HOW TO: BRING PETS TO YOUR POP-UP WEDDING!
Photo by Sarah Dja Photography
WE HAVE CREATED A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO BRINGING YOUR FUR BABY TO YOUR POP-UP WEDDING!
Check out our tips and tricks for involving your fur babies in your special day. Read this for our top industry secrets on incorporating your pets so that you have a smooth wedding day and no last minute floor puddles. From pet handlers to messy accidents to preparing your dog, these tips will be sure to make your wedding day full of love and puppy kisses without the stress and the mess!
Photo by Wade Muir
TIP 1: CHECK YOUR VENUES PET POLICY
All venues operate differently and have their own health and safety rules around animals within their spaces. Be sure to confirm with your coordinating pop-up wedding team whether or not your venue is considered ‘pet friendly,’ and what that means for restrictions around animals entering their facility, before bringing your pet. Many venues do not allow animals at all, and those who do may require animals to be on leads or require that they are only present for the ceremony. At the Pop-Up Chapel Co. we have a list of all our animal-friendly venues and the restrictions around bringing your furry friend. You can check all of these details out on our VENUE INFORMATION PAGE or scroll to the bottom of this article.
TIP 2: CONSIDER YOUR OWN VISION OF YOUR DAY
Every couple has a vision of what their day is supposed to be. Consider that bringing a dog may not fit into your perfect idea of your wedding experience. If you, like many others, are expecting things to go smoothly, calmly and in an organized fashion, you may want to consider how adding a dog to the mix could potentially add or take away from this vision.
Having your pet at your wedding may feel like a fun idea in theory but in reality could add stress and unintentional discord. If you feel like you are mentally prepared to ‘go-with-the-flow’, and you are passionate about having your furry family there, then it sounds like the right fit.
Photo by Alex Law Photography under Lucky Rabbit Creative
Photo by Wade Muir
TIP 3: HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS OF YOUR POOCH
Every dog, much like humans, are different and unique in personality. It is so important to recognize that this experience won’t just be about you and your day if you’re involving your animal. Considering your animal’s personality will help gauge whether or not this experience will be a positive one for not just you, but also them.
If your dog is overly excitable around large groups, they have trouble focusing on you when they are in new space, or they are prone to running and are scared/overwhelmed in new situations, maybe this is not the best move in the interest of your pet.
Another thing to consider would be giving your pet special jobs for the day, like ring bearer. Will your dog/cat actually have the ability to focus and walk right to you with the ring, or will they get distracted? If your animal is on a leash will they be walking in a cooperative manner or will they be pulling and tugging while you or your partner try to walk slowly for the processional?
If the honest answer to these questions is not what you are hoping for, consider the best ways to incorporate them and remove the parts that they may struggle with.
TIP 4: CHECK WITH YOUR GUESTS AHEAD
Consider how bringing your fur family might affect your guests. Is your pet hypoallergenic? Does your pet respect the humans around them? Is your pet a jumper? Check in with your guests to make sure they are okay with a pet being involved. Some of your guests may think this is silly but others might strongly appreciate the heads up. This will be particularly appreciated if they have allergies, fears or want to dress in something that’s made of more delicate materials.
Photo by Sarah Dja Photography
Photo by Alex Law Photography under Lucky Rabbit Creative
TIP 5: CONSIDER THE RISKS TO YOUR PETS
If you are involving your pet then obviously they are a very important part of your relationship and your family. This is why we recommend considering the risks associated with bringing your pets before involving them. The last thing you would want on your big day is an injured, lost or sick pet. We recommend scoping out the venue beforehand to check for how easily your dog could get out or run off. Each venue layout is different and if you’re in a space that your pet can be off-leash, you may want to get to know the space and potential hazards. Alongside this, consider whether or not your pet may be interested in eating any of the local foliage or florals from decor. Many flowers are considered toxic to animals and so if your dog or cat are ‘plant-eaters’ then this may not be the best space for them!
Photo by The Organic Moment
TIP 6: HIRE A PET HANDLER
If you have reviewed all of the above tips and risks and you feel confident that your pet will be a good fit for your day, we recommend hiring a pet handler for the date. Even the best of our pets can be mess creators and so hiring a handler is a great option. A pet handler is an individual who will be responsible for taking care of and pet minding during your wedding ceremony/reception. This is a person who’s sole responsibility is to walk, feed, water, clean up after and keep your pet busy and out of things they shouldn’t get into to.
You will definitely want to consider who to assign pet-minding to. As your friends and family are there to celebrate and enjoy your day, you will likely not want to assign this job to someone who is there to celebrate. We strongly recommend this person be someone who is not a friend or family member but a professional. This way you can rest-easy knowing your fur friend is taken care of properly and that all of your special attendees can take part. This also means that you don’t have to worry about any damage to decor or your pet eating any items that they shouldn’t (fallen cookies, florals, drinks etc.). Shoot us an email for recommendations on pet handling services!
TIP 7: PREPARE YOUR DOG
Most dogs have a great sense of smell. They use this sense of smell for familiarity and identifying those who they have already met or places they have been. This means that they are extremely interested in sniffing everything in a new space to get to know it. We recommend that you take your pet to your pop-up wedding venue location ahead of time. Reach out to your coordinating team to forward you venue contacts so you can set up a scheduled visit. This way you and your pet can get familiar with the space ahead of time and this will minimize your pets confusion or excitement in the new space.
Photo by Wade Muir
Photo by Alex Law Photography under Lucky Rabbit Creative
TIP 8: BRING TREATS & TOYS
A great way to keep your pet busy, and to help with great photos, is to bring all necessary pet supplies including treats and toys. Provide your pet handler with a dog bag that is filled with doggy bags, a lead or harness, a backup leash and of course yummy snacks for your fur baby to celebrate with everyone! Different or ‘special’ treats may be the best bet here so that it really captures their attention when needed.
During your ceremony your pet may get restless and start to whine or ask for pets, this is normal! You can instruct your handler ahead of time that, if this starts to happen, to give your pup his special stuffy, or your cat his favourite feather toy. This will help to preoccupy them while the ceremony concludes and will prevent any disruption. [Tip: use only silent toys so that the sound does not interrupt, you can get sonic squeaky toys that dogs can hear and humans can’t]. Another great call is to provide treats to the photographer for your photo session. This will ensure the dog will be looking at the photographer/camera for photos. This also means that the photographer may be able to get your pet to ‘sit’ well for the photos.
So you have decided that bringing your best furry friend is right for your pop-up wedding?
Reach out to our team today using our contact form and inquire about spaces at any of our pet friendly chapel venues! All of the below chapel spaces have animal policies that allow pets for all or a portion of your wedding experience with us. Reach out for more details or head to our VENUE INFORMATION PAGE for details.
POP-UP CHAPELS PET FRIENDLY VENUES
TORONTO - THE HENLEY ROOM, EVERGREEN BRICK WORKS - KOERNER, STEAM WHISTLE, PARKDALE HALL
VANCOUVER - THE WALLACE
OTTAWA - THE KNOX
P.E.C. - DRAKE DEVONSHIRE
HAMILTON - THE CUSTOM HOUSE