First of all, how cute are dogs?! They’re just the best!
But do you know what’s even cuter than a dog?
A dog at a wedding… all dressed up, wagging its lil tail, excited to see its fave humans get married!
This excites us just thinking about it – and we’re sure you feel the same way. But logistically, it can be a bit tricky, so we thought we’d give you some help.
Today’s your lucky day, because we have 10 handy tips to make sure you, your good boy (or girl) and your loved ones have the most amazing elopement!
One. Ensure the Location is Dog Friendly!
First thing’s first, it’s super important to make sure you find a place that allows dogs.
Unfortunately, they’re not permitted anywhere and everywhere, which is rude! That being said, we’re not ones to promote breaking rules, so let’s make sure you find the perfect place where everyone’s allowed.
The most important places to note where dogs AREN’T allowed are National Parks. This is mostly due to the potential for pups to cause problems with native animals and precious environments. If you ask us, it’s the humans that tend to do more damage 🙂
Places like state forests as well as council, recreation and conservation parks generally allow for dogs. We’re so lucky here in Australia to have so many amazing places that aren’t National Parks, so the options are abundant.
Two. Pup Wedding Attire
The market for dog outfits and costumes is massive, and you’d be surprised by the options we have for dog wedding attire.
If you feel like it, and your pup is happy with it, find something fun and cute for them to wear, it can even be a special collar!
It will definitely look SO cute in photos, whilst helping you to feel like they’re a special part of the day.
Three. Puppy Witness Document
This one might just be the cutest tip of them all!
Ask your celebrant to bring along an extra witness declaration for your pup, as well as an ink pad, so they can sign it with their paw.
Such a beautiful keepsake and a funny memory for everyone involved!
Four. Have a Puppy Minder
A great thing to remember is to ask a family member or friend to look after or hold the dog during the important parts of the celebration!
You probably won’t want to be looking after your pup every second of the day, so bring along a vendor or a loved one to ensure that things go smoothly.
At the end of the day, it’ll also give you the comfort to enjoy your elopement whilst knowing that your pup is well taken care of and present with you!
Five. Pups in Photos
Make sure to include your doggo in some of your wedding shots! It’s a great way to remember how special they are to you, and how lucky you were to include them in your special day.
There are so many ways to get creative with your pup and your wedding portraits, so have fun with it!
Six. Tire the pup out BEFORE
Do you have a high energy pup? If so, it might be worth giving them some exercise before the festivities begin, just so you know they won’t be going super crazy during the key moments.
As much as we love zoomies, mid-ceremony probably isn’t ideal!
Seven. Flower Pup
Another super cute way to include your fur baby in the day is to have them act as a flower pup, ring bearer or dog of honour.
If you’re thinking your pup should bring the rings down the aisle, there are plenty of outfits, collars, and bow ties for pups that they can wear to help you (and them) out!
If ring bearers aren’t your thing, you could even consider getting your florist to make up a lil flower crown or collar for the day, and have them run whilst dropping petals as they go! SO cute.
The other super cute option is to have your pup dress up and be the ‘best dog’, or ‘dog maid’ – whatever you want to call it, they can be your right-hand pup!
Eight. Consider the Season
The warmer months can be tricky for pups. If you’re keen on having your dog at your elopement – particularly if it’s outdoors, it’s smart to avoid the Summer months, to make sure you’re not putting them at risk.
Milder temperatures in Spring and Autumn tend to be the best options, as it’s not so hot, and less likely to be wet and wintry. Weddings and wet, stinky pups aren’t the best combination!
Nine. Bring an Extra Bag for Pup
This is something that can be forgotten super easily, especially when you’re budy getting ready to be married.
To make sure your pup has everything it might need for the day, pack a bag for them the day before with things like a water bowl, water, treats, poop bags, leash, and maybe even a towel!
Ten. Be Considerate of Others
If you are eloping somewhere that’s busy, be sure that you’re thinking about how others may feel with your dog if it’s running around. Unfortunately, not everyone is as comfortable with pups as we are, so It’s important to be thoughtful!
If it’s a leash free area, feel free to do as you please. But if you’re somewhere in the middle of the day, at a popular destination, be sure that you (and your pup) are being considerate around others.
We can’t really stress this enough, but dogs at weddings are SO cute. So if you’re thinking about bringing your pup to your elopement, we hope these tips have helped. And can stay in the back of your mind should you need them.
Are you on the look for photographers for your elopement or intimate wedding? We’d love to help you capture your special day!
We’ve got the experience and love for adventure – and we LOVE helping capture your special day! Also, what’s better than 2 sets of eyes and cameras?!
Feel free to reach out to chat to us about anything photography, elopements… and most importantly, dogs – we’d love to chat!
