Dogs are part of the family, and for many couples, they want to include their furry friends on their wedding day. There are many ways to do this, from having your dog walk down the aisle to serving as the ring bearer or flower girl. This article provides simple tips for including your dog in your wedding.
For pet centric business owners there are ways to capitalize on this trend, as well as differentiate your business like Christina Walker of Top Dog Pet Sitters and Lauren Bollinger of Going Mutts Pet Services.
Christina added Wedding Services to Top Dog’s offerings after a client asked them to help make their pups a part of their wedding. After that enjoyable experience Christina decided to offer it as a service to other couples because it was also filling a niche. To this day, Top Dog Pet Sitters customizes their wedding services for each couple to create a most memorable experience. As you’ll read in the Pets+ Magazine article, Lauren, like Christina, began offering Fur-Ever Wedding Services in January 2020 to differentiate her pet sitting business from others in her area.
A 2020 people.com article citing a survey by WeddingWire states that one third of pet owners Included their furry friend in their wedding or engagement, this trend doesn’t appear to be waning. In fact, recent pet ownership statistics suggest that Fido will be a fixture in weddings and engagements for years to come.
So, whether you are a groomer, a pet sitter, a photographer, a kennel operator… think about how you can expand your product or service offerings to support or celebrate client milestones like this.
Pet Perennials Milestone Gift Collection helps people celebrate the important moments along the journey with their pets. Business owners can register for a free Gift Perks account and the company will take care of sending a congratulatory card or engagement gift directly to the pet loving, love birds for you!
TIPS
If you are getting engaged or recently betrothed and thinking about having your dog in your wedding, here are some tips for including them:
Choose a dog friendly venue. Not all venues allow dogs, so be sure to choose one that does. If you're having your wedding outdoors, be sure to check the weather forecast and plan in case of rain or other inclement weather.
Train your dog for the big day. It's important to train your dog to be on their best behavior on your wedding day. This means teaching them basic commands like sit, stay, and come, as well as teaching them not to jump up on people or beg for food.
Have a backup plan. In case your dog gets sick or injured on the day of your wedding, it's a good idea to have a backup plan. This could mean having a friend or family member watch your dog or hiring a pet sitter.
Relax and enjoy the day! The most important thing is to relax and enjoy your wedding day. Your dog will be there to celebrate with you, and they'll make your day even more special.
Decorate with your dog's favorite things. If your dog loves to fetch, put a ball or frisbee on your wedding cake topper. If your dog loves to go for walks, put a leash and collar on your wedding favors.
Have a dog-friendly reception.Make sure there is plenty of food and water for your dog and have a designated area where your dog can relax and get away from the noise.
Take lots of photos with your dog.Your dog will be a part of your wedding day forever, so be sure to take lots of photos with them. You can even hire a pet photographer to capture the special moments.
Including your dog in your wedding is a great way to make your day even more special. With a little planning, you can create a day that your dog will never forget.
Remy Bibaud is the co-founder of Pet Perennials and mom to Harley. Harley, like her sister that preceded her in life, is a sweet and active Labrador Retriever mix. Olive was an adorable, smiling Labrador Retriever mix and Remy’s inspiration for the original Pet Perennials product. Olive was a special gal, gentle, kind and quite an athlete! She loved to play fetch, enjoyed long walks with Remy and sniffing out the deer in her backyard. Remy was fortunate because Olive joined her every day at her former business office. Today Remy is joined at the office by Harley.
Emerging from their own experiences with love and loss, Remy and her business partner set out to create a personalized way to bring comfort to families going through similar pet loss experiences and to offer unique gifts that bring comfort to a grieving pet lover while honoring the memory of a cherished companion. Pet Perennials has grown from there.
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