Pets In Weddings: How To Get Rover Involved
January 18th, 2006 Posted in Wedding Planning and Ideas
To some, it sounds downright silly, but to animal lovers, including a favourite pet in the ceremony is no different than inviting any other loved one. In this day and age of free-for-all weddings, where everything from Star Trek themes to sky-diving vows are A-OK, the inclusion of a furry friend rarely garners more than a cursory glance from friends and family.
How exactly do you include a pet in a wedding ceremony? While it’s tempting to get your cat, ferret, gerbil or snake involved, the key is that your pet needs to be in the company of a familiar handler and possess some amount of training. Make sure that your pet’s personality is suited to such a task, as one who is skittish around new people, or in large groups, will likely be more traumatized, than excited, to be a part of your wedding. Animals that are easily trained, such as dogs, make great ring/vow bearers, but small animals can be carried down the aisle by a member of the wedding party to deliver their shiny gifts.
Using dogs as an example, the first and foremost thing you must check is to ask your wedding venue if it is okay to have your puppy participate. He or she can be added to the wedding party and trot down the aisle with the bridesmaids and groomsmen, or steal the show solo as the keeper of the vows or the ring bearer.
Carla Roney, via the Scripps Howard News Service, suggests the following:
For the rings, tie a box around his neck with ribbon and tuck two faux bands inside; for the vows, tie two scrolls to his collar. Either way, you’ll want to designate a close friend as his handler for the big day _ that person can make sure he’s done his "business" before his big moment and can also make sure that once the ceremony is over, there’s someone to bring him back home.
It’s that easy! Not to mention it’s a delightful way to personlize your wedding and bring a smile to the faces of the attendees. Nothing livens up an occasion more than a cherished furry face.