“Max is a special cat,” says Katie Barnes of the orange tabby she adopted from Pet Helpers. “He is large (big-boned, not fat) and in charge and makes his presence known. He brings so much joy to our lives just by being his goofy self. Also, he fetches better than most dogs. We dote on him like the crazy cat parents we are, and it shows.” Need proof? On their wedding day last summer, facsimilies of Max made cameos right and left at Katie and her now-husband Scott’s otherwise elegant wedding at The William Aiken House. Knowing that cats are not amenable to crowds or flower collars, and that, as such, a feline ring bearer was not meant to be, Katie came up with the idea of incorporating a pillow of his face instead, along with a life-sized cardboard cutout version of him. “Max is an integral part of our little family and we couldn’t imagine him not being present on our Big Day.” Got a critter you need to include, too?
Creature Comforts
Do: Be practical. While dogs and even small pet pigs (we’ve seen ’em) can be at home at a wedding, other pets—cats and ferrets (seen those, too), for instance—don’t do well with crowds and parties. If your animal isn’t up to it, don’t force inclusion.
Do: Find a stand-in. Max the cat showed up via cutouts and pillows. Other options? Work your fur-baby into a crest, the invitations, or other papergoods; include them in a custom cake topper; or display their photo with other family snapshots.
Do: Get a handler on things. Pet nannies like Dog Tired pet sit your four-legged friend on your Big Day, on-site or remotely, or both. Another option? Assign a family member, someone from the wedding party, or other guests to do the honors. (Keep all pets super-hydrated—and consequently well-walked—during the dog days of summer.)
Do: Have them smile for the camera. Invite Fido or Felix to join you for your couple’s portraits, before or after the ceremony.
Jaye and John fell for each other when both were students at the College of Charleston. Soon after they began dating, the pair headed to Savannah for a short trip and dinner at The Olde Pink House,...
“My incredibly witty introduction goes here.” With that one liner, sent to Emilie over Match.com, Brian caught her attention, made her laugh and set off the relationship that led to this gorgeous Big...
Elopements keep cropping up with good reason here: not only can wedding venues be hard to come by in Charleston these days (especially during weekends and on short notice), but also can you blame a...
Houston, Texas, natives Haylee and Charlie have known each other since childhood; their families have been friends for years, and the two were even on the same swim team when they were eight years...
Kristen didn’t know many people in Charleston when she moved here for a three-month rotation during medical school. Neither did Morgan, who had recently moved here to begin his residency at the...
We welcomed in the New Year in a big way with these photos that popped up on our feeds. Two of them aren’t only among our most-liked ‘grams of the month, but are also among our most liked. Of. All....
Here’s some good news for anyone struggling with that pesky mid-week slump: Your future hubby may be sitting next to you … at this very moment. At least, that was how it went for Abigail and Grant....
McKenzie and Ryan met during their junior year at the University of Toledo in northwest Ohio, when she moved in across the street from him. She already knew of a few of his roommates, who invited her...
Charleston is one of the country’s top-tier cities for so-called destination weddings, and any couple getting married here should expect far-flung guests to RSVP an enthusiastic “Yes” to their celebration, especially when this old-school boarding pass, designed by Studio R, debuts your wedding details in high flying style.
