I don’t know about you, but I’m constantly posting photos of my dog and take him on all my adventures. For many of us, these four-legged furballs aren’t just a pet, they’re part of the family! So it’s only natural if you to want to include your fur baby in one of the most important days of your life. It takes a little bit of extra planning, but it’s totally doable to include them in your wedding.

One of the easiest ways to include them in the festivities without actually walking them down the aisle is to have your pup join us for your engagement session. This will mean you can include their furry face in your Save-the-Dates, wedding website, and other print materials, but you don’t have to worry about the logistics of their care and keeping on your wedding day. This is the best way to go if your adorable fur baby isn’t the most social or needs extra special care. To make sure we capture all the stunning images we want of the two lovebirds, I highly suggest bringing a trusted friend along for the engagement session to keep your pup safe and happy.

If you have an easy-going, ready-to-party pup in your home, we can consider some options for including your dog on your wedding day. One of the most common roles for a dog during the ceremony is as ring bearer. They can trot down the aisle carrying the rings on a pillow, or you can attach the rings to the dog’s collar. I mean, what dog doesn’t look good in a bow tie or floral collar?!?

While having a dog in your wedding photos is absolutely adorable, it’s an important thing to iron out the logistics of your dog’s care on your wedding day. Every pup has their own needs and proper planning is required to ensure there’s no stress on you or your dog during your wedding day. First, you need to ensure that the venue you booked will allow non-service dogs to be there. Second, just like for an engagement session, you’ll need to find a person that is just going to be in charge of the dog for the day. That means someone who is not part of the bridal party or in the family photos. If you don’t want to ask a guest to be on dog duty, you can always hire a dog trainer for the day. This is a great option, especially if the trainer can bring the dog to the venue, care for them during the ceremony, and then take them to puppy camp while you dance the night away. This lets your furry friend be part of the ceremony, but then be able to go take a break from all the excitement. Some of our beautiful, remote venues in Colorado may allow for your dog to roam comfortably during the reception, so if your pup is one that won’t go on a solo adventure, sticking around for the party might be an option.

The main thing to keep in mind as you consider including your pup in the big day is what your dog’s limits are. By respecting these limits, you’ll be able to include them in a way that doesn’t put stress on you or the dog to conform to the tight schedule and busy activities of the day. So, if your dog has a habit of eating pizza off the counter, it might be best for him to go home before the reception starts.

Whether your dog is included in your engagement session photos or walking down the aisle on your wedding day, we’ll know that they’re in your heart!