A barking bride. A panting groom. An intimate backyard ceremony. I now pronounce you…dog and dog?
Nobody knows for sure when the first dog wedding took place, though if my old family photos are anything to go by, they’ve been around for generations. Dogs and weddings are a perfect union: What could be cuter than canine bride and groom?
Bow-wow vows
Take Reggie and Sabrina, two Yorkshire terriers brought together for their good looks and playful companionship.
Their wedding ceremony was a tasteful backyard affair complete with puppy bridesmaids and a flower dog. In the ceremony, they vow (with the help of a human translator): “I promise, from this day forward, to sniff and to dig with thoughts of only you.”
Other doggy I-do’s spring from already united pairs. In Connecticut, a wedding photographer named Kathryn Yeaton decided to “marry” her rescue dogs, Lucy and Teddy, because they looked so good snuggling up to one another.
In an interview with Today.com, Yeaton said,
“It was only a matter of time before I realised I had a white dog and black-and-white dog, and they looked too perfect as a bride and groom.”
What started as a simple photo shoot to promote her business grew into a full-blown wedding with save-the-date postcards, flowers, and dog-friendly cakes.
Tying the leash for a cause
In New York, an extravagant dog wedding made headlines for being the most expensive pet wedding ever. The $270,000 ceremony was conducted by celebrity officiant Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and took place at New York’s swanky Jumeirah Essex House Hotel.
Chilly the poodle and Baby Hope Diamond the Coton de Tulear were decked out in a designer tux and gown, and a seven-piece human orchestra played them down the aisle. While such extravagance may seem over-the-top for a wedding that could be interrupted at any moment by a lifted leg, it turns out the trappings were all donated, from costumes to cake.
Northern Ireland's first gay dog wedding
Image via Belfast Telegraph
It was a perfect day for a white wedding — even though the happy couple were not your average bridal party.
The sun shone down on Belfast Barge in early April as Captain Bob married his partner, Gino. All good so far… but Bob is actually a Lhasa Apso owned by barge manager Susan Doherty, and Bichon Frise Gino belongs to Susan’s friend Siobhan.
The wedding was held to raise money for Moira rescue charity Almost Home, with around 30 guests in attendance — many of them bringing their own dogs.
A congregation including labradors, dachshunds, chihuahuas and many more watched the pair say their vows and sign their marriage certificate to officially become “hus-pups”
Bob and Gino’s love story began a year ago, when Siobhan adopted Gino from The Dog’s Trust. Soon the pair were inseparable. Like many good plans, Siobhan admits the idea for a dog wedding was cooked up over a couple of glasses of wine and snowballed as they decided to raise money for the rescue charity.
Bob made his way down the aisle in a smart tuxedo, while Gino donned a beautiful wedding dress complete with lace veil.
Also in the wedding party was best man Gizmo and bridesmaid Paddy — who wore an eye-catching pink tutu.
The event has raised at least £700 for Almost Home, with donations still coming in. To support the fundraising, search Belfast Barge on Facebook