Having your pet at your wedding might sound amazing, but you need to do some serious planning ahead if you want your fur baby or slippery friend to celebrate with you! Here are five crucial tips the MirrorMePR team think you will need for your big day.
CHECK WITH VENUE
Make sure you check with your venue BEFORE booking that they are happy for you to bring your pet to your wedding day. The most common pet at a wedding is a dog, but if you are thinking of something slightly more unusual, such as your pet rat, snake or even horse; then this needs to be cleared by the venue before you pay that deposit! If you are staying at the venue, check they are happy for your pet to stay over (if this is something you want to do). Also bear in mind that it’s autumn, which means mud, rain and high winds. To keep your wedding whites, white, plan the location of your photographs and interactions with your pet carefully!
LET YOUR GUESTS KNOW
While you may adore your pet, each of your guests invited may not share your love, worst still – they might have a severe phobia or allergy to your pet! Giving your guests the head’s up on your pet’s special appearance is very important ahead of your RSVP.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
It’s all very well having your beloved pet there on the day, but you need to designate a member of your wedding party to look after them. He or she will need to be fed, watered and need regular toilet breaks; ensure you choose someone who is happy to undertake this responsibility.
CALL IT A DAY
Having your pet present during the day and the chance to add that ‘AAhhh’ factor to your wedding photos is all very well, but most pets won’t like to party in the evening. As the drinks start to flow, the combination of loud music, all day drinking and children letting off steam is not the best place for any animal. Make some prior arrangements for your pet to be either picked up by a pet sitter and taken home; or if you are staying at the venue, ensure that he or she is tucked up in bed with some home comforts while you enjoy your wedding celebrations.
PETS WITH PERSONALITY
Finally, as much as you love your pet and want him or her present, if there is even the slightest risk that they might bite someone or find the whole experience stressful and unsettling, then you may need to rethink your plan. If your pet is not the sociable kind, another alternative is asking a friend to bring him or her just to the ceremony portion of the day; allowing a few photos of the three of you to be taken at the venue before they head back to a pet sitter. If you really want them in your wedding photos but they just won’t be able to cope with your wedding day, why not set up another shoot day with your wedding photographer? Dress up in your wedding outfits at a location where your pet will feel much more relaxed, it will make all the difference to the quality of the images you achieve! You could even have some fun; for example, one equestrian couple the team know here did a post-wedding day shoot with their horse in his field, and instead of formal footwear, they wore wellies! The resulting pictures were stunning and quirky!
If you enjoyed reading this blog, you might enjoy reading In The Luxury Dog House
