Say "I Do" With Your Furry (or Feathered!) Friend: Creative Ways to Include Pets in Your Wedding

huntergatherings
Apr 30
3 min read

Here is a guide to adding your pet or favourite animals into your wedding stationery, along with a few other ideas to make your day special to you as a couple.

Whether you have a pet, big or small, furry or not, you’ll know they are an integral part of the family. And a wedding is a time for family. Wanting to include your pets in your big day is only natural; fortunately, there are many ways to do so.

Depending on their size and sociability, your pets could make a guest appearance on the day itself, performing key roles such as bearing the rings or starring in the photos, all with careful consideration to keep everyone calm and happy.

With your wedding stationery, however, there are no limits to how your animals can be included. Creating bespoke illustrations of a couple’s favourite friend/s is something I love to do, as it adds a truly personal, welcoming touch to any design. Here are some ideas to help inspire you.

Before the Day ~ Save the Dates & Invitations

Your save-the-dates and invitations are essential in helping your guests know what’s in store for them. Adding a bespoke illustration of the venue helps you do this in a way that words can’t, and including your pets adds a unique link to you as a couple.

Depending on your theme, these illustrations can be in full watercolour or more minimal line drawings. Both can look stunning. Adding animals can be done subtly, with smaller pets peeking out of the flowers, or just their paw prints. They can also be front and centre of the design. I’m here to work with you to find the right balance.

All I need from you is a few pictures of your furry friends, to help me get started with your designs.

On the Day ~ at your wedding

With your printed items for the day itself, animals can play a more central role; there is also the opportunity to be more playful. Once you have the illustration of your pets, they can be incorporated into some or all of the designs that will help your guests navigate your celebrations.

Beautiful designs and the silhouettes of our dogs as place names we're absolutely brilliant - a really personal touch for us which added a bit of fun ot the tables. Holly & Tim

Possibilities for showing your pets in print include:

· Watercolour or line-drawn illustrations on your welcome sign.

· The order of service can follow the theme of your invitations with flowers and glimpses of your pets, or just the light touch of their paw prints.

· Cocktail time - in honour of the day, create your own cocktail and name it after your pets, with a printed sign to share the story with your guests.

· Your seating plan and table themes are a prime place to honour the animals in your life. Each table can be dedicated to an individual pet with their illustrations on the plan and table signs.

· One of my favourite sets of place names I’ve made was on cards in the shape of a couple’s dog, with each guest’s name written in hand-calligraphy.

· Your pets can even be with you on top of your cake.

Finally, you can set up a dog/cat treat station with printed bags for your guest to go home with, so they can share the love with their pets.

Your bespoke illustrations don’t need to be limited to paper either - they could be turned into stickers, printed onto napkins, edible cocktail wafers, or embroidered onto pocket squares or veils. The options are endless. The important thing is ensuring the people and animals you love are included in your day, and I am fortunate to have worked with some of the loveliest pets over the years. It is always a pleasure.