How to Include Pets in Your Engagement and Wedding

From facilitating meet cutes to being your beloved third wheel, pets are an important part of relationships. In fact, most pet parents (79%) seek their pet’s approval of romantic partners, and 60% look for other pet lovers when searching for a romantic partner. A whopping 80% of pet parents in a relationship are happiest when they are with both their partner and their pet.

When it’s time to take the next step in a romantic relationship—like getting engaged or planning a wedding—pets are right there alongside you to share in the excitement.

Whether your pet helps pop the question or joins in on your big day, check out these popular and memorable ways to incorporate your pet in this exciting chapter.

Follow these tips to get your pet to serve their best looks in your special engagement or wedding day.

Some pets love being part of the action, while other don’t do as well in crowds.

Find out where they allow pets and where your pet will be able to relieve themselves.

Best if they’re someone your pet is familiar with, like a pet-sitter, family member or friend.

These can help keep pets’ attention on the camera, and rewarding them for participating will help make the shoot a positive, enjoyable experience.

Have distractors, like music and other people, around so your pet can get a feel for what the environment will be like on the big day.

If you plan on including your pet in your engagement photos or in your wedding, these products will ensure they are ready for their close up.

As your wedding plans commence, you may be wondering how you can extend your pet’s involvement to the big day itself. You’re not alone! According to a Chewy survey, 21 percent of married couples, or 1 in 5, have included their pets in their weddings.

There are many ways to include your pet in your wedding, whether as involved as walking down the aisle together or, for shyer pets, simply displaying your favorite photo of them at the reception.

It’s no surprise that many couples want their pets to be a part of this major relationship milestone, especially when you consider these other Chewy survey stats:

From all of us at Chewy, congratulations on your engagement and happy wedding! For more ideas for your upcoming nuptials, take a look at these seven unforgettable ways to include your dog or cat in your wedding, from including your pet in your “first look” photos to naming a cocktail or mocktail after them.