15 Sweet Ways to Include Pets In Your Wedding or Elopement

If you’re the type of couple who doesn’t do anything without your pets, and can’t imagine getting married without including them, then you’re in the right place! As dog parents and animal lovers ourselves, we’ve put together this guide to 15 ways to incorporate your pets into your wedding, whether they’re actually there with you OR you’re honoring them from afar. Plus, we’ve added a few practical tips at the end that you’ll want to keep in mind!

P.S. This whole guide can apply to any type of celebration, from adventure elopements to traditional weddings. It’s up to you to decide what makes the most sense for you, your furry friend(s), and the vibe of your day!

FAQ’s About Including Pets In Your Wedding

Let’s start off with a few basics about pets & weddings, so you know what you’re getting yourselves into!

Can we include our dogs in our wedding?

Absolutely you can! We wouldn’t be writing this otherwise. You just need to make sure you get married at a venue or location that allows pets, and that your dogs are going to be comfortable hanging with ya throughout the day—especially if they’ll be around unfamiliar people, or in an unfamiliar location.

Can we include our cats in our wedding?

Who says dogs are the only ones who can be included in weddings? Sure, cats might be a little trickier to involve. . . but if your kittie is down, then you can totally make it happen! Cats can often be more skittish and anxious with people and places they don’t know, so make sure that they’re well-trained beforehand to go out and explore. You could bring them on a leash if they like to walk with you, put them in a carrier where they’ll feel safe to hang out during your ceremony, or simply bring them out for a few minutes just to snuggle in your portraits!

Can our dogs be witnesses for our wedding?

I know this might seem like a silly question at first, but guess what? The answer is YES, depending on what state you get married in! A majority of states require 1-2 witnesses of the human variety, sure, but there are certain states where witnesses aren’t legally required—meaning you can bring your pups along to serve as your only witnesses, if you don’t want any people around 😉

Here are the 7 states that don’t require witnesses to be present at a wedding ceremony:

Colorado
Ohio
Tennessee
Vermont
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia

Can we include our pets in our wedding without them there?

Of course! We know it can be a hassle to bring fur babies along for the adventure, despite how much you adore them with all your heart. So we’ve made sure to include plenty of ways that you can include your pets in your wedding or elopement, without them actually being there on the big day 🙂

15 Sweet Ways to Incorporate Pets Into Your Wedding

Alright, so you’ve decided that it just wouldn’t be right to get married without acknowledging such key members of your family. (agreed!) We’ve had couples find so many unique and creative ways to incorporate their pets into their celebrations, so we’ve put together a list of our favorite 15 ideas below!

1. Make signature pet-inspired cocktails

Signature cocktails are alwaysss a good idea, and a super easy way to make your wedding drinks on-theme! In this case, they’re a fun opportunity to share the love you have for the furry members of your family. One of our couples created two signature drinks for their reception, one inspired by their cat Callie, and one by their dog Max. The sketched portraits of these two on the menu were ADORABLE. Another couple did the same with their cat and dog, but added their favorite photos to the sign instead of drawings!

Check out this cute custom dog signature drinks sign from Amazon 🐾

2. Frame a cute photo or portrait

Want to honor your pets from afar AND have adorable decorations at your reception? Frame one (or multiple) of your favorite photos of your fur babies, or custom portraits if you want to get a little more artsy with it. This could look like hanging up a frame at your reception venue (if it’s allowed), or it could be as simple as placing a small frame at your reception entrance table, just like our couple did below. Your guest book table would be another great spot for your pets to hang out for the evening!

3. Get a custom pillow for your hotel

Look closely in the photo below, and you’ll see that one of the pillows on this couple’s couch features a picture of their handsome pup! If you’re getting ready for your wedding in a hotel room or Airbnb, a custom pet pillow is an easy and inexpensive way to feel like your pets are right there with you. Plus, you’ll get to keep the pillow afterward and it’ll be a cute decoration you can snuggle with on your own couch!

4. Include Polaroids in your details

Another super easy way to include your pets from afar is to bring Polaroids of them! Hand them to your photographer to add to your detail shots, and you’ll have photos to look at while you get ready if you’re missing them.

Not only did our couple Johnna & Shaan have the cutest Polaroids of their two sweet Sphynx cats, they also had adorable little figurines of each of them! What a great way to carry around a little replica of your babies with you all day, and have them participate in a few photos without having to worry about taking care of them.

5. Pose with cardboard cutouts

Want a way to include your pet that won’t break the bank (and is SUPER easy to make happen)? Get life-size cardboard cutouts printed of their faces or entire bodies. . . or just print a photo on your own and paste it on a popsicle stick to make it even easier! This is a fun and silly way to include your babies in photos, without having them actually physically there with you—plus you can pass them around to loved ones to pose with, put them on a chair during your ceremony and reception, etc. It’ll be as if they’re right there with you 😉

6. Get custom-made hoodies with their faces

There’s nothing you can’t get on Etsy these days—so of COURSE you can get custom-made sweatshirts with your pets’ faces on them. We were obsessed with our couple who ordered cozy, oversized crewnecks with a portrait of their pup’s face printed on the chest, plus an extra little pawprint down on the sleeve! Wear ‘em while you get your hair and makeup done, when you have to get up early for your sunrise ceremony hike, or at the end of the day when you’re ready to get out of your wedding attire. This way, you’ll have your fur babes with you in spirit the whole time 🔥

7. Custom pet portrait pocket squares

We’re obsessed with this idea, it’s so creative and unique! You can find creators on Etsy that will embroider custom pocket squares, like this one who will literally embroider a portrait of your pet. How freaking cool is that? Reviewers say that it was great to have their pets close to their heart during their wedding ceremonies, which we think is so sweet.

8. Let your dog join your wedding ceremony

Nearly every time a couple brings their dog to their wedding or elopement, the pup just wants to sit up with them at the altar and be totally adorable + close to their parents. It warms our hearts every time! Let ‘em hang out with you while you say your vows, or at least walk down the aisle with them, and then pass them off to a loved one sitting in one of the front rows. Trust us: it’ll make for the cutest ceremony and first kiss photos you’ve ever seen!

9. Have their paw prints on your marriage certificate

This one right here is an all-time fave, because as important members of your family, shouldn’t your fur babes be represented on your marriage certificate?! You won’t want to have paw prints on your legal license that needs to be mailed back to the state, obviously, but what you can do is get an extra copy OR a decorative copy from Etsy. Then, buy some pet-safe ink (like this) and put some cute paw prints on there next to where you signed your names! Make sure the whole fam is represented.

10. Set up an adoption event at your reception

This one might be the coolest of them all, and the one that could make the most difference in the lives of your local creatures! We had a couple who were the biggesttt pet lovers, and decided to turn their reception into a literal event for adopting dogs. How freaking amazing is that?! They invited a team from their local shelter to bring the goodest boys & girls to join guests for the evening, and to hopefully find them their forever homes. What an incredible way to use your wedding to do good for the animals in your community!

11. Order custom cake toppers

Cake toppers are always a great way to honor a certain person, place, or thing that means a lot to you and your relationship—including your pets! Etsy has a ton of awesome options, where you can customize the pose they’re in, how many pets are included, whether you want the topper to be edible or not (maybe not, in this case. . .), etc.

12. Include them in your first dance

One of our recent couples, Meaghan and Eric, had the literal cutest first dance we’ve ever seen: they danced on top of a mountain at the end of their elopement day with their best man/dog Auggie, and literally spun him around alongside them. This one will probably depend on how big your pets are, and how willing they are to be carried, but if they’re down, why not include them in your first (or second) dance as a married couple? Bonus points if they get a treat at the end for being a talented dancer 💃

13. Dress them up to match your theme

When we think of pets at weddings, the FIRST thing we think of is getting a dog all dressed up in stylish wedding attire to match the couple. Bowties, tuxedos, skirts, tiaras, flower crowns, bandanas. . . find a way to match with your pet and you’ll be the most fashionable newlyweds out there! Maybe you find a bandana of a similar shade as your suit to fasten around their neck, or if they’re super tolerant, a flower crown to place on their head. You’ll have your guests dyinggg over the cuteness the entire day.

14. Add a fundraiser to your wedding registry

Maybe you have pets of your own, maybe you don’t and you’re just the biggest animal lovers out there: either way, if you have an animal-related cause you care about, you could add a fundraiser to your wedding registry! This could mean raising money for your local shelter, or even inviting guests to contribute bags of food for you to donate rather than bringing gifts. There are so many wonderful organizations out there who contribute to supporting and caring for animals in amazing ways, and you could easily make a huge difference by partnering with your guests!

15. Honor pets who have passed

Finally, don’t forget to honor your pets who are no longer with you, and keep them close to your heart. You can do this with any of the ideas we’ve already mentioned in this guide: have a photo of them at your reception, a custom cake topper designed after your favorite picture of them, or maybe even a piece of jewelry filled with their ashes that you wear on the big day. Your wedding is a time to gather loved ones from all seasons of your life, and that includes any fur babies who have made an impact on you ♥️

3 Essential Tips for Bringing Pets to Your Wedding

If you’re planning to have your pet(s) physically present at your wedding, make sure you keep these 3 tips in mind for a smooth + stress-free day—both for you, and your animals!

Assign someone to watch them

This will take a HUGE weight off your shoulders on the day-of. By having a friend or family member designated to take care of your pet(s), you won’t have to worry about feeding them, taking them on walks/potty breaks, or making sure they’re behaving properly while you’re trying to get ready, say your vows, or dance the night away.

Find a pet-friendly wedding venue

This one might seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget in the midst of wedding planning! Make sure that your wedding venue, elopement location, and/or accommodations are all pet-friendly if you plan to bring your pets along for the adventure. This also means that if you’re eloping outdoors, you need to be sure to find pet-friendly trails and wilderness areas, and that you clean up after them properly.

Respect their boundaries

And lastly, always respect your pets’ boundaries! It can be SO exciting to have them present on the big day, but also be aware of their needs: pay attention to if they’re feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, need some alone time, need to leave, etc. Their safety and comfort should always be the #1 priority (as should the safety and comfort of you and your guests), so be prepared to adjust plans if needed to accommodate and care for them.

As fellow dog parents ourselves (to our babies Leia, Link, and Padfoot), we’re always stoked to be in the presence of animals at weddings, and want to make sure that you’ve got everything you need to make the day amazing. Whether you’ll have your childhood dog by your side as you say your vows, or you’re bringing along photos of your cherished kitties to include in your details, we’ll make sure they’re given alllll the love and attention they deserve.

Get in touch now to chat about bringing your paw-sitively purrfect wedding day to life (sorry, we had to!) 🐱🐶

If you loved this blog post, we’ve got a few other wedding planning guides we know you’ll be just as obsessed with:

15 Sweet Ways to Include Pets In Your Wedding or Elopement

Table of Contents: