Traditionally the groomsmen were not only part of the young groom’s circle of friends but were also ever ready to defend the groom or to help keep the intended bride for the groom safe should another suitor try to win over the fair maiden. Also in days of yore it was often assumed that evil forces would try to put the wedding asunder. Therefore if something should happen, the evil forces would be confused as to who was the groom and who was not as the groomsmen as all would dress alike very similar to the groom.

Some folklore stories are based on the bride being snatched away at the wedding ceremony before the wedding vows were officially conferred. The danger the best man was prepared to take on was from either another man trying to steal the bride or the bride’s own family who might try to capture her to prevent her from marrying someone whom the family had withheld their approval of. Actually the original name for the groomsmen was the bride’s knights and sometimes their role was to kidnap the bride from her parents to be sure that the wedding took place

Another belief about the best man was that should anything untoward befall the groom (i.e. die while young or become extremely incapacitated) the Best Man’s job would be to care for the wife and protect her and look after her. Because this was such an honour it was reserved for the male friend or family member that the groom trusted the most in this world and would therefore take care and respect the bride in his friend’s absence.

Traditionally some of the duties the Best Man and the groomsmen attend to on behalf of the groom include ones that range from obtaining coordinating tuxedos to decorating the wedding car and ensuring that the wedding gifts end up at the Bride and Groom’s address post the wedding reception.

The Best Man and the Groomsmens’ duties can include but are not limited to the following:

• Planning the Bachelor Party
• Getting fitted for suits/tuxedos
• Attending the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
• Attending to the needs of the groom while he gets ready for the wedding
• Drive the Groom to the wedding location
• Distribute the boutonnieres to the male attendants
• Enter the wedding ceremony with the Groom
• Hold the groom’s ring (s)
• Sign the marriage licence
• Escort the Maid of honour and bridesmaids out of the ceremony
• Kick off the speeches at the reception with a toast to the Groom
• Help with escorting key guests to their seats
• Dance with bridesmaids
• Decorate the getaway car
• Deliver the fee envelope to the officiate and others

Duties of the best man

As is the case with bridesmaids and other women of significance in the wedding celebration most of them already know that the prime person of importance is the bride and therefore any jewelry selection will be to complement the outfit ensembles without upstaging the bride. Should the bride be someone who prefers understated jewelry (i.e. small classic pieces, earrings etc.,) then the jewelry selection for the bridal attendants should be similar. In the case of the “Mother of the bride” (or mother of the groom) it is not as important as the attendants with respect to mirroring the jewelry tastes of the bride. Jewellery that is garish, obnoxious, too large or flashy should not be used unless this is in keeping with the wedding.

It is important that bridal jewelry compliment the wedding dress and should be seen as an enhancement to the overall look as opposed to being in competition with the dress or overpowering the look of the dress. Depending on the neckline of the wedding dress certain jewelry styles will be more appropriate than others. Be careful not to mix jewellery types or metal colours. As a general rule pearls should not be mixed with diamonds and gold should not be mixed with silver unless it is the style to combine both on the same jewellery piece.

Throughout history jewellery was used as both decorative and also in some circles as an omen of luck and fertility for the new union. Some nationalities are very focused on jewellery and especially bracelets. Other nationalities not as much focus on the jewelry as such but sometimes this is replaced by the ornamentation sewn into the wedding dress. Many wedding dress designs feature a beaded or jeweled bodice as a key element of the overall design. Some floral arrangements will include a jeweled component for example beads or pearls and the same can be true of the wedding cake.

Most important choice for the jewellery is that it is consistent with the style and theme of the wedding, compliments the attire and is not distracting or distasteful. Sometimes other small pieces of jewellery that do not match are used for sentimental reason. As an example one might want to wear a piece of family heirloom jewelry that perhaps does not match with the other jewellery or even the outfit.

The following are some interesting things to consider when planning not only the jewellery for the bride but also for the entire wedding party. One view expressed here is to “stand out” and not be subtle!

Choosing Jewelry to Complement Your Bridal Gown

Weddings: Tips on Choosing Bridal Jewelry

Sometimes it is helpful to see albums your friends may have created or to ask the photographer to have a look through his wedding photo portfolio for ideas. Some couples are more than happy with just the basics. A few pictures as the bride and bridesmaids are getting ready, a few of the groom and the male attendants gathering, the arrival at the church (or hall), the ceremony, the exit from the church, a planned photo session (either outside in a predetermined location or inside on a pre-decorated “set” should the weather be inclement) and then photos at the reception capturing the usual highlights (cake cutting, bouquet toss, first dance …etc.).

Some brides fancy having their photos taken at a few local landmark sites that are meaningful to the couple. Others prefer certain pictures taken with people that are meaningful. Some couples only want formal pictures, other couples want some “fun” pictures, some couples want lots of photos with the guests while still others only want minimal pictures taken (sometimes due to budget).

All wedding couples want pictures of the key moments of the ceremony, from the entrance in, the exchange of the rings and vows right on to the exit from the ceremony and on to the reception .At the reception, many brides want to be sure the “first kiss” is captured as is the “cutting of the cake”, the “first dance” and the first picture of the bride and groom in their “going away” outfits.

Some couples will choose a good friend or relative to act as the wedding photo coordinator. This person’s responsibility is to ensure that the “special” photos (identified earlier) are arranged and this person will help coordinate the pose. There are checklists available with pose suggestions (I have included a few links). These can be really helpful planning what photos are important to you.

A good way to plan your photos is to plan your wedding album ahead of time. Put index cards as placeholders and write on the placeholders what each photo will be. This will help you to be sure ahead of time that you have captured the photos that were important to both of you. It will also help you arrange when and how you will get certain shots of things or people that you want in the visual record of your big day. In laying out your wedding photo album it will also help you identify photos that you might have somehow missed previously. If there is an out-of-town relative you might want in a more casual photo then you could arrange to have the relative helping the bridal getting ready before the wedding and making it easier to be sure to get a special picture in a more relaxed environment.

Some wedding couples even want a special picture taken with their pet. The bottom line is the more planning that goes into wedding pictures in advance of the Wedding Day, the better pleased the bride and groom will be with the selection, variety and quality of the photo composition.

The following is a link to a site with a list to help with planning the wedding pictures.

http://weddings.about.com/od/photographer/a/Photogchecklist.htm

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-photography-videography/articles/85-great-wedding-photo-suggestions.aspx

Questions To Ask A Potential Wedding Photographer

http://www.herecomestheguide.com/wedding-party-ideas/detail/questions-to-ask-a-potential-wedding-photographer/

Wedding Photography 101

Examples of weddings photos

Michigan Wedding Photographer

Though with a long dress, veil and train almost no one will ever really see your footwear it is important to consider what shoes make the best choice for a bride to wear on her wedding day. Never select the shoes to wear on your wedding day until you have chosen a wedding dress. The shoes should be in keeping with the style of your wedding dress, i.e. if your dress is traditional or formal your shoes should be also. If you are being married on a beach then perhaps more of a fancy sandal look might be appropriate.

The height of your shoes is very important. If your wedding dress is floor length then you want to be sure that whatever the height of your shoes is your dress still touches the floor. Once you have selected your wedding dress it is a good idea to try your shoes on with your dress while you can still have alterations made to the dress. If the shoes make the dress too high then you may have to reconsider your selection of footwear. If your shoes end up being more flat and the dress is dragging on the floor then your dress can be altered and likely hemmed up.

The biggest consideration when picking out shoes to wear for the big day is comfort. If your wedding is in the morning or early afternoon, followed by photos, cocktails, reception and dance you could be standing on your feet for more than 12 hours. That is why comfort has to be the biggest consideration but you can still find very comfortable shoes that are still fashionable. Depending on the material of your shoes some will naturally be more forgiving and comfortable than others. Many bridal shoes are fashioned out of a plastic base with silk and lace attributes to coordinate with the dress. Real leather is by far the best choice as not only does it breathe but it will stretch and accommodate your feet if they swell later in the day.

The height of your heel will also contribute to how comfortable you are feeling by the time the dancing starts. Many a tall bride has to consider the height of her shoes if she is as tall (or taller) than the groom. One of the most comfortable shoes in this case is white ballet slippers. The trick to having really comfy ballet slippers (more so than with other shoes) is to buy them ahead of time them and wear them often inside while doing things that won’t scuff or mark them (like watching TV). Over several weeks the ballet shoes will become like slippers and your feet will feel great for the big day even into the evening and dancing.
Some brides want their shoes to match the shoes of their attendants. Something to consider when choosing shoes would be if these will be “one use” shoes. Your attendants may want shoes that are leather-like (as opposed to silk/satin) and classic styling allowing them to use them on other occasions.

When selecting your shoes to wear on your wedding day, go shopping late in the day when your legs are tired and your feet a little swollen. Shoes selected at the end of the day are a much better fit than shoes selected in the morning when your feet are the least swollen. The right shoes will mean that you will enjoy your wedding day because when your feet are tired and/or hurt it wrecks everything even the most perfectly planned day.

The tradition of the bride being “given away” is something that evolved from very olden times when a young lady had very few social freedoms. It was considered protective and approving for a bride’s dad to be the one to escort the bride up the aisle to the waiting husband-to-be. This action was one that publically identified the father as the protector of his daughter and also publically noted that the groom would be assuming the role of defender and protector of the bride from this point on…hopefully forever after. Also, in some cultures it meant that the father was “giving” his daughter for social or monetary gains. In this day and age, walking the bride down the aisle is more about support and blessing from the family on the new union of husband and wife.

Now more than ever many marriages don’t seem to last forever and ever and with that many brides find it more and more complex to decide who should be walking them down the aisle. As an example, if the bride’s parents have separated (especially if it was acrimonious or not that long ago) the bride may feel uncomfortable trying to balance who should be invited to have the honour of giving he bride away. It can become complicated as the bride considers her biological dad, her mother or a stepfather and how her mother or other family members might feel with her choice. Many brides from single parent families where the mother primarily raised the children want their mom to walk them down the aisle.

Some brides walk down the aisle with both parents. Some brides go to get married and both parents have predeceased them. Often close family members such as a brother or an uncle get the honour of being asked to walk the bride down the aisle. In some weddings the bride and groom walk up the aisle together, in other weddings a bride may be on the arm of her grandfather or in other cases be given away by both grandparents. There really is no right way or wrong way. It is an honour that is usually reserved for family. However, tact and sensitivity needs to be used when dealing with the perceptions and expectations of family members.

I was once in the position myself of having really no one to walk me down the aisle. I planned to walk down by myself until a very dear couple, who were my close friends (although much older than I was), offered to have the husband walk me down the aisle. I remember being so touched that he would think enough of me to offer to give me away at my wedding. My friendship had begun with his wife as we worked together. When I was asked to consider his offer I double checked with my friend (his wife) to be sure she was okay with it. She was happy that I would favourably consider his offer and was excited to organize what he would be wearing on the big day.

About ten days before my wedding I received a phone call at work (this gentleman worked out of town Monday to Friday) and with great sadness received the news that this gentleman had to rescind his offer. I was heartbroken especially when I had not asked for his involvement but this was offered to me and I had accepted and planned my wedding around it. When I asked why, I found out that his only daughter who was 19 years old at the time felt that the only bride her dad should ever escort down the aisle should be his own daughter. This teenager felt so strongly about this that she was ready to disown her dad, hence the father’s decision to not proceed with his offer. I can tell you that many people’s feelings were hurt and my advice 20 years later would be to try and consider ahead of time how other family members may feel about whatever decision you want to make.

The solution for me was to have two little children, grandchildren of another very dear friend, a boy and a girl walk on either side of me escorting me down the aisle the morning of my wedding. I was very happy to be in the company of these little ones. I still remember how I felt and the cloud that was over one of the happiest days in my life. If only someone had thought to talk to the daughter first, this whole situation could have been avoided. Whatever you plan for the walk down the aisle, consider the other family members, both the ones who would have wanted to be asked and the ones who may feel displaced because of who you asked.

Giving the Bride Away (watch what they do)

Bridal Entrance Surprise

Fun Wedding Entrance Dance — Real Brady Bunch to “Everytime We Touch”

There seems to be a very contentious issue surrounding children attending weddings. Some people think a wedding is not complete without the little folk around as part of the ceremony and the reception. Others think weddings are events that no child should ever be part of or allowed to attend. The rationale behind those not wanting children to attend is because the bride and groom are to be front and center, the “stars of the show” so to speak. It is a well-known fact that children “steal the show” and this often happens at the exact moment that is the climax of the event.

Needless to say this controversy will crop up among family members as you plan your wedding. I am well aware of both sides of the argument. My sister was remarried recently well into her forties and spent much time, expense and attention to detail ensuring that the perfect event was planned for her and her fiancés’ big day. No, in her case was the answer concerning children in attendance at her wedding. I, on the other hand think having children at a wedding completes the celebration. My attendance at my sister’s wedding was only possible because I had my best friend stay with the children (including a young baby) but I had to cut the night short because of the kids.
Because of the nature of the topic it is not an easy thing to arrange to not have any child present at a wedding where children are not welcome. It is poor form to mention anything on the invitation. Traditionally the invitation is addressed to whom is welcome to attend. Where an invitation is sent to a family it is addressed to “Mr. and Mrs. X and family” or where specific family members are included and not others (as in the case where the bride and groom are inviting the older children and perhaps not the pre-school crowd) the invitation would read “Mr. & Mrs. X, name of child, name of child.” The way my sister handled hers was to send invitations addressed only the adult guests. In the cases of my sister’s family members who had children younger than 18 years old, my sister followed up with individual phone calls explaining how she felt about having any child attend. Where this policy became a problem was with out of town friends and family who had very young children and did not know anyone well enough in the area to leave their child with as everyone they knew that well was already attending the wedding.

Some people feel having children as part of the wedding and or in attendance is as much part of a wedding as the flower arrangements are …who could have a wedding without them? In my case I had two grandchildren of a very dear older friend walk me down the aisle. These kids were well behaved and their two younger siblings were also in attendance at the wedding and stayed throughout the night to party. Other children and young people were on the guest list. I remember a most beautiful day. The guests, many of them told me at the time (and many have reminisced since) about what a wonderful wedding it was. So I am little bit biased in favour of children attending especially if they are family.

If you are including a lot of small children at the wedding it can be a good idea to arrange a child-friendly venue at the wedding. This could be something like another room with a TV and DVD set up for a movie with popcorn and arrange to have it supervised. Since almost everyone you know well enough to trust with children is likely already a guest in attendance at the wedding you will need to find someone trustworthy but not a guest. Check ahead of time with the guests who will be bringing small children and see if they have a regular babysitter they can recommend.
Another wedding I attended and brought my four children (ranging in age from 2-7) and my babysitter with me to the reception held at a hotel. I rented a room where the reception was being held so that after the dinner and some dancing the children could go and relax, change into pajamas and go to bed while my husband and I could stay at the party. While a more expensive option for me it meant that I could attend the wedding reception with the children and not have to leave because tired children were acting up.

Whatever your decision be with or without children at your wedding it is a topic that needs to be handled with great tact and diplomacy. Otherwise family members and friends could be offended.

The history of having wedding favours at the wedding reception as memento to the guests by the bridal couple dates back to the 16th century. Originally the wedding favour was a way for the bridal couple to show their thanks and appreciation for the guest coming to the wedding celebration. In those times the wedding guest often had travelled many days and gone to great expense just to be able to attend. These favours were then known as bonbonnieres and were little containers made out of precious glass, china and crystal and contained sugary confections.

Overtime these wedding favours changed and assumed some cultural meanings of health, happiness, longevity, wealth and fertility. The number of five is significant as it represents these meanings. The well-known practice of the bride and groom handing out decorated containers with five almonds inside is to bestow on the guests the same blessings the guests were wishing the newly-weds by their attendance at the wedding.

Wedding favours provide a great way for the bride and groom to make their wedding a special event remembered by those attending. Some weddings use traditional wedding favours such as confections, little bits of the wedding cake, some of the more modern weddings have been known to have music CDs, paper and candles. Recently many “green” weddings have little tree seedlings to take home and plant as a memory of the wedding celebration. Some favours are different types of coffee or hot chocolate, others- different soaps, while others still have pens and stationery items. One rather popular favour is including a lottery ticket at each place setting with the one dollar “scratch-and-win” lottery ticket being not only a favourite but also very economical.

There seems to be no end to the possibilities for wedding favours. The best favours are ones that a guest will keep or reuse and has the couple’s name on it and will remind the guest of the celebration and the couple in the years to come. There are some wedding favours that are more suited to personalization than others. Poker chips, playing cards, photo frames (etc.) can be customized to include a photo of the bride and groom plus their names and the date of the wedding. This kind of wedding favour will last for years to come. There are companies who specialize in wedding favours or it can be something the bride and groom make themselves. Either way, wedding favours are a good way to make a wedding unique and help the guests to remember what a great celebration was had by all.

Wedding Favour Ideas

One of the biggest challenges when getting married is to select the right wedding photographer while getting both value and decent pictures of your big day. Years ago there were many specialized wedding photographers and once you found a photographer you signed a contract in advance of the wedding selecting a minimum package.

I was married 20 years ago and one of the most reasonable packages I could find was for 25 10×10 portraits including church, after –church and the reception for $1,500. This gave me about 100 proofs to look at and then I had to select the 25 best shots to use as larger prints. This did not include the specialized album (which at the time the most reasonably priced one was $150.00). Being a young bride, focused on owning my home, I postponed the expense of the album and sadly still have those 25 large portraits in the hardcover box the photographer provided at the time. If I was to do it over again, I would have made the album a priority and been able to properly display those photos ever since!

Also at that time any special prints or extra prints were all at additional cost. I did not get the rights to the negatives in those days the photographer retained rights to the negatives thereby any additional prints had to be placed through the original photographer. This was all before the advent of digital photography.

The dawn of digital photography has brought about huge changes to the wedding photo market. Now smaller photographers and freelancers can more easily compete with professional wedding photography firms. Because actual film is not being used to capture the photos and the photos are now easily displayed digitally without the costs of processing the film, both the price of wedding photography has come down and so has the cost of the prints.

The advances in technology has meant photographers can shoot as many shots as necessary (without a care about the restraints associated with the cost of film and processing) to capture that perfect photo. For the bride and groom, this means great variety in the wedding photo market place and means that for a fee many photographers will provide a CD/DVD of high resolution versions of the pictures. With access to the CD/DVD the wedding couple can make copies later or print copies out themselves once the can afford more photos or when they want to use the wedding photos for Christmas and birthday gifts to family and friends.

With the changes in digital photography for film there have also been huge changes in the access a bride and groom has to video for their wedding day. It used to be that you would have contract a special company or freelancer to videotape the wedding and the final product would usually be a master version high-end VHS/Beta tape for playing on a VCR. The VCR product had a life-span of less than 10 years at the max for clarity and retention of image quality.

Wedding videos today can even be filmed on a friend’s cell phone. While this does not replace professional videotaping it does give the wedding couple a unique perspective and views of their wedding from their friend’s vantage points. With digital video there is no end to what can be created easily using one’s computer.

It is still important to have a professional videographer film the “master” version rendering your big day with professionally edited and enhancements. Some professional videographers will add special effects such as voice over narrative or enhanced music or even some include brief slide-shows of bride and groom’s childhood and teenage photos. Digital photography and videography put great memories on record with much less cost and a wider variety of choice than traditional film and processing could in the past.

Some people think photos and videos are an unnecessary expense or that you to keep costs down you should skimp and only rely on friends and family to take video shots. Remember your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and once the sun has set on that day, only your memories, photos and videos will remain. It is the one thing that can be handed down through generations.

A photograph is pricelessly worth a thousand words. Invest in a photographic memory of your wedding and years from now you will not be disappointed and your descendants will be delighted.

How to Choose Wedding Photographer

Top Wedding Photography Tips

Some of the traditions that have crept into everyday society’s notion of what is normal or expected for weddings are actually practices that have their beginning in folklore and superstition.

I have included a few mainstream wedding related customs and it is very interesting to realize how these accepted practices actually got their start as part of the wedding culture. It is interesting to note that the majority of wedding traditions have their roots in keeping away evil spirits, helping the groom (and his men) capture a wife all while encouraging fertility and prosperity.

Dowry

A dowry was money, goods or property (sometimes a combination of all of these) that the bride’s father gave to the husband to help provide for a life with his daughter. The husband was expected to provide a life of support and financial care for the daughter. The practice of dowries primarily originated in the era when most marriages were arranged by the bride and grooms parents (family).

Bridal Shower

This is a custom that originated it seems inHollandat a time when it was customary for the father of the bride to give a dowry to the groom. A bride’s father would withhold the customary dowry if the bride’s family (particularly the father) did not approve of the perspective husband. In withholding the dowry this was to act as a deterrent to the couple as the young man would not have the customary wherewithal to start a life with a bride. The friends of the bride would get together and “shower” the bride with gifts to makeup for her not having a dowry and making it possible for the bride to marry someone she cared about regardless of her family’s reaction.

Best Man

The custom to have one of the grooms friend hold this honoured position dates back to the times when a girl was away from the control of her parents or the did not approve of the groom. The best man was the most trusted of the grooms friends and chosen to aid the groom in successfully protecting the bride to be from all comers at the wedding. In some cultures the best man was the friend who had also helped the groom in protecting his bride from exposure to the advances from other suitors.

Bridal Bouquet

The tradition of carrying flowers when a bride got married had a lot to do with warding of bad luck. Often the bouquets were filled with special herbs and plants (sometimes even spices) known to keep away evil spirits. In Roman days flowers became popular for both the bride and the groom as a symbol of fertility and young married life in bloom.

Wedding Ring

As a complete circle the ring denotes continuous love both in life and in the hereafter. Placement of the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand came about as this finger on the left hand had a vein that was believed to lead directly to the heart. Over time the ring has been made out of many materials including hemp, copper and iron. The most popular is gold for its beauty and value

The following are a couple of links with information on more wedding traditions.

http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/african_traditions.html

http://www.gagirl.com/wedding/wedding3.html
Wedding traditions (The Buzz)

Weddings that include pets are becoming more and more popular. In fact there is so much information out there on pets and weddings that I promised to take a closer look. Voila!

It seems that the first time occurrence of pets at a wedding seems to have occurred about 15 years ago when a high-end wedding planner inNew Yorkwas approached by his client to include the couple’s dog in a prominent role in the wedding ceremony. Since then the interest in including pets at weddings and we has taken off. It has become very acceptable to have a cherished pet play a key role in the wedding such as ring /flower bearer or just for some couples to have the pet present as a guest of honor.

Often these pets are decorated or dressed up in some way to attend. While it is common place to see man’s best friend, the dog at many events and not too uncommon to see the odd feline there are many instances of rare and exotic pets who as “family members” of the wedding couple make an appearance. This can cause a wide range of reactions. Pets often being unpredictable can steal the show with their cuteness, or wreck the event with their behavior but most couples are hoping to enhance their special day with the attendance/presence of a very important part of their lives, their pet. Most pet lovers can understand. For those who are not pet lovers the introduction of a pet at the Wedding ceremony (or later at the reception) is more reminiscent of a zoo/circus atmosphere.

A wedding planner inLos Angelesconservatively estimates that approximately 30% of her business in planning weddings includes a pet of some kind. The same holds true for many stars and singers. Gwen Stefani (singer) was escorted down the aisle at her wedding by her faithful sheepdog Winston. Actress Tori Spelling had her pug “Mimi” as part flower girl /ring bearer and had the pooch’s outfit created by a professional designer. Comedian Adam Sandler had his two dogs go down the aisle and referred to one as his “best dog” complete with the dog wearing it own yarmulke on his head.

Pet boutiques that specialize in formal wedding wear for pets are becoming very popular.

If your plan is to include your pet in your wedding ceremony and/or reception there are many things to consider. You will need to obtain permission for the animal to attend whatever venue is involved, i.e. church, hall, reception facility. Another thing to consider is how the members of your wedding party might feel or react. It is possible that some of your guests or attendants may be allergic to your pet and this could pose quite a problem. Check with all the wedding attendants and guests of honor first. You cannot hope to second guess the rank-and-file wedding guests (or accommodate them) but it would be terrible to have one of your attendants sick for your wedding because your pet was in attendance.

Other things to consider are how your pet behaves around crowds of people and excitement. Is your pet prone to marking its territory (could be a showstopper if your pet is very territorial)? Sometimes it is a good idea to hire a pet-handler for the wedding whose express task is to care for your pet, keep them safe and calm and basically pet-sit them for the time periods on the Wedding day that the pets are not involved in. Sometimes this pet-sitter may be engaged to whisk Fido off to the boarding kennel once the ceremony has concluded and the reception is underway. Many couples work with the wedding caterer to ensure that there is a special pet-friendly repast available for the wedding pet.

The types of pets known to attend weddings are as varied as the kinds of weddings. There have been parakeets on perches with handlers who walk down the aisle, hamsters in cages, snakes and tarantulas (a little freakier from the general guest perspective I would imagine), horses, and many exotic pets including rare monkeys, lizards and ferrets.

Be sure to let your entire wedding team know that you plan to have your treasured pet in attendance at the ceremony and/or reception as service providers such as photographers, musicians, caterers will appreciate the heads up. You may find some providers delight in including pets while others may not want to and the same varied reactions among your wedding guests. All in all if you are a pet lover you may very well want your pet at your wedding and what makes the day special for you and your soon-to-be spouse is what really matters.

These are a few tips for involving and handling your pet at your wedding.

http://wedaholic.com/archives/pets_at_weddings_tips_for_getting_your_dog_cat_or_even_horse_involved.php

How to include your pet in your wedding

How to Include Your Pet in Your Wedding Party from Christina Tsuei on Vimeo.

Dog Ring Bearer

Owl Brings the Rings

Bourbon, the Ring Carrier