How To Include Your Dog In Your Wedding: UK Ideas And Keepsakes

Dogs at weddings go well when there's a plan and badly when there isn't. The failure is always the same: a dog left in a hot room full of strangers for six hours with nobody specifically in charge of it.

We make cards, pin badges and prints in house, printed in the UK. We don't paint pet portraits ourselves, so where we recommend a commissioned portrait it is a recommendation rather than our own product.

Here's what UK venues actually allow, the jobs that suit a dog, and the keepsakes worth doing if yours can only be there in spirit.

Check this before anything else

• Ask the venue in writing which areas dogs are allowed in - many allow the grounds and the ceremony but not the dining room.
• Church of England churches often allow a dog at the door or in the churchyard; ask the vicar early and expect a yes or a firm no.
• A licensed venue for a civil ceremony may have its own rule, separate from the registrar's. Check both.
• Ask about food service areas, which are usually a hard no under food hygiene rules.
• Confirm whether any guest has a serious allergy or fear before you commit. Doing this after the invitations is awkward.
• Check the insurance and who is liable if the dog damages something.

Jobs that suit a dog

• Walking down the aisle with a handler, which is the classic and the easiest to rehearse.
• Ring bearer, with fake rings on the collar and the real ones with the best man. Always.
• Greeting guests during drinks outside, which is the job most dogs are genuinely brilliant at.
• Being in the photos for twenty minutes, then going home. Perfectly valid, and the most common choice.
• Carrying a sign - 'here comes my human' - down the aisle ahead of you.
• Nothing at all. A dog who hates crowds should not be given a role because it looks good on Instagram.

The practical plan

• Appoint one handler who is not in the wedding party and is not drinking. Pay them if you need to; dog-sitting services do weddings.
• Write a one-page plan: arrival time, where the water bowl is, where the poo bags are, when the dog leaves, and the vet's number.
• Bring the dog's own bed, a familiar toy, and food at the normal time.
• Plan a quiet room or a shaded car-free spot where the dog can decompress every hour.
• Have a hard exit time, usually before the meal and always before the band starts. Speakers and dogs do not mix.
• Do a trip to the venue beforehand so the place isn't brand new on the day.

Keepsakes and ways to include a dog who can't come

• A commissioned portrait of the dog in a bow tie or veil, used as the welcome sign at the entrance and hung at home afterwards.
• The dog on the table plan, the order of service or the menu illustration.
• A cake topper of the dog, which is the detail guests photograph most.
• A portrait as a first anniversary gift for the pair of you, made from a photo taken on the day.
• A flower collar matched to the bouquet for photos only, removed straight after.
• For a dog who has died, a small framed line drawing on the memory table alongside the family photos.
• A 'thank you for looking after me' card and gift for whoever handled the dog on the day.

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How to write it so it lands

• Book the handler as early as you book the photographer.
• Feed the dog at its normal time, not around your timeline.
• Get the dog photos done in the first twenty minutes, while everyone is calm and clean.

Where to shop next

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Frequently asked questions

Can you have a dog at your wedding in the UK?

Often yes for the grounds, the ceremony and photos, but rarely in dining areas because of food hygiene rules. Ask the venue in writing, and ask the vicar or registrar separately for the ceremony itself.

What job can a dog do at a wedding?

Walk down the aisle with a handler, carry a sign, wear fake rings on the collar while the best man holds the real ones, greet guests during drinks, or simply appear for twenty minutes of photos and then go home.

Who should look after the dog at a wedding?

One sober handler who isn't in the wedding party, with a written plan covering water, walks, a quiet space and a fixed time to take the dog home - usually before the meal and always before the music starts.

How can you include a dog who can't come to the wedding?

Use a portrait of the dog in formalwear as the welcome sign, put the dog on the table plan or the order of service, have a cake topper made, or commission a portrait afterwards as a keepsake of the day.

Do you paint pet portraits yourselves?

No. We design and print cards, pin badges and wall prints in the UK. A commissioned portrait mentioned here is an outside recommendation, not something we make.