Patty's Business Blog

When it comes to your wedding day, you will want to ensure that all your loved ones are included. But what about when one of your most-loved ones happens to have four legs? It can be possible to include your dog in your wedding day, but it might not always be appropriate. Before deciding whether it can be possible, there are a few things you need to consider.

Will Your Dog Have Fun?

Think about your dog's temperament. They will be surrounded by people all day and will be receiving far more stimulation than usual. Some dogs will enjoy the attention and will behave in a helpfully calm fashion. Other dogs might not react so well. While your dog might be perfectly manageable when surrounded by people they know, the abundance of strangers at the wedding might cause stress, which can lead to aggression. Make an appropriate judgement about whether or not your dog will actually enjoy being part of your wedding day and put their interests ahead of your desire for them to be included.

Will Your Dog Be Allowed?

Consider whether or not your dog will actually be permitted to be part of the proceedings. You will need to query the matter with the wedding venue. It might simply be that dogs are not permitted at the venue, or the areas they can access are so limited as to make their presence on the day largely redundant. You will also need to discuss the matter with your wedding hire company. Their facilities and the items that will be used on the day might be unsafe for dogs (particularly when it comes to any electrical generators that might be set up). It could be the case that a dog will only be permitted if you can guarantee that it will be supervised at all times. So how can you ensure this?

Is There Someone to Look After the Dog?

If your dog's temperament makes them a welcome addition to your big day (and if they're permitted by the wedding venue and hire company), you will need to ensure that someone is watching the dog throughout the day. It's easiest to arrange a schedule amongst friends and family members who are familiar with the dog, so that everyone can watch the dog for a predetermined period of time. This means that your dog will be supervised without anyone needing to miss out on the festivities. Of course, your dog will need to have access to clean water, their feeding time needs to be adhered to, and the person supervising them needs to have the necessary equipment (plastic bags and a scoop) to clean up any mess.

So while it would be wonderful to have your beloved pooch there on your big day, you really need to decide if this is in fact the best thing to do.