Wedding Dogs: A Celebration of Holy Muttrimony

Credits

Teddy and Dublin

CELEBRATING WITH

DAVID AND COURTNEY RICHARDSON

Shih tzus Teddy and Dublin helped set the relaxed, informal tone for David and Courtney Richardson’s nuptials in San Antonio, Texas. The tiny dogs served as ring bearers, but Courtney didn’t trust them to handle such an important job entirely on their own. So they rode in a wagon equipped with a Here Comes the Bride sign that was turned over to read Just Married after the service. The hand-sewn wedding finery the dogs wore seemed to ease any preservice jitters among the humans. One of the best moments was when my dad and I were getting ready to walk down the aisle, Courtney recalls. We could hear the guests chuckling at the sight of my dogs with their little boutonnieres.

Duncan and Indiana

CELEBRATING WITH

JOSH MORLOG AND JACLYN GILLIER

On the whole the dogs behaved just as well as— perhaps better than—the typical brother-in-law or slightly tipsy former college friend.

Ordinances in Josh and Jaclyn’s hometown of Blenheim, Ontario, prevented their dogs from attending their wedding ceremony. However, Duncan, a Great Dane, and Indiana, a Boston terrier, were the life of the outdoor reception, which was held at a winery on the shores of Lake Erie. The pair of pooches committed only a couple of doggie faux pas: Indiana jumped up exuberantly to greet her favorite people, and Duncan enthusiastically urinated on all the nearby trees. But on the whole they behaved just as well as—perhaps better than—the typical brother-in-law or slightly tipsy former college friend. It was such a hot and humid day, they were more interested in finding shade under the big trees, Jaclyn recalls.

Sidney and Zoey

CELEBRATING WITH

MICHAEL AND JENNA PALMIERI

Jenna’s fiancé talked her out of including her two half-Chihuahua, half-miniature-schnauzer puffballs in their traditional Roman Catholic wedding, which took place at St. Bernadette Church in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Given Sidney’s and Zoey’s temperaments, it seemed too risky. Sidney has a barking problem at times and would probably have barked whenever someone got near me or tried to hug me, Jenna says. Instead the diminutive duo attended the bridal shower and accompanied the bridal party to the salon on the morning of the wedding for prenuptial primping. They sat on laps while we got our hair done, Jenna says.

Arthur

CELEBRATING WITH

JOSH AND ELLIE MILLS

Arthur, a diminutive mixed breed who was five years old at the time of his mistress’s nuptials, thinks of himself as a little human, Ellie says. He was present when Josh proposed to Ellie, so it seemed only fair that he should have a role in their wedding. Arthur attended preceremony preparations. He was with all the girls in our suite at the Georgian Terrace from the time hair and makeup started at 8 a.m., Ellie says. Then he took his first limousine ride to Piedmont Park to join us for afternoon photos. The only blip occurred during the limo trip, where a seating mistake placed him far from his mistress. I told him he could come sit with me, and he ran over and jumped in my lap, Ellie