Dogs trotting down the aisle or smiling in glee during the muhurtam are becoming a common sight in the city
Meera and Kaushik with their pets
Imagine a furry little dog running around the mandapam when you tie the knot on your big day. Even though many city venues don’t allow pets, our creative pet parents are finding resorts or offbeat venues to host their weddings, mainly so that their pets too can be a part of the celebration. A few even go on to say how their dog or cat actually sat right by their side during all the ceremonies! Whether entertaining guests or eating bakshanam off a banana leaf, these pooches get to enjoy their owners’ special day in an even more special way!
It was a carnival for Bebe, an Indian dog, who was seen happily prancing at a family wedding. “Bebe is a part of our family and the day my sister’s wedding got fixed, we knew the dog had to be by our side,” says Shrita Baskar, the dog’s proud owner. “We started looking for venues around the city that allowed pets and that’s how we chanced upon a Kerala house just off East Coast Road.”
Bebe became the star of the show — “We knew there would be guests who don’t like pets, but they just had to deal with it. Bebe on the other hand, was feasting on sweets and even ate off a banana leaf!”
Newlyweds Arpan Peter and his wife Anusha’s love their Golden Retriever. “His name is Boomer and he’s two years old. Both Anusha and I are very attached to him. I think he may be one of the strongest bonding factors in our relationship, which is why we couldn’t think of getting hitched without him involved in the festivities,” says Arpan. Boomer walked the aisle during the church ceremony — “He is a very well behaved dog so we were confident he wouldn’t create a scene at the church and he didn’t,” he says when we ask him how the guests felt about seeing the dog at the wedding.
Sowmya Nagarajan’s black Labrador retriever Rugger too stole the spotlight at her wedding. “The main reason we wanted him at our wedding, is because we’ve never left him alone at home before, and we didn’t want to leave him in a facility either.” So she took the pooch to the mandapam and kept him inside a room. The six-year-old black beauty was dressed to kill — in a black blazer with a matching bowtie! “All the guests who attended my wedding, first went into the room, patted him and then came to see me!” she laughs.
“My dog’s a tad bit snappy and moody, so we couldn’t take him to our wedding,” says Meera Murali. But what did they do instead to make her Pomeranian, Boo feel a part of the wedding? A pre-wedding photo shoot, of course! “We managed to calm Boo down just for a few minutes, got dressed and posed with him for a few fun pictures,” she shares.
Fuzzy Wuzzy, a pet styling studio and spa in Bengaluru stock wedding gowns in different colours and designs, suits, bridesmaid dresses, tiaras and other accessories as a part of their ‘wedding couture’ for pets. “We have them in various sizes but normally it is for the smaller breeds of dogs that we get orders. We also get requests for special makeovers, massages and grooming packages for these pets during their owners’ wedding,” says Radhiya Hemchandra, the studio’s owner. “We also get orders from Chennai and the rest of south India,” she adds.
“Chennaiites don’t really need to be put off by mandapams or hotels not allowing pets,” says Vidya Singh, a wedding planner. “It’s not difficult to find a resort, beach house or farm house in and around the city that allows pets,” she says. “Pets are usually well behaved and listen to commands,” she adds. “In fact, my cousin Ashok Gajapathi Raju got married in his home — his dachshund was sitting on his lap throughout the ceremony!” she concludes.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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