Today we’re talking about Man’s Best Friend. Did you know: That Brookleigh Estate is a pet friendly venue?

This means that many of our Brookleigh brides and grooms want to include their furry family members in their weddings. As pet lovers ourselves, we think it’s a GREAT idea – BUT, there are a few things that you need to think about before you throw Fido in the car and bring him to your wedding…

Your Pet's Personality

The first thing to think about is your pet’s personality. Will they be able to handle the atmosphere/new people/live music? Weddings are special and exciting occasions for all of us, and with that comes a lot of new and different experiences that we don’t normally encounter in everyday life.

Which takes us into our second point: Which parts of the wedding do you want them to be a part of? Do you just want them at the ceremony? And if so, who will be looking after your fur-child while you’re busy…um…getting married?!!

If your pet is easily excitable or scared, perhaps the best way to include them in your wedding is to only bring them out for a short portrait session in a quiet location once the ceremony is completed.

Image Credit: Anna Pretorius Photography

Alternatively, if you think your pet will take this all in their stride and you want to include them in the ceremony, make sure that you have a trusted friend, family member or pet assistant that can mind them before, during and after their big moment. And of course – make sure to do a few run-throughs of what you would like them to do before the big day (if this can be with the person that will be looking after them – then even better!).

Image Credit: Taylor & Co Photography

The Photos

Thirdly, make sure that you brief your photographer before the day that you will be including your pet in your wedding. That way they can take note of any special portraits that you would like taken of you and your pet, and also plan to include them in the ceremony photos (if applicable).

The Venue

Next you need to find out if your wedding venue is pet friendly, and if so are there certain areas that are off limits? Or are there certain times when pets are not allowed onsite? Further to this, if you would like to include your horse in your wedding, is there space to park a horse float, and space to keep your horse until it is required for the ceremony or photos?

At Brookleigh Estate, we are pet friendly, and have facilities suitable for large animals as well (however, this may attract a small fee depending on your stabling needs). However, we do not allow pets to enter our accommodation, or be on the grounds during the reception, so you will have to make other arrangements for these times.

Image Credit: Rebecca De Vries Photography

The Invitations

Finally, it’s always a good idea to include a short sentence on your invitations or wedding website letting your guests know that your pet will be a part of the wedding. This is also where you can let them know if you have any specific instructions on how you would like them to interact with your pet.

So whether you’re planning on having a ‘Dog of Honour’, a ‘Flower Pup’ or a royal entrance on horseback, it all comes down to making sure that your expectations are set appropriately for your pet’s abilities and working with your wedding planner to make sure all the finer details are planned before your special day.

Image Credit: Carisse Antonas Photography

There are a number of options for ‘wedding pet assistants’ available in Perth and surrounds. These are dedicated companies whose sole purpose is to care for your pet on your special day. They make sure they are calm and happy for their special appearance, and then can take them home once the festivities begin (yet another thing you won’t have to worry about!).

Companies we recommend: