Creative Ways to Honour Your Pet at Your Wedding

As much as many of us would love our furry family members as ring bearers, the reality is that most pets simply can’t handle the stress of a wedding day. Between the crowds, noise and disruption to their routine, it often wouldn’t be in their best interests to attend the momentous occasion.

So, if your beloved pet is unable to physically attend your wedding for whatever reason, how can you ensure your love for them is still reflected on your big day? When my husband Jack and I got married, we discovered there are countless creative ways to honour our four-legged family members without subjecting them to wedding day chaos.

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Cardboard cutouts, custom cocktails and personalised party favours

Our two cats are central to our family and our lives basically revolve around them. We wanted our wedding to represent us and everything we love and value, so there was no question we’d incorporate them somehow. It would have been more unusual not to include them in the celebrations given all our guests knew how much they mean to us.

For our legal wedding in London, we had personalised wedding favours – sweets addressed “from” the cats that featured their faces. But it was for our main multi-day celebration in Italy in May 2024 where we went all out. We name-checked the cats in our wedding vows and speeches, commissioned illustrated drinks menus showcasing their personalities and had cocktails named after them. The pièce de résistance was placards of their faces made for the dancefloor, which guests loved and found hilarious.

Custom stationery and branded bar elements

Ariella and Ben are getting married on a Greek island this June, sadly without their beloved dog Disco in attendance. But they’ve made sure Disco’s presence is felt throughout the celebrations.

“One of the key elements of the brief to our stationery designer was that we wanted to incorporate Disco into all of our wedding stationery,” explains Ariella. “So Disco features on our invitation, place cards and menus. We also got door hangers made for our guests’ hotel rooms, which say on the back ‘Disco nap in progress’. We called the bar for our wedding ‘Disco's Bar’, equipped with branded coasters, and we’ve named one of the cocktails after her too.”

Since Disco couldn‘t travel to Greece, they ensured she was there at their civil wedding, which is a great way to incorporate a pet if you’re doing a wedding abroad and need a legal ceremony in the UK. “This meant she could also be in our photos from that day. We also got her a special little wedding harness and bow to wear,” adds Ariella.

For Ariella and Ben, including Disco was never optional. “We got Disco together and she’s literally our child and part of our family. She’s such a big part of our lives so it was always a given that we would include her somehow. We even considered bringing her to Greece but given the heat and travel logistics, it didn’t work out, so we tried to think of other creative ways to include her.”

Ariella reflects: “I also like the idea that one day, when we start a family, our kids will be able to look back at photos of her at our London wedding – it’s such a nice memory to know she was there and have some professional pictures of her!”

Creative table names with personal meaning

India and Anton got married in Montenegro in May 2023 but decided, with a heavy heart, not to bring their cherished dog Minnie. Their solution was both practical and deeply personal.

”Leaving Minnie behind for our big day was tough – but we felt it wouldn’t be fair of us to ask someone to mind her the whole weekend, while we were focused on the activities we had planned and couldn’t give her our full attention,” explains India. “To give our little girl her due, we named all of the tables after the various names we had thought about giving her – think Princess, Sparkles... We ourselves sat at the Minnie table. This was a way to acknowledge her and make her a central part of the wedding day, which also provided a great ice breaker for guests. We also, of course, incorporated her into our speeches, as did many others.”

For India and Anton, Minnie‘s inclusion was crucial. ”Minnie is a much beloved part of our pack, and we felt it was vital for her to have a presence at our wedding, even if she couldn’t be there to celebrate with us. It was important to us to show how much she means to us to the relatives and friends who we don’t see as often and who may not have met her.”

Expert-approved ways to include your furry family

Wedding professionals have seen it all when it comes to pet inclusion, and they offer plenty of creative suggestions:

• Bespoke cake toppers from companies such as Party Animal Studio can immortalise your pet atop your wedding cake.

• Include pets in wedding scene paintings. Live wedding painter Jen Darling says: “Whether it’s painting the pet into the wedding scene, creating a separate portrait as a surprise gift, or incorporating subtle memorial touches, art offers a heartfelt and lasting tribute. Couples love that their pets can be represented even if they couldn’t attend. Guests usually find it charming and touching. It’s something that sparks conversations and adds a beautiful personal touch.”

• Bouquet charms offer a subtle tribute. Elizabeth Kilic, founder of 11.11 Weddings, suggests: “Brides could consider pinning a small framed picture to their bouquet, so their pet can walk with them down the aisle.”

• Charitable donations can honour rescue pets meaningfully. Danielle Rothweiler, owner of Rothweiler Event Design, explains: “If your pet is a rescue, a great idea is to swap out favours in lieu of a donation towards that pet’s rescue. For instance, the couple can make a donation to the rescue and then, at each place setting, put a beautiful note to each guest about how in lieu of favours, a donation has been made to the rescue group they adopted from.”

• Wedding-adjacent events provide opportunities for actual pet attendance. Kilic adds: “If your pets aren’t allowed at your wedding day itself, you could consider hosting a relaxed welcome dinner in a place that’s dog friendly, or an outdoor brunch the day after that your pets can come along to.”

Why personal touches matter

The couples who’ve incorporated their pets into their weddings speak passionately about the impact. “It makes everything more personal, which we think adds to the overall vibe of the wedding being special and unique to us,” says Ariella. “I think the more you can incorporate what’s personal to you, pets or more broadly, the more memorable and fun it is for guests, especially those who know you really well!”

India found that guests really engaged with their creative table names. “Those who knew about our struggle to choose a name we both liked were able to chronicle the story to those who weren’t familiar.”

Making your day uniquely yours

“A wedding day is a reflection of who you are as a couple, your lives together and the things that mean the most to you,” says Kilic. “Our pets are a vital part of our family and shape our day to day lives, so it’s only fair that they’re honoured on the day.”

Rothweiler adds: “There's nothing worse than walking into a wedding and feeling like it's ‘not them”. Incorporate who you are as a couple and what you love together because that’s quite literally what a wedding is all about.”

Whether through personalised stationery, custom cocktails or creative party favours, there are countless ways to ensure your beloved pets are part of your celebration, even when they can‘t physically be there to witness your vows. But don’t expect them to forgive you immediately for partying without them – extra treats and belly rubs will be required.