To anyone who has ever owned a beloved pet, they’re an integral part of the family and they can serve well in weddings.

Now, not every pet is likely to meet the lofty responsibilities of wedding duty. Cats, while lovely and cuddly, are often difficult to train and when they do learn something, they’ll perform on their terms. This means you might not be able to count of them at the moment of truth. Dogs, on the other hand, are eager to please and the smart ones are quick learners.

Before you automatically blend your pet into the event, think about your pet’s personality. That is, do they get along well with people? All people or just some? Are they easily distracted? Do they listen to you and obey? Are they well behaved?

With any pet, there is no surefire guarantee that they will perform exactly how you want them to, and when. So, the best approach is to focus on simple tasks that are easy for which to prepare, and easy for them to perform.

Here are a few ideas on ways that you might integrate your pet into your wedding.

• Pets can have a role in your wedding from start to finish. For instance, include them in your engagement photos. Or, include your pet in the very proposal with a sign around his or her neck reading, “Will you marry my Dad?” Further, you could fasten the engagement ring within a colorful ribbon in place of the dog’s collar.
• At the ceremony, your pet could be the ring bearer, or an escort for a flower girl or boy. In addition, your pet could be dressed to match either the bride or groom’s apparel. See the photo of our Golden Doodle Abe, dressed in his custom-made tux. The tux included a pocket to carry our wedding rings to the altar.
• After the ceremony, get your pet ready to pose with you with a “Just Married” sign around its neck.
• Because most pets are important family members, include them in your overall array of family pictures that you direct the photographer to take.
• Consider including your pet in your vows, or have them by your side when you deliver your vows.
• Lastly, let people know that pets are part of the wedding. Your photographer needs to know so they can be alert to capturing the best images with your pet. And, some guests could be allergic, so be sure to inform guests so they can make plans.

Our customers at BPB probably have more ideas of their own. We’d like to hear from you. What are your ideas for how you want to use, or have used, your pet in a wedding?

Whatever option you select, be sure to have a responsible friend or family member be in charge of your pet. That way you can be sure to focus on the fun, and have no other responsibility than that.