Want to Include Your Pet in Your Wedding? Here’s 10 Tips for How to Do It

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Want to Include Your Pet in Your Wedding? Here's 10 Tips for How to Do It

When you dream of your wedding day, your pet is there, standing with your closest family and friends, cheering you on in full regalia as you walk down the aisle. Turning that aww-some vision into a reality could be trickier than you think. [ami-related id="1343213" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/how-to-prevent-pet-obesity/" title="6 Ways You Can Prevent Pet Obesity" target="" showsubt="false" thumb="false" imgsrc="https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/pp-obese-pets.jpg"] Deciding to include your dog or cat in your nuptials is a huge decision, one that should be made early on, according to Jennifer Cram, a wedding officiant and author of the book Pet-Friendly Weddings: A Guide to Adding Joy and Fun to Your Big Day. “The No. 1 mistake marrying couples make is to leave the decision about including a furkid in their wedding [until] way too late in the process,” Cram tells Us Weekly. “Once you have decided to get married, the very next decision should be whether you are going to actively include your pet. The reason it is so important is that almost every other decision has to take Fido or Puss into account.” [ami-related id="" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/celebrities-obsessed-with-their-cats-w460890/" title="Celebrities Obsessed With Their Cats" target="" showsubt="false"] To help engaged couples everywhere, we asked Cram to provide her best tips for including pets in weddings, because the most important day of your life should go off without a hitch (or a scratch!).

Credit: Getty Images

Want to Include Your Pet in Your Wedding? Here's 10 Tips for How to Do It

When you dream of your wedding day, your pet is there, standing with your closest family and friends, cheering you on in full regalia as you walk down the aisle. Turning that aww-some vision into a reality could be trickier than you think. [ami-related id="1343213" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/how-to-prevent-pet-obesity/" title="6 Ways You Can Prevent Pet Obesity" target="" showsubt="false" thumb="false" imgsrc="https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/pp-obese-pets.jpg"] Deciding to include your dog or cat in your nuptials is a huge decision, one that should be made early on, according to Jennifer Cram, a wedding officiant and author of the book Pet-Friendly Weddings: A Guide to Adding Joy and Fun to Your Big Day. “The No. 1 mistake marrying couples make is to leave the decision about including a furkid in their wedding [until] way too late in the process,” Cram tells Us Weekly. “Once you have decided to get married, the very next decision should be whether you are going to actively include your pet. The reason it is so important is that almost every other decision has to take Fido or Puss into account.” [ami-related id="" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/celebrities-obsessed-with-their-cats-w460890/" title="Celebrities Obsessed With Their Cats" target="" showsubt="false"] To help engaged couples everywhere, we asked Cram to provide her best tips for including pets in weddings, because the most important day of your life should go off without a hitch (or a scratch!).

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1. Decide early!

Think of it as a domino effect. Your cat or dog’s participation in your wedded bliss will factor into every decision you make — including the venue, the wedding procession and more — so the earlier you make the decision the better.

“That includes when you are going to have the wedding (season and weather can be an issue), where you are going to have the ceremony and the reception, what you are going to wear, the flowers, the food, how many guests and so on,” Cram says.

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2. Check the allergy status of guests.

If one or more of your closest family or friends suffer from pet allergies, you should take their well-being into consideration. It would be nice to let them know that your pet will be there and ask how you can best accommodate them. 

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3. Take temperament into account — your pets’ and your own!

Let’s face it, there’s nothing pretty about a stressed out bride or groom, or a stressed out pet. If your stress level will rise with your dog or cat by your side on your wedding day, think hard about whether that’s the right decision — and the same goes for your pet.

“Your pet’s temperament should drive your decisions about a wide range of things, including where the venue is, the type of venue, how many people will be present, the role your pet will play, and whether he or she should be quietly taken away after playing his or her part,” she advises. “Pets and perfectionists can be an uneasy combination, so if it is important to you that everything goes according to plan, including a scene-stealing pooch, or one that behaves badly on the day, that could be way too stressful for you.”

“On the other hand,” Cram adds, “having your pet present can be wonderfully calming!”

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4. Make sure the role you choose for your pet is one they can handle.

Dogs, says Cram, can handle a wider range of roles than cats, so use your head and remember who you’re dealing with —  your wild idea of making your skittish dog or cat the greeter at your wedding reception isn’t going to fly. 

“The most popular role for a dog is just to be a member of the bridal party,” she says. “Perhaps walk in on a lead with one of the bridal party and then just stand as an accessory. Make sure whoever that is, is well able to control the dog. A St. Bernard and a small child are not a good mix. And make sure someone keeps control of your dog during the ceremony.”

Alternatively, you may face more challenges controlling the movements of a feline. “Cats can be trained to carry the rings, but are best suited to be a greeter,” Cram advises. “They are great at sitting or lying around, so if you are having an intimate wedding, particularly in your own home, and your cat has a mellow temperament and you put a favorite cushion on the table next to the guest book, you will definitely up the ‘aww’ factor.”

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5. Choose a venue that is both pet-friendly and safe.

Make sure your chosen venue will allow your pet to be present, Cram advises, and have that written into your wedding contract. It’s also wise to do a thorough walkthrough beforehand. “If the venue allows pets, carry out a rigorous inspection with your pet’s safety in mind – [just because] the venue is pet-friendly doesn’t mean it is pet-safe,” she says. 

Cram suggests you find out the following: 

• Is the area fenced or will your pet need to be on a leash the whole time?

• What’s the venue’s schedule for applying fertilizer and/or weedkiller? Fresh application of either can be hazardous to your pet.

• Are there any plants in the garden or indoor plants, or flowers used in decorations that are toxic to your pet? 

• Note whether slugs are present since they can make a dog seriously ill if eaten.

“Popular wedding flowers and greenery, used commonly in bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces and for aisle decorations, are toxic to both cats and dogs,” she says. 

For a full list of toxic plants and flowers, visit the ASPCA’s website.

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6. Hire a pet minder.

You and your partner will be the center of attention, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll have the time to get your pet dressed and groomed beforehand, or to handle the scooping up of poop on game day.

“You will be too busy getting married and interacting with your guests to take care of all your pet’s needs, so hire someone to take care of your pet before and after the ceremony,”  says Cram.

This person should be trusted to manage your pet’s exit from the event and bring him or her to whoever is going to care for them during the honeymoon.

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7. Train, rehearse, familiarize, and expose your pet to event-related things and activities.

Now is not the time for surprises! Make sure your pet is ready for all of the wedding experiences that will take place on the big day. “Whatever your pet’s role, you need to make sure he or she is fully trained and rehearsed is familiar with the venue, and has plenty of exposure to similar social situations (people, music, camera flashes and general commotion) to progressively desensitize him or her,” Cram says.

“To train a cat you will need more time, more patience, more persistence, and more positive reinforcement than you need when training a dog," she adds. "And you need to include interim steps, so first get him or her used to walking on a leash, and only when comfortable with that, move on to attaching a ring pillow or bag.”

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8. Alert your photographer, videographer and guests.

Your pet’s presence at your wedding is a big deal, so make sure you document it. “To ensure that your pet’s role in the day is perfectly captured, your photographer and videographer need to know how and when he or she will participate,” she says. “You might even consider having an extra photographer present who can concentrate on your pet.”

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9. Make sure treats are available.

Your cat or dog definitely deserves to be rewarded for his or her participation in this momentous occasion — not to mention all the fuss everyone will be making throughout the day — so make sure you’ve got lots of treats on hand. For the tricky moments when things aren’t going as planned, they could come in really handy. “Bribery and distraction might be needed,” Cram says. 

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10. Have a backup plan!

Pets can be unpredictable, so it’s always a good idea to have a Plan B. Fluffy may not feel like walking over to you with those wedding bands, so Cram suggests selecting “a human who can step in and take over the role assigned to your pet if your pet freaks out on the day.”