Local wedding ceremonies have gone to the dogs

Before Kirstie Warren was a professional wedding planner, she was a fiancée with a beloved Chihuahua-terrier mix -- a dear friend she wanted by her side on the big day. So for her Cannon Beach, Ore., wedding in 2001, she bucked tradition and decked little Macie in a purple bandana with a small, hand-sewn pocket into which she secreted the wedding bands.

Looking back, she thinks, "Geesh, I could have lost the rings in the sand." Now, as a pro, she always recommends ring-bearer dogs carry stand-in jewelry, while the real wedding bands are safely tucked into the best man's pocket.

In the five years since she launched Simply Wed in Lynnwood, Warren has discovered there are plenty of brides and grooms who want Rex in on the celebration. "Dogs are often like a couple's first children, so it's natural they want to incorporate them in the day," she says.

In fact, dogs are becoming such a regular element of nuptials that pet photographer J. Nichole Smith is carving out a specialty in weddings that feature pets. "People who are allowing dogs on a day that is supposed to be perfect have got to be cool," says Smith, who owns Dane and Dane Photography in West Seattle.

As far as she knows, she's the only photographer in the country targeting this particular niche, and she's preparing to launch a Web site offering local wedding-pet resources, including everything from fancy leashes and collars to reception-day pet sitters.

Recently, Smith photographed a wedding in Snohomish, where the maid of honor walked a fawn pug named Winston down the aisle. He wore a bow tie and a tiny black tuxedo jacket with a ring pocket on the back made by the bride's mother. (See photo.)

For those of us who are less handy with a needle and thread, Planet Poochie in Kirkland specializes in over-the-top wedding apparel for pups, including tuxedos, bow tie collars, flower girl dresses, lots of sparkling bling and custom-made threads for any size dog.

Shannon Kelly, owner of In Your Head, a creative development consultancy in Capitol Hill, and Seth Eisner, president of the board for Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Lynnwood, were so sure their brown mutt, "old man Cole," would be included in their 2006 wedding, Kelly doesn't remember even debating it.

Since they planned an informal ceremony, Cole enjoyed guest-of-honor status rather than a specific role. At the Graham Visitors Center at the Washington Park Arboretum, which Kelly and Eisner transformed into an al fresco living room, Cole, in a green-and-white (wedding colors) Bella Bean collar, held court from his own Ella Dish New York dog bed (from Urban Beast).

By the way, a wedding is an excellent excuse to upgrade or coordinate dog wares, including a bed, bowl, collar and leash. A fresh water supply and a place to chill out are essentials for a dog on a wedding day.

"There were so many people there who loved Cole," Kelly says, including friends who are Cole's "other parents." They took him home with them after the reception.

Hiring a professional pet sitter or handler, or simply designating a dog-loving friend to be responsible for a pet, is another important consideration. Brides and grooms have enough on their plate, and not all pets thrive in hot, noisy or crowded environments. It's important to know your dog and to plan in advance for his or her comfort.

While canines are currently the most common members of the wedding party, Daniela Fagét, owner of Bella Signature Design in Ballard and on Bainbridge Island, has seen other animals included. One couple chose a blue-and-green color scheme, which was complimented by parakeets -- their own and others belonging to friends -- chirping in white cages under a tented veranda.

But she's put her foot down on some animal-inspired notions. Fagét won't include fish in centerpieces, for example, since one invariably dies "and you have a guest staring at a dead floating fish," she says. She also declined the opportunity to work with a bride who wanted to wear her snake as a boa in the ceremony.

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