My Dog Can’t Attend My Wedding - How Can I Still Incorporate Them in the Day?

Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life. A lot of couples choose to share this special day with their loved ones, and for a lot of couples their list of loved ones includes a pet.

You consider them family and want them to be a part of the celebration.

For a number of reasons, your pet may not be able to physically join in on the fun, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still incorporate them into the day!

Check out a few of our favorite ways to incorporate your pup in your wedding, even if they cannot attend!

Photo by Caroline & Evan Photography

Save-The-Dates and Engagement Photos

This one makes the top of our list because it will be a fun experience for your pup & the photos will last a lifetime! Use the photos for your Save-The-Date and let your pup announce the big news to all of your friends & family!

Check out our 5 Tips for Including Your Dog in Your Engagement Photos before the session to make sure it’s a paw-sitive experience for all!

Photo by Ashlee Hamon Photography

Stationary (Invitation, RSVP cards etc.)

This adorable & tasteful design is the perfect way to honor your love of animals! Work with an artist to create a custom design of your pet to incorporate into your stationary. We are just in love with how these turned out!

Photo by Caroline & Evan Photography / Stationary by Sarah Bubar Designs

Signature Drinks

A lot of couples come up with a Signature Drink to serve at their reception. Add a personal touch by naming your drink after your pet! We know you have about 15,000 nicknames for your pet, get creative with your partner & design signage to showcase your custom menu option!

Photo by Caroline & Evan Photography / Stationary by Sarah Bubar Designs

Doggie Bags

If you’re surrounding yourself with the right people, most of your guests will have pets of their own so why not offer them a treat to take home? It is a thoughtful way to spread the puppy love to all of your furry family & friends that could not attend the wedding.

Photo by Madison Carter Photography

Cake Topper

You are officially a family come reception time! Create a custom cake topper that really showcases your family as a whole by including your pets, as well. This will likely be something you hold onto forever, so make it extra special!

Photo by Rad Red Creative

Life Size Pet Cut-Outs

What’s the next best thing to having your pet at your wedding? Why, having a life-size cut out of them, of course! This is such a FUN idea & we guarantee your pet will be the life of the paw-ty!

Check out our friends at AGold Photo for some more examples of this awesome idea!

Photo by Ashley Izquierdo

Just because your pet can’t actually ATTEND your wedding, absolutely does not that they can not be honored in a special way.

We hope you found some of these ideas helpful and inspiring!

Did you or do you plan to incorporate your pet in your wedding day? We’d love to hear your ideas, so leave a comment below or find us on social media!

How to Include Your Pet in Your Wedding Day, Even if They're Not in the Ceremony

It is a common misconception that including your pet in your wedding day automatically means they will be in your wedding ceremony.

Photo by Marc Edwards Photographs

We always ask our couple to consider their pet’s personality when deciding how they will be a part of the day. If your dog is anxious or easily overwhelmed, the ceremony may be too much stimulation. Or perhaps they are very excitable & the ceremony would get them way too riled up. Your venue may not allow animals in the ceremony space & so it is not even an option.

Whatever the case, just because the ceremony may not be the right choice for them, does not mean that your dog (or pet) cannot be apart of your wedding day!

Here are our ideas & tips for including your pet in your wedding day, even if they are not in the ceremony.

Photo by Kelly Berringer Photography at Cypress Grove Estate House in Orlando, FL

1. Have Your Dog Greet Guests As They Arrive

   Imagine arriving to a wedding, only to be greeted by tails wags & kisses!? This might be a great choice for those excitable pups that just LOVE everyone!

   This is also a great option if your ceremony space is not pet friendly. Your dogs can welcome your guests from outside & celebrate with everyone when the ceremony is complete & it’s time to paw-ty!

Photo by Ashley Izquierdo at Davis Island Garden Club in Tampa, FL

2. Include Your Pet in Your Wedding Photos

Work with your photographer & allow time for photos with your pet on your wedding day. If you’re doing a first look, this could be before the ceremony, or during formals after, or both! When it comes time to take bridal party photos, don’t forget your Dog of Honor or Best Dog!

Photo by The Portos at The Vinoy in St Pete, FL

3. Have Your Pet Join You While You’re Getting Ready

You have likely been long anticipating your wedding day & now it is finally here. It’s perfectly normal to feel nervous or a bit anxious, it may be hard to completely relax. What better way to bring you back to the present moment than quality time with your pet!

This is also a great opportunity for a few photos as they are often times some of the most genuine & adorable moments.

Photo by Sarah & Ben Photography at The Tampa Yacht Club in Tampa, FL

4. Have Your Pet Attend Cocktail Hour

Allow your pet to mingle around cocktail hour for a bit & we promise your guests will thank you! This is a fun way to include your pet & provide some extra entertainment while you are taking photos.

There will likely be family and friends that have never met your pet, and may have only ever seen pictures, and they will be so excited to have the chance to say hello!

Photo by Caroline & Evan Photography at Nova 535 in St Pete, FL / Invitations by Sarah Bubarb Designs

5. Include Your Pet in the Details

It’s possible your pet simply cannot attend your wedding in any way, that does not mean that you cannot still pay tribute to this important family member. There are a lot of details that go into a wedding, and incorporating your pet into them can be a great way to still have them there with you!

Even if your pet will be at your wedding, you may still want to integrate their happy tails into the day even more.

Check out our post for ideas on how to incorporate your pet into your wedding details.

Photo by Regina As The Photographer at The Floridan Hotel in Tampa, FL

Once you’ve found the perfect way to include your pet in your wedding day, make sure to consider the logistics involved in these options. Most importantly, consider your pet’s needs on the day of & that you are doing your best to ensure they will be happy & comfortable. This will ensure you can relax on your wedding day, knowing your pet is going to be taken care of.

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Have questions? Want help including your pet in your wedding day?

Let’s chat about how we can help!