Luxury dog boutique owner, Louise Harris has teamed up with online local services marketplace Bidvine.com, to launch the UK’s first dog wedding planner service.
Their full wedding package is specifically designed for canine brides and grooms and includes everything a normal wedding would, such as photography, wedding attire, catering, entertainment and venue hire.
Pick the right photographer
Louise says: 'I run my own dog boutique, and have planned my own dog’s wedding, so I know what needs to go into making your pooch’s special the day, the best day of his/her life!'
Here are my 10 top tips on planning a dog wedding:
Be selective with the guest list
The first thing you need to think of when planning your dog wedding is your guest list. Are you making it exclusive for the dogs and their owners, or inviting family/friends of both you and your dog? Remember the more people, the larger the guest list so the bigger the total cost!
Make a Meal Plan
When catering for a dog wedding you are providing food for both human’s and dog’s. My tip is to get your dog to try the menu before - you need to make sure they like it, as you would for your own wedding.
Pick the right photographer
Choosing the right photographer is vital. Because the dog wedding industry is just starting to take off, there isn’t dog wedding photographers out there. Therefore, your choices are between a ‘normal’ wedding photographer or a photographer specialising in dogs. My advice is go with the latter – you want someone who will capture your dog at their best. They are the better option because they are used to dealing with animals and their unpredictable behaviour.
Pre-Wedding outfit fitting
Wedding outfits are vital in any wedding day and this should still be the case for your pooch’s big day! I would suggest having an outfit fitting beforehand, to make sure their outfit fits, look good and most importantly is comfortable for your dog!
Pick a local venue
I advise when choosing the venue for your dog’s wedding to pick somewhere local. Practicality is key - traveling a long distance with your dog will only create unnecessary stress for them.
Consider your surroundings
Local or not the venue and its surroundings is very important to ensure a smooth-running day. You want to make sure it’s in a dog friendly location, therefore including lots of outdoor space for the dogs to play on. Consider your dog’s safety too - you don’t want a location which is on the side of a main road etc.
Prepare for rejection
You need to be prepared for rejection in any area of the wedding. Lots of places don’t cater for dogs, therefore it’s only going to be harder to find places/availabilities for the day, so make enquiries and do lots of preparation before the big day!
Dog friendly entertainment
I think entertainment can make or break a wedding. Make sure the entertainment is suited to your dog - interactive entertainment will always be a hit with the pooches!
Make sure you have a plan B ready
We all know dogs are unpredictable creatures, therefore remember it’s more than likely that the day won’t run to plan. Prepare for this and create backup plans for each part of the wedding!
Most importantly prioritize your dogs!
Always remember this is your dog’s day - think of them first and ensure that they will like it!
One other little tip: don’t forget the poo bags!
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