Your wedding day should be true to you, from the flowers and decorations to the vows and music. It’s a day all about you, your partner and your love! For many couples, their pooch is a huge part of their life, and pawsibly even their love story. Dogs at weddings are becoming more and more common, and we at Hounds Lounge love to see it!
Photo by Lela & Lyla
Ready to Experience Hounds Lounge for Yourself?
The question is, should you have your dog at your wedding? Yes, you should have your dog at your wedding! Think about it – your pooch is your best friend, and they wouldn’t miss your big day for the world.
Furrtunately, Arkansas is full of pet-friendly wedding venues and vendors. With the right planning, your dog can be part of your wedding day. Hounds Lounge has tips to help you make it memorable – and manageable. We’re here for the before, during and after, from pre-wedding grooming to post-wedding boarding!
Ready to start planning your dog’s role in your wedding? Bark now or furrever hold your peace!
Dogs at Weddings: How to Include Them
There are many ways to include dogs at weddings, in both the ceremony and reception.
The Wedding Pawty
Fido can take on one of these classic wedding party roles:
- Ring Bearer: Because dogs can’t actually hold the rings, you can tie them to a ribbon on their collar.
- Flower Girl (or Bloom Boy!): It’s hard for your pooch to actually toss petals, so they can wear them instead! Create a flower collar for your dog that matches your florals. If your pooch is highly trainable, you can teach them how to hold a shallow basket of petals as they walk down the aisle – some petals should fall out naturally.
- Dog of Honor: If you’re having a hard time deciding which of your friends or family members should stand by your side… maybe it should be your dog!
- Waggin’ Wedding Witness: No joke, a dog can be an official wedding witness in Arkansas! That means they sign your marriage license with their paw print. Bow-wow! If you think that’s wild, check out these 8 Shocking Dog Laws in Arkansas.
Depending on your pooch’s temperament, you may want a hooman to escort them down the aisle, whether that means walking them on a leash, pulling them in a wagon or carrying them.
Photo by Sydney Sligh Photography
As for attire, you can deck your pooch out with a custom leash and traditional wedding-wear, like vests and dresses. These looks are pawfect for dogs in wedding photos! Check out our Designer Dog Accessories blog to get inspiration for dog wedding outfits.
The Decor
In addition to physically being part of your wedding, you can also incorporate your pooch into your wedding decor! Put Fido’s face on signage and other items, like coozies, napkins and even doggie bags for leftover treats.
Speaking of treats, you can incorporate your pooch into your wedding cake. Sneak a miniature fondant Fido between the cake layers, or order a custom cake topper of your fur fam.
The Drinks
Get the pawty started with dog-themed drinks! Go for classics like the Greyhound, the Salty Dog or Mock-TAILS, or create a custom concoction named after your pooch.
Wedding-Ready Grooming: Spa Day at Hounds Lounge
Here comes the groom… grooming at Hounds Lounge, that is! Pre-wedding grooming is very impawtant for dogs at weddings. You want your pooch to look good and smell good so they don’t gross out any guests, and so that their beauty is forever captured in your wedding photos! Some grooming services to consider are a bath, deshedding, a nail trim, teeth brushing or a haircut. Hounds Lounge also offers blueberry facials, pawdicures and mud baths to spoil Fido before the big day!
Be sure to schedule your dog’s grooming appointment for a day or two before the ceremony, and book it well in advance – this could be their most impawtant groom ever!
Release their Wedding Jitters at Doggy Daycare
Did you know that a day of doggy daycare is included with all Hounds Lounge grooming appointments? Your pooch can play their heart out the same day they get gussied up.
If your energetic woof has an impawtant role in your wedding, schedule their daycare and grooming appointment for the day before the ceremony. Let them stay a while – we recommend all day – and play hard before our professional groomers get them looking fresh! This will help them burn energy so they will be well-behaved and relaxed once it’s their time to shine.
The Logistics for Dogs at Weddings
Dogs at weddings do require some additional planning! Here’s some of our best advice.
Include Fido in the Schedule
If you have a wedding planner or day-of coordinator, discuss your dog’s role with them. Write out the day’s schedule, and include your dog at all the times they’ll be needed!
Have a Designated Dog Handler
Wedding days are known for being busy, so choose a trusted handler to watch after your dog all day. This could be a close friend, a family member or even a hired pet professional. This handler should be responsible for transporting your pup to and from the venue, walking them before the ceremony, managing their water and snacks, and knowing when it’s time to take them home or to Hounds Lounge for boarding.
Impawtant Note: It’s likely that your pooch will be traveling in a car on wedding day, so check out our blog on Dog Car Safety for must-know transport tips.
Book an Overnight Stay at Hounds Lounge
If you want your pooch to stay at Hounds Lounge after your reception, we offer after-hours accommodations (as long as you have advanced approval). Fido can enjoy some late night pawtying, then go to sleep soundly at their favorite place! Whether they stay for just one night or the duration of your honeymoon, we’d love to take care of your fur baby at one of our convenient locations closest to your venue.
When Your Pup Isn’t Part of the Ceremony
Before the big day, decide your dog’s involvement. Some pooches are attention hounds who will love being part of the ceremony and reception, whereas other dogs are more shy or anxious around crowds. No matter their temperament, there are ways to involve your dog!
Customize Fido’s Schedule
You might choose to keep your dog close but not on-site all day. One option is to schedule photos with them before the ceremony, then have their handler take them home! Or, if you have a pawty animal, maybe you have them skip the ceremony but still join the fun at the reception.
Show Them Off in Photos
Even if Fido isn’t present on your wedding day, they can still be part of your decor, as detailed earlier in this blog. You can also include them in your engagement photos or bridal portraits and display those at your wedding.
Photo by Morgan Hunt Media
Bring Them to Hounds Lounge
At Hounds Lounge, we are big fans of dogs at weddings, but we know it’s not the right fit for everyone! We will happily take care of your pooch while you’re tying the knot.
Local Dog-Friendly Wedding Venues in Arkansas
Ready to take the next step? If you really want your pooch to be part of your wedding, your first questions for potential wedding venues should be about dogs at weddings! Below are a few dog-friendly wedding venues in Arkansas!
Central Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas
- The Barn at the Springs
- Osage House (pets considered upon request)
- Sassafras Springs Vineyard
Final Tips Furr Happily Ever After!
If dogs at weddings are a must for you, don’t forget these to-do’s!
- Practice makes pawfect! Practice the “dog walk” before the big day.
- Pack a wedding day kit for Fido, including poop bags, treats, a water bowl, a brush and calming spray. We all get nervous!
- Make sure to include your pooch in the wedding day schedule and assign a responsible dog lover to be their handler.
- Add Hounds Lounge’s info to your wedding website so guests coming into town have an option for boarding their own pooch!
Your Wedding, Their Big Day Too
With a little planning and a lot of love, your furry best friend can be part of the best day of your life! Hounds Lounge is here to help with everything dogs at weddings entail, from burning energy beforehand, to grooming ahead of the ceremony, to boarding during your honeymoon.
Contact us today to book your dog’s wedding-ready spa day or overnight stay. We would be honored to be part of your fur fam’s happily – and yappily – ever after!
