One of the best parts of being a Colorado elopement photographer is exploring beautiful locations while experiencing wedding day bliss with your pets in tow. Colorado is such a fun state to get married in, especially if you want to include your fur babies. Whether you’re eloping in a private ceremony just the two of you, or planning something a little larger that includes a few friends and family, Colorado allows pets to be a ‘signing witness’ on your marriage certificate! As a lover of animals, especially our Dane and Shepherd, I’ll never say no to a couple who wants to bring their beloved four legged friends. Throughout the blog, we’ll discuss more ways to include your pets in your adventurous Colorado elopement, from reception to the ceremony. I’ve got you covered!

Include Your Pets in Your Adventurous Colorado Elopement Ceremony and Portraits

As previously mentioned, you can include your pets in the actual ceremony. They can ‘sign’ as ‘witnesses’ on your marriage license. Colorado marriage laws allow for a self-solemnizing ceremony. Couples can legally wed without the presence of witnesses or an officiant. Because of this, you can invite your pets along for the adventure and have their cute paw print as a ‘witness signature’ to reflect on for the rest of your lives. How cute is that?

Another simple way to include your pets on your wedding day is to include them in your photos. After the vows have been read and love has been declared, we’ll take some pictures to celebrate, and what’s better than celebrating with your fur babies? We’ll take some family photos of you with your pets and then just the two of you! It’s always so special to include your pets. After all, they’re family, right?

Ring Bearers + Flower Dogs

Perhaps you’ve decided to have a few friends and family attend and are including some of the more classic traditions. Don’t have any nieces or nephews though? Cue the dogs! Have your dogs bring the rings to you as ring bearers or be the flower dogs! If there isn’t a ‘traditional aisle,’ they can walk to you with a flower collar or meet you where you’re at with rings. It’s a simple twist on a traditional wedding day role that can make your day more unique. The beautiful thing about an elopement or small wedding is it can be as unique as you’d like. It’s your day!

Get Ready With Your Pet

Another fan favorite to include your pets is to bring them to get ready with you. Often, the morning of your ceremony can be filled with wedding day jitters and nerves. Having your pets with you during the getting ready process can help ease those nerves tremendously! Especially if you’re getting ready separately. If you can bring your pets to your getting-ready location, I always encourage it. Some of the most precious and treasured moments will be spent with your pet while getting ready because you’re in your element and being natural together.

If you have a pet cat and want to include them in some photos, consider getting ready in your home! They’ll feel most comfortable in their own space and may come out more for some photos.

Engagement Session with Pets Before Adventurous Colorado Elopement

Lastly, if you aren’t interested or able to include them in you ‘I do’s’ how about bringing them along to your engagement photos! If you’re not from Colorado and may be traveling here for your elopement, take engagement photos where you live with your pets. It’s often difficult to travel with pets, and bringing them isn’t always an option. Talk to your photographer before taking your engagement photos and see if you can include your pets. It’s a simple way to include your fur babies if they can’t be there on your special day.

It’s such a special bond to have with your pets; including them in life’s most important events is fun. Often, pets become more like family than animals, and I love it when clients bring their furry family members to their big day. Hopefully, these ideas helped you think of ways to include pets in your adventurous Colorado elopement.

Are you still looking for your dream Colorado elopement photographer? Let’s connect!