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Should we include our dog at our wedding?

If, like Gemma, you have just returned home from a muddy Autumn dog walk, you might be struggling to visualise how you can include your dog in your wedding, without it being a stressful experience for everyone.


At Fig & Bramble, it's no secret that we love dogs, and we have four between us- Oscar (shih tzu) and Dora (black labradoodle) are the eldest and very calm and well behaved. Hetty (goldendoodle) and Clover (boxer) are young and mad, and often get banished from our flower barn during wedding season!


Adele and Gemma from Fig and Bramble with their dogs in the garden
Photograph by Megan Claire Photography
asian groom and white bride with their border collie dog at their wedding at Bartley Park
Photo by Melissa Megan Photography

Of course you want your loved ones at your wedding, and sometimes your dog is no exception. Here are our thoughts on how to make that work for you:







dog cockapoo with bride and groom at Avington Park
Photo by Emma Jane Photography

They have to be cleaner than usual! The main concern is always the bride's gown- suits will usually hide grubby footprints reasonably well. We'd therefore suggest your dog doesn't see the bride until after (or at the end of) the ceremony. You could also consider some intensive work on not jumping up in the run up to your wedding (easier said than done of course!).


flower collar for black working cocker spaniel for wedding New Forest
Photo by Scott Howard weddings

Make them look extra special- a flower collar or a flower posy makes them super cute. We always use flowers that won't harm your dog if eaten. If your dog tends to roll around a lot, we'd usually suggest a small posy attached to the collar rather than a full flower collar.


dog at wedding, Avington Park rose garden
Photo by Emma Jane Photography



Appoint a responsible adult- looking after the dog can be a great job for father of the groom, who often wants to be helpful and can feel a bit at a loose end the morning of the wedding. You could also consider employing a dog walker to care for your dog, since it's unlikely your pup will want to hang out for your entire wedding.



whippet with bride and groom dogs at weddings
Photo by New Forest Studio


Decide what key photos to take with them, that work best for you all. This might be later in the day when you're not worrying about staying immaculate, and you could carve out half an hour for couples photos, with your dog.





table plan pink with orange pets names
Photo by Joshharkon Photography

If you think their presence will be too stressful (for them or you), you could consider other ways to include them in your day.


We've seen lots of lovely ideas, including personalised confetti bags, framed photographs and treat bags to take home for their dog pals.


In the below image, the tables were named after family dogs past and present:



 
 
 

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