7 Ways To Include Your Pet In Your South Asian Wedding
by Raj Desai | 2/10/20
It doesn’t matter what holiday or life milestone approaches, my first thought is always, “How can I include my dogs in this?” I have more Halloween costumes for my Australian Shepherd Penny and my Cockapoo Sawyer than I have for myself. My husband and I stopped giving Christmas presents to each other but have increased the amount of gifts we get for Penny and Sawyer. And out of the nearly 4,000 photos that I have on my iPhone, I’d wager that maybe 85% or more are just of my dogs doing cute dog things like looking at me. Or sleeping.
I’m OBSESSED. And proud of it! Like so many of you out there, I consider my dogs to be my children. And no, this hasn’t changed even though I have an actual human child now. He knows his place – it’s third after his fur brother and sister.
My pets are number 1 in my life and chances are yours are number 1 in your life, too. And that means that your wedding is just as much about them as it is about you and your soon-to-be-spouse. Thanks to so many of the pet-obsessed that have come before you there are a TON of ways to include your pet in your wedding festivities even if they can’t be in attendance at the ceremony itself (puppy at the mandap, anyone?). Take a look at some of them below!
Photography
An obvious and easy way to include your pet in your wedding is to have them join you for a photo session before or after your ceremony. While lots of couples have purchased extra material to ensure their pets match them to a T, you can also check out these two companies and have your dog or cat wearing a chaniya choli, sherwani, an embroidered bow tie, or even a fancy harness.
Signature Drinks
Having signature drinks at your wedding? Why not get your pets involved in coming up with drink names? Take it a step further with a custom watercolor sign like the one below that you can keep for years to come.
Cake Topper
Yes, custom pet cake toppers are a thing and you should definitely get some for your cake!
Mehndi Design
If your mehndi artist is comfortable incorporating custom designs into your bridal mehndi, why not ask them to draw your dog? If they can’t physically be with you, it’s a sweet way to keep them close to you throughout your wedding events. Not to mention, the end result looks *amazing.*
Food
Who says dog art is just for your mehndi? Take inspiration from these dog cookie portraits that almost look too pretty to eat. They’re a cute addition to your dessert spread or can be used as a favor for bridal shower or wedding guests.
Decorative Details
Get creative with small decorative details to make your dogs part of your wedding or reception. My husband and I used professional photos of our pups as the centerpiece on tables during cocktail hour. Or you can get even fancier and have custom dog napkins made like the one pictured below.
Wedding Favors
If there’s one thing we dog lovers know, it’s that our love for all other dogs can be just as strong as the love we have for our own. Shower them with that love through your wedding favors and send home treats for the fur babies of friends and family.
How did you decide to include your pet in your big day? Share in the comments below!
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Raj Desai
Founder & Chief Visionary, proud fur mom of 2, amateur artist, Netflix binger, wino, and chocolate addict.
