How To Plan A Dog Friendly Wedding
All my tips on how to include your Best Dog or Pup of Honor on Your Very Special Day…
Wedding - but make it Dog Mom
Benji’s Dad and I got married in a slightly larger than an elopement ceremony on a gorgeous mountain in Colorado. When initially planning the wedding, we didn’t agree on much - but we both knew we wanted to include our pup throughout our special day. We absolutely couldn’t imagine having such a huge day for our family, and not having our cornerstone - Benji there. However, if any of you DogMas are currently planning a wedding, you know how difficulty finding a venue and vendors can be - without narrowing down the search further to include “dog friendly.” So, I’m here to give you an insider template at planning a dog friendly wedding!
Let me start off this article by saying, I did not have a traditional wedding. So, if you’re looking for how to plan a ballroom wedding of 500 people, I probably can’t help you. But, if you’re open to doing things your own way, and getting a little creative… keep reading!
The Ceremony
Benji’s dad and I picked a trail we’ve hiked many times as the site for the actual ceremony. Some big pros - it was inherently dog friendly because it was outside! (NOTE: Not all trails are automatically dog friendly, so double check - I recommend using AllTrails or the direct website of land) It was also significantly cheaper than booking an indoor venue, mostly because there wasn’t the added “wedding price” tag. Finally, there was no decorating required. The views were incredible all on their own.
Considerations:
We needed to transport chairs to this venue, and ended up booking a service to transport and provide chairs.
It was a bit of a hike to get to the actual spot - so I needed to take that into consideration when picking a dress and shoes!
As it was outdoors, there is always the risk of bad weather. We we’re incredibly blessed and had a perfectly sunny day, but we also increased our odds of good weather by booking a time of year that is typically nicer. (If you’re planning on Colorado, we recommend September at the latest! By October, there can already be snow on the ground)
Wild life - if you go the outdoor hike/trail route - be aware that there may be other critters (big and small) around. At our particular location, there can be many squirrels and chipmunks. Benji is very calm and well behaved even when there are lots of little animals, but if your dog has a strong prey drive he may need some training before he’s ready for your big day!
The Venue
Next up, we had to figure out what to do during the dinner/reception part of the day. Now, the hotel we booked had the option to utilize both an indoor and outdoor space, so Benji technically could have been outside the door during our dinner. However, we opted for Benji to stay with a family friend (baby-sitter) at our relative’s house as we knew he would be more comfortable there. So, we recommend finding a sitter you are comfortable with (unless you get really lucky and happen to find the venue of your dreams is also dog friendly).
Considerations
Doggy-sitter is probably the best way to go as most venues won’t allow animals when they’re serving food
The Photographer
This was one of the absolute hardest and most critical decisions to me. I was generally laid back about most aspects of this wedding, but finding a photographer to capture it the right way was absolutely vital to me. I’m obsessed with candids and capturing the true emotion of the day. I didn’t want to have a bunch of formal pictures that we’re clearly posed - and most importantly, I needed someone who understood that Benji was pretty much just as important to this day as his dad and I were.
So, I went where any DogMa goes to make decisions - Instagram! Let me recommend someone directly, if you’re looking for an incredible photographer to capture your Colorado wedding - Caleb Clayton (@calebclaytonfilmandphoto). However, the way I found him was by searching related hashtags, until I found a photographer that I felt captured doggos as well as he did humans.
I also made it *incredibly* clear that I wanted a TON of pictures of Benji. (And thank God I did - amiright?) Instead of doing the usual ~dress hanging pre wedding, close up of my shoes/jewelry/whatever~ I asked for individual shots of Benji. The pics I got could not have been more perfect. They captured the love our little family has and all the love we were surrounded with that day.
I guess my best advice here is, if you’re going to put your foot down about something - do it here. Ask for exactly what you want, and make sure you have someone who can give it to you. (Bonus points if they also have 2 doggos like Caleb and Amy do!)
Considerations:
Find someone who matches your style (and takes great dog pics!)
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want!
Check out your potential photographers on instagram
The Nitty-Gritty Details
I also wanted to share a few last minute details that might get overlooked easily. First, it’s your big day, but it’s just another weekend to your dog. He or she still needs to be walked, pottied, fed, etc. that day. So that might mean you need to pack a little doggy to go bag to meet your dogs needs day of. I also think it helps A LOT to have a few designated “dog watchers.” Sort of like ushers, but just for your pup on ~their~ special day.
Okay next up, you spend potentially weeks planning your or your SO’s outfits for the day. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to dress up your pup! We had “Best Dog” and “Dog of Honor” bandanas for the dogs (yes, there were several) standing up for us! However, there are definitely full on tuxes and tutus depending on what your dog tolerates in the dress up department.
Finally - practice, practice, practice. The first time you ever take your dog to your venues should not be day of. Teach them exactly how you want them to behave and prepare for things to go wrong. I probably should have led with this, but your pup might not be a perfect angel at the alter, and you have to be okay with that. Whether that means you don’t mind if they aren’t perfectly posed, or if they bark during the ceremony - have a plan. (This is where some dog watchers can come in handy!)
Finally, don’t force your dog into a situation simply for a photo-op. If you already know your dog has issues in crowds, a strong prey drive, or will not be comfortable at your wedding, don’t force them to participate. Make some comfy and stress-free arrangements for them. At the end of the day, you want to include them because you love them, and that means making sure it is safe for them to do so. Your dog can participate in a wide range of ways. Whether that means simply having a picture and a dedicated cocktail to being the star of the show like Benji - find what’s right for your family.
Considerations
Taking care of your dog day of: exercise, water, treats/food, leash/harness, poop bags, designated dog watchers
Dog outfits
Training/practice
Make sure your dog says “yes” when you ask them to stand up for you!
Things I Wish I Did Differently
Honestly - this list is pretty short and mostly includes “extras” I could have added. Having Benji in our wedding made it infinitely more special to us, and if it’s the right choice for you - I can’t recommend it enough.
One thing I wish I would have done differently was “doggy bags” for the guests. Truthfully, I had it planned and simply ran out of time. If you look on Pinterest, there are a ton of cute ideas for guests to bring home a cute little treat for their doggos.
I also wish we did a signature “Pup-tail.” (Another thing I meant to do, but ran out of time.) I always love when there’s a signature drink, and if we had one - I definitely would’ve made a catchy little Benji name for it.
Considerations
Treat bags for guest’s dogs
Signature Pup-tail
