Many owners of dogs, cats and other pets ask themself question regarding wedding organization - can my lovely animal be with us on this exceptional day? It actually seems that the case is not clear and depends mostly on the rules of wedding house owners or people responsible for the ceremonies. In this article we would try to explain in detail what does the law say in this case, what should we have in mind and how to ensure if we could share this day with our pet.
Pet on traditional church wedding ceremony.
Roman Catolic church does not forbid bringing animals on religious ceremonies. Moreover many churches (especially those lead by Franciscans) celebrate the day of st. Francis on October 4th performing a blessing on all kind of animals - from hamsters and chinchillas, through cats and dogs to end with cows and horses.
In many countries (especially in South America) it is normal for the congregation to bring "the little brothers" - that is how st. Francis called animals.
In many countries, like Poland, things are not that clear on the other hand - animals in church are a very rare view on any other date than October 4th. This is probably because of some beliefs and specific culture - some nations find it very rude to bring pets to a sacred place. Dogs and other pets are sometimes considered as house guards and a motivation for walking instead of being treated as a part of a family - and we totally hope that as the time goes by this mentality will finally change. If you really insist on you pet taking part in your wedding simply ask your preacher for permission - maybe he will propose a date when there are less people in the church and allow for the pet to participate.
Dog on a civil wedding.
Things are very similar in case of bringing animals to the Registry Office. The unwritten rule is that animals should not participate in the ceremony, but from the legal point it is all up to the person performing the ceremony. The office usually will not make problems if we ask for a small breed dog to participate as long as it will not be dangerous for other participants, will not disturb anybody and will stay clean. If you have already got the agreement of Registry Office, then make sure your pet have pooped and pissed before entering the Hall, bring the muzzle with you and keep it as relaxed as possible.
Dog on an outdoor wedding.
Both church wedding and civil wedding might be organized outdoors, which would definitely enable us to bring our pets. We should however have in mind that civil outdoor wedding is usually somewhat higher than regular, and that not all parish organizes them - again you should as your preacher individually.
Dog on wedding party.
Pets participation in wedding party is actually the hardest one to achieve for most people. First of all, wedding halls have some strict rules that they have to obey, like keeping the food in a places where no animal could reach it etc. Obeying these rules might enable the host to allow for pet participation, but it still is a decision they have to make - you can not bring any animal without their permission. Many wedding houses have very luxurious and expensive decorations that might get damaged by pets, which may lead to them refusing our request.
To make sure that a pet can be a part of the party we can organize it on our own - in some family owned place or outdoors. Our tents are a perfect solution for all outdoor parties - they will provide enough shadow for your dog to find a chill spot even on the hottest days.
Remember however, that you are responsible for all the rented tents and decors - if your pupil loves destroying every single thing it finds it might lead to serious financial loses once you have to pay for the damage, or might even be a potential danger for guests health if he manages to damage some vital construction elements like tent anchor mountings.
Well being of your pet is a priority.
As you can see there are many possibilities in organizing a wedding and a wedding party with your lovely pet - all you need is some time and some luck when talking with all the hosts. The most important thing however is to make sure your pupil is safe and in good condition at all times during this amazing event. Have in mind that many dogs do panic when exposed to loud music and disco lights - it might even lead to a heart attack, or just a slepless night and terrifying fear.
Organizing whole event let's reconsider a little bit lower volume on the music layer (or a bigger space so that our pet could find a place to relax from all the noise),Organizując całe przedsięwzięcie weźmy pod uwagę nieco bardziej stłumioną muzykę (lub większy teren w razie imprezy plenerowej, aby pies mógł znaleźć spokojne miejsce na wypoczynek w razie zbyt dużej ilości wrażeń), the safety of our pupil and guests and our own comfort. Regardless of the decision we make we will anyways have our lovely pet in our minds most of the time - if we give it to a neighbour or dogs hostel, we will keep on thinking whether or not is it safe and well treated. If the join us on the event on the other hand you certainly will keep an eye on it at all times to makes sure it is not being stepped by the less careful guests :)
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