5 Ways to Include Your Fur Baby in Your Wedding

January 10, 2023

Dogs in Weddings How to include your dog in your wedding by Courtney Rudicel Wedding Photographer in Indiana
Dogs in Weddings How to include your dog in your wedding by Courtney Rudicel Wedding Photographer in Indiana

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life so why shouldn’t you include your fur baby in all the festivities? Today, I’m sharing some unique and fun ways you can include your beloved four-legged baby on your wedding day!

1. Have them get ready with you in the morning

This is a great way to let your fur babies be part of your day without them being part of the madness that comes with the day. It’s really only a possibility if you’re getting ready at your home or at an AirBnb or similar. Your photographer can snap some pics of you in your bridal robe snuggling or giving kisses! A cute Kodak moment and also a way to include your fur baby in your wedding album!

Rose Courts Photography 5 Ways to Include Your Fur Baby in Your Wedding Fort Wayne Wedding Photographer

2. Share a First Look with your fur baby!

I saw this here and it was SO CUTE! The bride walked up behind her lab and called his name! The photos were soooo adorable! Again, easier if you’re at a non-public place getting ready. BUT if you’re not, that leads me to my next point…

Michigan Engagement Photos at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by Southbend Wedding Photographer Courtney Rudicel

3. Have them brought in for photos

If you’re not in a private place getting ready, have a family member or cousin or aunt or someone bring your fur baby to the venue for a quick photo op! This is what my husband and I did! But actually, our border, Zach’s Pets Services, brought our sweet boy, Rocco to our venue just before the ceremony! He got a nice bath and was fresh and clean for photos! Check with your local animal kennels to see if they offer this type of service! (And if they don’t, suggest it!) It was so convenient for us and such a treat to see our baby boy just before we said our vows.

Tessa Tillett-Robbins Photography 5 Ways to Include Your Fur Baby in Your Wedding

You may think spending money to have your baby brought in for 10 minutes of photos is dumb, but truthfully, the photos from this moment are some of my absolute favorites. We lost our sweet boy just 6 months after our wedding day and I cherish these photos so much because the only photos I have of our baby are on my phone and most are poor quality (plus most of them, I’M not even in them). So if even a little part of you wants your fur baby in your wedding, then make it happen!! Because life is short, bring your pups.

4. Fur Flower Girl or Ring Bearer // Dog of Honor or Best Dog

These two are very much dependent on your fur baby’s temperament! Is your baby well trained? Will he or she walk down the aisle and not cause a complete disaster? Listen, I get the idea of your dog doing his thing and sniffing hands and smelling around. It’s cute and all but if you can’t get your pet under control eventually, it will not only throw the timeline off track but could also spoil the intimate, romantic moment of you sharing your vows!

Dogs in Weddings How to include your dog in your wedding by Courtney Rudicel Wedding Photographer in Indiana

5. Bring them to your Engagement Session

Don’t think your pup will do so well on the wedding day? Let them be part of your wedding season by having them be part of your engagement session! This is definitely the most common way my couples include their fur babies. Your engagement session is more carefree and more of a relaxed environment. And the perfect time to include them in this special season of your life without actually having them there on the wedding day! I absolutely love when my couples include their pups in their engagement session because it usually means I get to spend some time loving on them, too! Check out all the CRP Couples with fur babies!

Dogs in Weddings How to include your dog in your wedding by Courtney Rudicel Wedding Photographer in Indiana

*BONUS* Honor them at your wedding

Think having your fur baby join you in your wedding celebration will cause too much stress, why not honor them by naming your signature cocktails after them?? I mean, c’mon! How cute is this?!

Boho Wedding with Peach and Khaki, Succlents and Pampas Grass at BASH in Carmel Indianapolis Indiana Wedding Photographer

So the question is, not will you — but HOW will you include your fur babies in your wedding day celebration?

Wedding planning checklist and timeline by indiana wedding photographer courtney rudicel

KEEP READING

8 Tips for Engagement Ring Care

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in your Wedding

All the Glorious Benefits of a Sharing A First Look

Five Things to Do as Soon as You Get Engaged

Creating Your Wedding Day Timeline

RECENTLY ENGAGED? GET IN TOUCH!
I’d love to chat about your wedding day dreams!


Courtney is a Wedding Photographer in Indiana. Her specialty is joyful, timeless and playfully romantic wedding photography for classic and timeless couples and educating photographers on how to build a business that delivers an unforgettable client experience. Within Indiana, she serves Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Carmel, Noblesville, Zionsville, Lafayette, Bloomington and South Bend. Areas in surrounding states that she serves: Columbus, Dayton, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, Ohio; Ann Arbor, Battle Creek and Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is available for destination weddings. Contact her for investment details and reserve your date.

xo, Court

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  1. Brittany says:

    These are such great tips!! I love it when couples include dogs on the wedding day!

  2. Blak says:

    love love love when people include their fur babies in their weddings! & i ADORE the idea of doing a first look with them!

  3. Chinling says:

    Love this post! I wish I had photos with my dog on my wedding day. Thanks so much for sharing!

  4. Jenna says:

    Love this! I wish I could of had my fur baby at my wedding! ❤️ Such great ideas!

  5. Monica says:

    These tips are so sweet!! I love all the incorporation of their pets!

  6. Michaila says:

    I love fur babies! These are amazing tips, I wish I would have thought about writing a blog post about this! Well done!

  7. Maria says:

    Love when they include their fur babies. They are part of the family. Great tips.

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As a creative wedding photographer, I'm always refining my eye for shooting artistically but I also understand the importance of preserving ALL the elements of your day. You'll feel confident knowing your gallery will include jaw-dropping portraits that feel natural, candids that embody your unique connection, along with every detail of your celebration from start to finish. All this while having someone behind the camera who feels like an old friend. 

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