One-Third of Pet Owners Include Their Furry Friend in Their Wedding or Engagement, Survey Finds

When it comes to saying "I do!", many pet owners see themselves and their pets as a package deal, according to a new survey from WeddingWire

Photo: Paige Vaughn Photo

Here comes the bride ... and here comes her dog.

Curious about what role pets play in marriage, specifically in weddings and the moments leading up to them, WeddingWire surveyed close to 800 pet owners to see how they fit "fur"ever love and forever love together.

Not surprisingly, many pet owners want pet owning to be part of their future. Nearly seventy percent (68%) of those surveyed indicated that marrying someone who owns or wants to own a pet is a "must-have," according WeddingWire's results.

And once pet owners find the animal lover they want to spend their life with, they often make it clear that they and their pet are a package deal by including their furry friend in their wedding. Of those surveyed, 38% said they included their pet in their wedding and/or engagement. Sometimes the pet was present at the event, and in other cases, the animal was incorporated into the event's design as part of the decorations or invitations. Of those adding a pet to their big day, nearly forty percent (37%) purchased and/or received pet-specific items related to their engagement, with pet accessories such as bow ties/leashes being most popular.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic must be helping pet owners form even deeper bonds with their furry friends, because even more pet owners are planning to make their pet a part of their upcoming scaled-down pandemic wedding, called a "minimony" by WeddingWire.

According to a recent WeddingWire poll, 45% of couples who had or plan to have a minimony this year said their pet was or will be incorporated.