seeing an unfamiliar character!

– If they are supplying canapés, will any toxic (to your pet) ingredients be used? If so, can there be a substitute ingredient available? Not all of your guests may know that avocado, chocolate, onion and garlic are highly toxic to dogs, and cats. They may try and sneak a leftover to your pet (with good intentions, of course!) but  it could have damaging effects to your pets health.

– Will there be a suitable ‘bathroom’ area for your pet?

– Are there any ‘out of bounds’ areas?

– Will you be able to bring your pet to the venue before the wedding, so your pet can familiarise itself?

Success! Your venue is a go go! Your next step is the most exciting- deciding what role your pet will play in your wedding. As pets can grow bored easily, and do not have the same energy levels as we do, you should limit your pets involvement to the ceremony only. Yes, i’m sorry, that means no slow dancing with your guinea pig to ‘your song’.

You can incorporate your pet in to your wedding ceremony in many ways. If you want your pet to be more than a guest, why not have them in the wedding party.. Best cat anyone? You can have them accompany another wedding party member down the aisle- your flower girl may feel more relaxed walking down the aisle with your pet. Another common idea for pocket pets, is to carry them in a basket with you, instead of a floral bouquet. Or you can simply have them next to you at the alter, and include them in your wedding photos. It is a great idea to inform your photographer that you want to include your pet, so they have plenty of time to come up with wacky/pet appropriate poses, and capture candid moments between you and your pet on the day.

Depending on your pet, and your guests, you should inform everyone that your pet will be apart of your day. That way, Aunty Beryl and her cat allergies can be well prepared. Having a sneaky antihistamine supply on call isn’t a bad idea either!
Unless you have a ‘designated pet sitter’, it is a great idea to hire a handler, that way you don’t have to worry about your pet- trust us you will be kept busy with all of the wonderful things that come with being the VIP couple for the day. If you do hire a pet sitter, introduce them to your pet before the day, so that they can build trust with your pet, and learn their mannerisms. Your pet will be much more comfortable spending time with a familiar face, rather than a stranger.

When the big day arrives, here are a couple of tips to help the day run smoothly:

– If your pet is prone to ‘investigating’ ALL of its surroundings, use a short leash so your handler can have better control over them

– If you are dressing your pet, ensure it is a suitable size, and does not contain any accessories which could be a choking hazard. Dress rehearsals are not limited to the humans either!

– Don’t have expectations- just because your pet performs perfectly at home, does not mean they will at your wedding, and that’s okay! It will add to the experience.

– Allow your pet to have plenty of toilet breaks. The last thing you want is your ‘something new’ to be a urine stain on your wedding dress!

– Lastly, don’t stress. Animals are unpredictable. Would we really want them any other way?