Read This Before Having a Dog in Your Wedding Ceremony

Oh, how times have changed since I first started writing wedding books. Back in 1995, when my first wedding book hit the shelves, barely anyone talked about having a dog in their wedding. Fast forward 23 years, and couples are working their love for pets into their wedding plans now more than ever.

Etsy, the global marketplace for unique and creative goods, reports that you'll find more than 30,000 results for "pet wedding" on its site. Brides magazine, the grand dame of wedding planning publications, says that about eight percent of couples incorporate their pet into their wedding ceremony or reception. This stat is from 2016—the most recent I could find.

For those dog lovers, getting their beloved pet or pets incorporated into their special day is a big deal.

That's the case of Kara Conklin who were married Virgil Merrett in October 2017. "Cosmo, my dog, is part of our family. She is everything to us and we love her very much," says Conklin, who decided to surprise her soon-to-be-husband with Cosmo as their ring bearer.

She recalls that her guests all loved seeing the dog walk down the aisle. "It was so nice to not only surprise my now-husband, but to have her there was so touching," she adds. "She has been by my side for everything. Why would I not want her at one of the most important days in my life?"

Having Cosmo be in her wedding wasn't something that Conklin decided to do at the last minute. She planned for it and with the help of Oh To Be A Dog At Your Wedding. This unique service is thanks to founder Shannon Sardella Arnold. It grew out of her pet care business Oh To Be A Dog, which started in Pasadena, California, but has since expanded to Los Angeles and New York City.

"After a few clients came to Oh To Be A Dog asking for wedding day and engagement photo help," Arnold says, "I realized the need for such a service. They did not want family members having to care for the dog or they did not want the dog to be a distraction to them. So, Oh To Be A Dog At Your Wedding is here to help!"

With regards to Conklin, she had Oh To Be A Dog start working with Cosmo a few weeks before the big day, getting to know the dog and training her to be on her best behavior. "I coordinated with Shannon to have Aaron, one of her amazing staff members, pick up Cosmo at our home," she recalls. On the day of, she continues, "[Aaron] brought her to the ceremony site, walked her so she was not crazy hyper, kept her hidden and then walked her down the aisle. It being a surprise was an extra twist, and they handled the timing and all the logistics perfectly!"

With many weddings, Oh To Be A Dog At Your Wedding keeps tabs on your dog for as long as you want your pet to be at the service or reception. Then, when it's time to eat or you simply think the dog has had enough, the Oh To Be A Dog At Your Wedding staff member takes the dog somewhere quiet and becomes your de facto pet sitter for the rest of the evening. "It allows the couple and their guests to be fully present," says Arnold, "since they have a dedicated caregiver, that's not a friend or family member, to care for their dog on the big day."

Dog lover who's getting married? If you're hoping to have your pup in your wedding ceremony or at your reception, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure your venue is pet friendly.
• Exercise your pup before it's time to strut down the aisle.
• Practice with them if walking alongside chairs or down a narrow space is new to them.
• Have plenty of treats available to reward good behavior.
• Designate a dog lover to be your pooch's handler that day.
• Seat those not comfortable around pets away from where your dog will be.
• Expect the unexpected, such as barking at a bad time or a pup that needs a potty break.
• Have reasonable expectations of how long your dog can handle being at your event.
• Take pictures with your pet first so that if your four-legged family member needs to leave, you got the images you wanted before there was a canine meltdown.