Dogs at weddings can be tricky and it’s not for everyone. But if you have a magnificent Golden Retriever who is your pride and joy and a very good girl, then she’s the only choice. Enter Winnie – the dog ringbearer of dreams. As you can see from the photos from this beautiful wedding, being married with your beloved dog by your sides is a really joyous moment.
Nicole and Lui’s beautiful early summer wedding ceremony was so special. It was classically elegant, with black tie for Lui and his groomsmen, and the most incredible gown for Nicole. Our ceremony space was the barn at Retreat East, a modern, luxury weekend wedding venue in Suffolk. It was perfect for this outdoors-loving, sporty couple. Each morning, they hosted a bike ride or run for guests who liked to join them in some exercise, and, although by slight accident of placement, I did enjoy the fact that Lui’s prized racing bike watched over our ceremony from outside the barn. It felt very authentic to their lives!
We’d got to know each other over the past year, kicking it off of course, with a dog walk, which really helped me understand what makes Lui and Nicole the special folks they are. They wanted their ceremony to reflect their love story, their love of their families, and their shared lives, with a funny and romantic narrative that fitted in with the rest of their wedding plans. Their ceremony was a proper party starter.
Their family and friends were so excited to be there, and we enjoyed the few moments of anticipation the guests shared before beautiful Nicole arrived with her bridesmaids and father (who was excellently emotional and a tower of pride). I loved watching their faces as I spoke to the guests, telling their love story, people were holding hands, smiling like the sunshine.
Winnie, our dog ringbearer, perfectly understood the assignment. She trotted up the aisle and collapsed in a big golden heap, for me to take the rings from her special collar. You can’t beat a Golden Retriever’s smile, and as soon as she arrived with us, joy was turned up to 11. It was so special watching her trot down the aisle again next to her parents. It felt like a new chapter of their lives was really beginning.
what i loved about this wedding:
- Being amongst such relaxed people. This wedding truly had an air of easygoing fun, making it a holiday atmosphere and an occasion to savour for everyone
- The shouts of excitement and admiration from their friends afterwards when congratulating them, and the reaction to Nicole’s dress, which was honestly spectacular.
- Obviously, Winnie. The goodest girl ever to walk the aisle.
- The venue, Retreat East, and its team, who were so welcoming and supportive of celebrant weddings, and so efficient and pleasant to be around.
- The unashamed presentation of Nicole and Lui in all their glory – they are very special people, who prioritise their physical strength and care for each other’s mental wellbeing in a truly inspiring way.
- Dog walking and getting to know each other always makes me very happy. It’s a privilege to spend time with my couples this way, and I always remember it really fondly.
If you’re looking for ways to include your dog at your wedding, I’d love to help. From dog chaperones to dog readings and including your dog in your ceremony, celebrant weddings are the way forward.
All photos with permission from L&N and by GMWsport.com
