When Marissa and Chris decided to include their beautiful boxer, Zoey, in their wedding day, they wanted to make sure she could be her lively self while remaining involved in the important parts of their big day!
Zoey was full of enthusiasm and smiles from start to finish! She was eager to see her dad while he was getting ready, and she made sure to let him know mom wasn’t the only lady that expected ultimate affection from him that day.
Perhaps one of the very best parts, was Zoey being able to have her very own first look with her pawents once she was dressed in wedding attire. It was clear by the look on their faces that they couldn’t adore their girl anymore than they already did. Any anxieties that might have been lingering were quickly gone as Zoey left an irresistibly cheerful impression on those around her.
Before long it was time for the ceremony at the historic St. Pete Woman’s Club! Giving two paws up for approval, Zoey added her bouncing boxer flair to her walk as she made her way down the aisle. She was sure to grab the attention of all the guests before mom made her own grand entrance.
She watched in excitement as the two humans she loves most said their vows. She was very proud to pose in her “Dog of Honor” bandana for the formal pictures following, and snuck in kisses to those around her in between shots.
After all the excitement throughout the day, she was ready for some dinner and a good nap. Having such an important role was no easy task, and we were happy to help Zoey perfect her duties for such a special time in her family’s life!
We asked Zoey’s humans to answer some questions about how & why they included her in their special day:
Why did you include your dog in your wedding?
We decided to include Zoey in our wedding because she truly is seen as a part of our family. And obviously, you want your family to be there on your wedding day. We knew that we absolutely wanted her to be in pictures with us, but when we found out that she could be apart of the ceremony we didn’t think twice about including her. Our wedding day wouldn’t have been complete without our fur baby.
What is the story of how your dog became a part of the family?
We always knew that we wanted a wanted a boxer since they’re such awesome family dogs and have such great personalities. Obviously we didn’t want to purchase one from a pet store but purebred boxers are very hard to find in shelters. We got in touch with a family who had a litter of “whoopsie” boxer puppies, who were just looking for good families to rehome them to. We went to meet all the puppies and Zoey pretty much chose us. She jumped up on our laps, gave us lots of kisses and we knew she was meant to be ours!
Did you incorporate your dog into any other details on your wedding day?
Zoey was our “dog of honor.” She got escorted down the aisle by one of the groomsmen (he’s known as Uncle Andrew and is literally one of Zoey’s favorite people) and she was included in bridal party photos!
All dogs are the best dogs, but tell us something that makes your dog special?
Zoey is seriously the most fun, protective, playful, affectionate dog I’ve ever had. She truly has such a big personality, I swear she’s part human. Now that we have a little one, Zoey has taken on the role of big sister in the best possible way, which made our love for her grow even more.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us about your dog?
She might leave drool marks everywhere she goes, but we wouldn’t trade those slobbery kisses for anything!
Venue: St Pete Woman’s Club
Planner: Lemon Drop Wedding & Events
Photographer: Megan Pitts Photography
A portion of this wedding was donated to: Suncoast Animal League
As the leaders in the wedding pet care industry, we want to offer our advice on how to make your furry friends a part of your big day—even during hurricane season.