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Dogs at weddings

Are dogs allowed at weddings?

We love dogs at weddings!  Do you have a dog you’d love to bring to your wedding but you’re not sure it’s allowed?  It’s allowed!

Bride and groom getting married each holding a dog on a lead

bride and groom getting married in a wedding barn with a dog jumping up wearing a blue harness

Dogs are part of the family

We know how important dogs are in our lives and that you don’t want to miss them on such an important day.  During Covid we all got used to being around our dogs much more and they loved it.   I get a sense we’re including our dogs more in our every day life and that includes our weddings.  Not that weddings are an every day thing (of course not!) but it’s an important milestone and if our dog is part of our family, then it feels like an absence if they’re not there.

a cream coloured dog wearing a flower collar lying on a white lace wedding dress on green grass

Rules for dogs at weddings

We’re happy for you to bring your dog(s) to your wedding but there are some housekeeping things you need to be aware of.   NGL not every dog makes a great wedding guest.   There are some dogs who can’t be calm, will def put their muddy paws on the wedding dress and who won’t stop barking/whining the whole time.  We love those dogs too but they might not be so great at your wedding and you’re probably doing them a favour leaving them behind where they can be somewhere familiar.

2 dogs on leads watching a wedding ceremony off camera with a backdrop of a painted handcart lit with candlesOk those housekeeping points:

  • your dog needs to be well behaved and
  • friendly

That’s it!  When we say ‘well behaved’ we mean they need to stay out of our ponds at the venue.   Even the loveliest dogs are destructive to water plants and wildlife.  When we say ‘friendly’ we mean friendly to both other people and dogs.  Our staff love dogs so they’ll need to be able to cope with strangers (our staff here) on the day and of course we have our own dog on site so they’ll also need to be able to cope with Spud who is a super friendly canine host.

a bride and groom getting married with a gold retreiver dog wearing a flower collar being held by the groom on a lead

If your dog doesn’t do well with strange people or dogs, we might have to say ‘sorry but no’ as we’ve got to be fair to our staff and our own dog – this is his home after all.

bride and groom sitting on a sofa kissing by a table laid for two with a border terrier sleeping at their feet

Dogs overnight

You’re welcome to have your dog(s) stay in the cottage by prior arrangement but they need to treat the place respectfully. You need to let us know in advance how many dogs and what breed they are so we can be prepared.  We’ll have to charge for any damage (including any extra cleaning) if your pet(s) don’t prove to be perfect house guests.

a bride wearing a strapless wedding gown and a pearl tiara kneeling on the floor next to a bed with a daschund dog also wearing a pearl collar and standing next to a bridal bouquet

2 pug dogs sat on a grey linen sofa wearing tuxedo outfits

Dog creche

We can recommend a wedding dog creche service who can look after your dog on the day, including taking them for a dog grooming appointment on the day so they can look their best (of course!) taking them for a walk and taking them for a rest/overnight stay if you wish.   You’re welcome to have your dog(s) with you during the wedding breakfast, we don’t mind that although they need to be well behaved enough to keep out from under the feet of the serving staff.

close up of 2 brides each carrying a bouquet and a collie dog with a flower collar looking up at their faces off camera bride carrying a wedding bouquet and groom by a dartmoor river bending down to pet their Irish setter dog

So that’s dogs at weddings.   Tick the ‘friendly and well behaved’ boxes and they’ll be super welcome.

I’ll be back soon with a post about wedding flowers for your dog – yep an actual thing and we’re here for it.

All photos taken on location at Ever After by Clare Kinchin Photography

All flowers by Amanda at Flowers et al

Download our elopement brochure here.

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Ever After Elopement Weddings

We offer exclusive-use, mid-week, 2 night elopement packages for wedding couples who want laid-back luxury either alone or with up to 6 guests (10 guests in warmer months).

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