How to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Day
Journal · Wedding planning
A few honest tips from someone who brings her own dog to work more often than she probably should.
My dog Bear has crashed more client meetings and editing sessions than I'd probably admit to. So when couples ask whether their own dog can be part of the wedding day, I'm not exactly a neutral party - I think it's one of the best decisions you can make, and I've photographed enough of them to know what actually makes it go smoothly versus what turns into a stressful ten minutes everyone's trying to recover from.
Here's what I tell every couple who asks.
1. Assign a dog handler for the day
Not a bridesmaid, not a parent walking someone down the aisle - someone whose only job is the dog. Arrival, bathroom breaks, water, and getting them home or kenneled once photos wrap. It's the single biggest thing that keeps this stress-free.
2. Time it for the beginning, not the whole day
Bring your dog for first-look or ceremony portraits, then send them home. A wedding is long and loud, and most dogs are done being "on" after 30-45 minutes. Plan their window, not their attendance.
3. Do a practice run at the venue
If your dog is walking down the aisle, let them see the space beforehand - empty, with no crowd. The first time they experience an aisle full of chairs and staring people should not be the actual ceremony.
4. Keep treats and water just out of frame
A little motivation goes a long way for getting a good look toward the camera, and it's an easy thing to forget on a day with a hundred other details. I'll always have a spot for this staged just out of the shot.
5. Ask for a candid buffer, not a posed session
Build in 10-15 unscripted minutes right when your dog arrives. Some of the best photos I get all day happen before anyone's trying to get the dog to look at the camera - just them greeting you, tail going, completely themselves.
6. If the venue says no, do a separate session
Plenty of venues don't allow pets, and that's alright. An engagement-style session with your dog beforehand, in a spot you love, gets you the photos without the wedding-day logistics.
Worth it, almost every time
The couples who've done this never regret it. Even with the logistics, having your dog there for even twenty minutes tends to produce some of the most genuine, least-posed photos of the whole day - and it's a gallery detail you'll be glad you didn't skip.
Keep exploring
Planning your day - dog included? Tell me about your date, your venue, and whether there's a four-legged member of the wedding party. I'll help you build a timeline that works for everyone.