IT’S A DOG’S LIFE

PHOTOGRAPHS: Luke Bennett Photography

For so many couples their pet is as much a part of the family as their two-legged relatives. It’s only natural then that they want to involve them in their wedding day and look back at their furry friend looking smart in the wedding pics. Dogs looking all cute in bowties or acting as ringbearers have featured in more and more weddings in recent years and during the pandemic when guestlist numbers were so restricted for the humans I suspect more couples made sure their pet was there for the “I do’s”. Photographer Luke Bennett agrees there’s been an increase. “I feel that lockdown has meant couples have been spending a lot more time with their pets throughout the day, creating an even tighter bond with them,” he says. “This means that they really want to somehow include them in their wedding celebrations.”

There’s no denying that including your pet can add to the whole wedding experience. As well as creating some lovely photo opportunities Luke says it can bring people together even more. “Quite often immediate family and friends will have spent time with the pet over the years so it’s lovely to see people get joy out of seeing the pet on the day and it can create a lot of fun,” he says.

However, that’s not to say it’s always plain sailing. You know the saying never work with children or animals. Luke says pets can naturally be more unpredictable so it can be quite a challenge to photograph them. “As a wedding photographer it is important to plan the day carefully to optimise time spent with the couple to ensure a great set of photos,” he says. “Having a pet there on the day could potentially mean that certain parts of the day could take a little longer.”

Luke advises having plenty of treats to help encourage them to sit in the right position for the photo but is also aware that, depending on the pet, some might be unsettled by the unaccustomed noise and people. So what’s the solution? You could easily put a member of the bridal party or a family member on dog duty, making sure they’re walked and fed but if you’d rather not saddle someone with that responsibility there are other options.

Enter the fairydogmothers (or fathers). You could ask your regular dogwalker to collect them after they’ve played their role, or dedicated company Woofy Weddings can collect your dog on the morning of the wedding, exercise them,

groom them and bring them to the venue for the photos and/or ceremony. They can even take them home after and let you dance the night away carefee. Trish Hollinger from the company says, “The couple can enjoy having their much-loved pooch with them for the ceremony and/or photographs without having to worry about the logistics of it all and then they can go on to enjoy their meal and evening celebration, knowing their pet is in good hands.”

Hiring a professional may seem a bit extra but your guests will thank you in the long run. “There could be pitfalls if a family member or friend has to take charge of the dog for the day, for example, if they have to take the dog away from the ceremony for a sudden toilet break or have to sit with it somewhere while others enjoy dinner, or even have to take it home before the evening celebrations,” says Trish. “Even if the dog is allowed free roam with the guests, it may have an awkward toilet accident somewhere or could well be stressing due to all the hustle and bustle.” And she also recommends only having the dog there for a couple of hours. That way you get the best of both worlds; gorgeous photos and special memories while you still are free to let loose on the dancefloor.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Derek Christie Photography

When Caitlin and Callum McNeill started planning their wedding a dog wasn’t even on their radar. They had agreed they’d wait until they were married to get one. However, when they were forced to postpone their wedding until May 2021 because of the pandemic, it seemed like a good time to reach out to a breeder.

“We had always wanted a golden retriever so I messaged on the off chance and she said she’d just mated her retriever and pups would be due to be rehomed in late April,” remembers Caitlin. By that February it was clear they would have to postpone their wedding again until July 2022. “We felt it was fate we’d found a pup due to be rehomed when our wedding should have taken place,” says Caitlin. The couple welcomed puppy Sonny home in April.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances Caitlin and Callum had to pull their wedding forward to August 2021 when Sonny would only be six-months-old. It quickly became clear that anyone they would have turned to for dog-sitting would be a guest and they started to panic. Then they heard about Woofy Weddings. Caitlin says, “Sonny loved Trish straight away, as did we. We knew at that point we wanted him at the wedding and it would be a brilliant surprise for our guests.”

Sonny was a little too young and excitable to be ringbearer but he was able to come for an hour for the photos and drinks reception. “I cried and cried when I saw him,” smiles Caitlin. “Trish was just brilliant, and it was such an amazing opportunity for everyone to meet Sonny. I honestly couldn’t imagine our wedding day without him. He brings us so much happiness every day, but the happiness of seeing how excited he was to see us on our wedding day was just second to none.”