Your pets are a part of your family and so having them be a part of this special time in your life is a must!  It can be really fun to involve your pets but it can also be a bit stressful. We have personally seen our couples bring horses, donkeys, dogs, and cats. You can incorporate your fur babies in a number of ways that fits both your needs and theirs. It is important to be aware of how to best take care of them while also making sure that they are a part of the fun.

ENGAGEMENT SESSION

The engagement session is a great way to incorporate your pet into your celebrations. The wedding may be too overwhelming for your pet. Only you know your pet the best and can determine what they can and cannot handle. Involving them in the engagement session would ensure that you have some photos of them. You will also be able to make some special memories with them in a less stressful environment. Here are some tips for including them:

1. Bring someone to be in charge like a parent, sibling, or friend – It is important to have someone take care of your pet during your engagement session. Even if they are well behaved it helps to have someone there to hold the animal and allow them to explore and let their energy out. That way you don’t have to worry about them and can focus on your engagement photos but still have them close by for any pictures you want with them.

2. Make sure your engagement session location allows pets – Do some research before your session so that you know where your pet can and cannot be. You don’t want any unexpected surprises during your engagement session. We are pretty knowledgable about the pet policies in the Lexington area. So if you have any questions just ask us.

3. Pet Attire – Make sure to think about the way the animal’s collar or leash looks. You work so hard to put your outfit together so making sure that your pet coordinates with your outfit is also important. Some other fun ideas can be flower collars or bandanas.

4. Bring toys and treats to help get their attention during the photos. You can also download sound apps to help get their attention as well. This works particularly well with horses to make sure their ears go up. We have had a lot of success using them with all animals.

Here are some more reasons why you should include your pet in your engagement session!

They are great at helping you tell all your family and friends when your special day is for your save the dates. Their sweet faces make for cute photos! Capturing the love you have for them during this time in your life will create memories you will cherish for a lifetime. We love capturing your new puppy or your longtime best friend. Don’t worry they will have fun doing things dogs love to do like walking or getting some belly rubs! It’s always fun to celebrate new additions to the family (Look out for this guy in his tux below). They are excited to celebrate your wedding as much as you are! They may even help you count down the days until the big day arrives. We love meeting all your special fur babies! (Kevin secretly wants to adopt these donkeys)They are never too big to be a lap dog. Even kitties love to take photos too! It’s ok for them to be the center of attention because let’s face it, they are your whole world. Some pets even have some pretty great skills such as balancing the ring on their nose. All paws agree that you getting married is pretty special!

WEDDING DAY

The wedding day is also a great time to incorporate your pets. This is great for well-behaved pets that do not get stressed out around a lot of people. You want to be able to focus on your special day and not be worried about how your pet is doing. Here are some tips so that you can include them in your wedding day.

1. Length of the Day – Wedding days can last anywhere from 8-12 hours. So make sure that you will have one person in charge of your pet. Your pet may be really confused as to why you cannot be with them every moment so make sure that it is someone they can trust. Make sure this is not someone from your bridal party. Their plates will already be full on your wedding day which might make it difficult for them to take care of your pet but still enjoy the festivities.

2. Photos – To help keep your pet calm only section out a portion of the day where you will need your pet to be there. They don’t need to be there the entire day. A great time to have them at your wedding is during the bride/groom photos and the ceremony. Keeping them any longer can result in stress due to loud noises and a lot of people. Only you know what your pet can and cannot handle.

3. Dress Them Up – You are all dressed up so why not put your pet in a suit, bowtie, dress or flower crown? Just make sure it is something comfortable and that it will last the entire time they will wear it. Make sure to do a trial run before the wedding day so that you know it will be comfortable for them and still fits. We had a wedding with a younger dog who outgrew his outfit. Luckily the couple ordered a bigger size just in case and it all worked out.

4. Here are some of the most creative ways we have seen people incorporate their animals. One of our grooms surprised his bride with a puppy as a gift right after their first look. We have seen a couple’s dog be the ringbearer. They tied the rings to the dog’s collar and had him sit next to one of the parents until they called for him to bring the rings up. There are all kinds of creative ways you can incorporate your pets into your wedding day. Just have fun with it! We absolutely love pets and have 3 fur babies of our own. We are here to help you all out in any way we can.

Here are some more reasons why you should include your pet in your wedding!

They love you with their whole heart and wouldn’t miss it for the world. They take helping you get ready for your wedding pretty seriously. A wedding day can even be the perfect time to add a new fur baby to the family. It can also be the perfect time to cherish pets that you have loved ever since you were little. They can even have important jobs like being the ring bearer. They will fit in as one of the guys or gals. You may even have some wild animals that wish they could be your pet. They will keep your day filled with lots of laughter and joy.They can even help you inspect your wedding dress and rings to make sure everything is perfect and ready to go. You never know who is going to show up to congratulate on your wedding day. Watch out for those cute horses they sometimes mistake your bouquet for cake. Your fur baby loves to walk through this special time in your life with you. They are sure to look pretty snazzy with their flower collars, bowties or tuxedos. There are so many options out there to dress them up for your special day.They are happy to eat cake and dance just like everyone else! At the end of the day, they are there to celebrate and dance the night away with you! 

WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW OR SEE WHAT THE CUTEST AND MOST CREATIVE WAYS YOU ALL HAVE SEEN COUPLES INCLUDE THEIR PETS DURING THEIR ENGAGEMENT SESSION OR WEDDING IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!