Here Comes The Bride...And Her Four-Legged Ring Bearer

Photo courtesy of Seth Wenig/Associated Press and The New York Times

Think dogs and other pets are officially part of our families these days? Yep, so do we-and this article from a recent New York Times makes it official. We know that when a people are planning both their wedding party and the reception, they tend to be rather picky about who makes the guest list. In fact, we're guessing that some folks even pass on some of their blood relatives when compiling the guest list. But according to a 2011 survey by Brides magazine, "almost 5% of brides include a pet in the wedding party, and its editors estimated that nearly double that amount had pets present during the ceremony and/or reception."

One of the brides-to-be featured in the article won't be carrying a garden bouquet when she strolls down the aisle...she'll be clutching her black bantam hen. "...It's so 'us' ", she claims of her and her groom's choice to include their feathered friend (they have six chickens and are known among their friends and family as chicken aficionados). And the colorful eggs their brood lays will be displayed in centerpiece bowls and eaten in the frittatas served at the party.

And where there's a trend, there are entrepreneurs-in this case, Colleen Paige, an animal behaviorist and founder of the Wedding Dog, a company based in Portland, Oregon, "that preps pets-including potbellied pigs and goats- to participate in weddings for $2,500 and up."

Parental Unit has informed me that if she's lucky enough to ever remarry, she'll definitely invite me to the ceremony and pawty. How about you? Did your pet attend your nuptials or are you planning to tie the knot and include your furry (or feathered) friends? Maybe you've attended a wedding where the four-leggeds among us participated. Let us know! In the meantime, enjoy some of the hilarious scenarios (pets are unpredictable, you know!) in this article.

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