Some people want to include a pet or other animals in ceremonies. There is a saying in show business: never work with kids or animals, because they will steal the show! Is that the case at a wedding or a funeral?
Dogs are probably the most common choice of animal at a ceremony. Cats are a great deal more challenging in these circumstances. However people have brought along horses, rabbits and even goats.
Things to consider
There are a number of questions to consider before you decide to include your pets at a ceremony.
- How far will you have to travel to the ceremony venue?
- Is the venue pet friendly?
- Will the celebrant be comfortable with including pets in a ceremony?
- How well does your pet behave in new and crowded environments?
- Are there other animals at the venue that your pet might chase, such as cats or birds?
Animals at funeral ceremonies
Many people have a strong bond with their pet and the family may wish to include the deceased’s pet at the funeral.
We know that the animal may be grieving for its owner and there are stories of how pets seem to draw comfort from a funeral ceremony, in the same way that human mourners do.
The family will need to ask the questions above to ensure that it is practicable to have the animal at the ceremony.
The presence of a horse is often very moving. For hundreds of years, the rider-less horse has been used in military parades to remember fallen soldiers. It is also used at some royal and presidential funerals.
If the deceased was involved in some kind of horse movement or club, a guard of honour can be arranged. When mourners come out of the ceremony venue, there can be a row of mounted horses waiting outside.
Obviously the venue manager needs to have been consulted about this.
It is not always practical to have a pet at a funeral, but there are other ways to acknowledge the pet. There can be photos shown of the deceased with animals. The celebrant can mention the special relationship during the ceremony. Perhaps there is a story that the celebrant can tell of an event that involved the pet and its owner.
Pets at a wedding
So you want to include your pets at your wedding?
- Can the reception venue accommodate the animal?
- Can you ask one of your guests to take care of your pet during the day?
- Will your confetti be pet-friendly?
- Is your pet likely to attack the decorations?
- Might your pet’s attendance affect people with allergies? Perhaps you will need to warn them.
If the animal is well behaved, it can bring great joy to the couple to have it share their special day with them.
An alternative is to arrange for someone to bring the pets in towards the end of the ceremony, so that they can be there for a while, before being taken home again. In this way they can appear in some photos and bring delight to the couple and their guests.
If it is not appropriate to include a large dog or a cat in a ceremony we have heard of couples who have a large cardboard cut-out of their pet made, which can be placed on a chair as a reminder of their beloved.
The pet theme can be extended into the stationery and décor. We have even heard of a wedding where guests were invited to take home a special bag of treats for their own pets.
Wordways Ceremonies offers a variety of non-religious ceremonies. Get in touch with Vanessa today to discuss your needs.
Featured image: Beyond Photography