Prepping your pet for a walk down the aisle? Hire a concierge - The Columbus Dispatch
Prepping your pet for a walk down the aisle? Hire a concierge - The Columbus Dispatch |
| Prepping your pet for a walk down the aisle? Hire a concierge - The Columbus Dispatch Posted: 07 Nov 2020 03:13 AM PST  On her way to the wedding at Holiday Acres Christmas Tree Farm in Manvel, Texas, on Nov. 10, 2018, Madison Logan Edwards picked up Ruger, a 9-month-old golden retriever. "I had to pick him up a little early," she said. "Because of his personality profile, I knew he'd be hyper. So I took him to the dog park and then brushed him out and got him all ready." Not all ready for her own ceremony, though. She was preparing Ruger for a client's wedding. Edwards, 27, is owner of Pawsh Weddings, a Houston business that provides wedding-day pet planning and attendants. Ruger was a model member of the wedding party, decked out in a black bow tie and a bandanna that read, "Here comes the love of our life." "Ruger got through the processional," Edwards said, "and as the pet parents were exchanging vows, the officiant said, 'Do you take so and so to be your lawfully wedded husband. And Ruger barks." Those are the moments she lives for. Edwards says she was at the wedding to ensure there were no incidents, at least none because of Ruger. The idea of a wedding-day pet planner and attendant might seem outrageous to some, or at least nothing more than a fad du jour. But Edwards says not so. "We may be a new kind of wedding vendor," she said, "but for most millennial couples, bringing their dog to their wedding is a new tradition, not a trend." She wishes she had been able to find a wedding pet planner and attendant to watch over her two dogs Russell, a black Labrador, and Butterscotch, a golden retriever, at her own wedding in 2017. With everything else to wrangle, including a three-week-long honeymoon in the Caribbean, she needed someone to help get her dogs to the wedding and attend to them during and after. Edwards saw the lack of such services as an opportunity to create Pawsh Weddings while doing much of the prep work and planning for her own wedding. "I actually launched the website and Instagram while out of the country in the middle of our honeymoon and started booking weddings the second we returned," she said. "Demand was there. We just needed the supply." Becky Moriarty Davis and Greg Davis of Houston, who were married at McGovern Centennial Gardens in Houston, knew they wanted to include their 6-year-old female pit bull, Birdie, and their 2-year-old golden retriever, Watson, in their wedding. "We also knew how hectic the day of the wedding could be since coordinating the wedding party alone was an overwhelming task," Becky Davis said. "We decided to hire Pawsh so we could focus on our day and have peace of mind that our pooches were in good hands." Davis was pleased with how the day turned out. "They were so attentive to the dogs and kept them entertained during the inevitable down times," she said. "While we were taking pictures, they made sure the dogs were paying attention and looked good in the shots. They even worked with our shy flower girl and ring bearer to get them more confident with walking the dogs down the aisle. And in the end, the dogs were probably the happiest of all of us." Edwards is far from being alone in the industry. She hosts a monthly Zoom call for others in the business around the country, with owners of companies like Pawfect For You, FairyTail Wedding Pet Care and Doggy Social. They are also a part of a Facebook group, Wedding Planning For Pet Parents, devoted to wedding day pet care. There are countless others around the world, including Wedding Dog Sitter in Italy, Pawfect Occasions in England and Wedding Paws in Australia. Edwards sees the industry as growing — so much so that she was able to quit her full-time job as a coordinator for the nonprofit Collaborative for Children in July 2019. She expects to be busier than ever once the challenges of COVID-19 are gone. "Millennials are cohabitating," she said, "so we have pets already. A wedding wouldn't be complete without them." Annabel Cookson started Pawfect Occasions in Penwortham, England, two years ago. She previously ran a professional dog-walking business and was asked several times by clients to attend their weddings with their dogs. "I loved being part of their special day," she said. Cookson loves being a dog chaperone. "I often get emotional, seeing the happiness in the room and having dog cuddles all day long," she said. If you're wondering exactly what a pet attendant does, well, the answer is basically everything — that is, everything that has to do with your pet. Hiring a wedding-pet planner and attendant doesn't come cheap, however. Pawsh Weddings, which works with all pets including cats, rats, birds, reptiles, chinchillas and guinea pigs, offers packages from $200 (for the first dog) for two hours of pet attendant services to $950 (for the first dog) and includes six hours of services. Pet attendants will typically begin watching your dog as soon as you arrive at the venue or bring the dog there, depending on the package. They also explore the ceremony site with your pet; supervise potty breaks and clean up; give your dog a quick grooming session, or even a bath; walk your dog down the aisle if you like; sit with your dog during the ceremony; and pose your dog for photos. Some offer formal wear, like bow ties and bandannas, flower crowns and floral leashes, and tuxes and tutus. Edwards also offers prewedding consultations that include coordinating with other wedding vendors, profiling your pet's personality and planning for the wedding in terms of all things pet. And she comes prepared, with items like a pet first-aid kit, emergency collar and leash, doggy seat belt, filtered water, hypoallergenic wipes and even a lint roller. Tamarah Smith, a wedding coordinator and the owner of the Houston-based company Tammy's Table, said that she loves having dogs at wedding ceremonies but that they do tend to add a bit of chaos to the mix. "It's nice to know that your pet is well taken care of so you can focus on simply getting married, or in my case simply getting my couples down the aisle." Her advice to anyone wanting to include a pet is simple: "Have a plan of action regarding pet care." Edwards also has what she calls a DIY option. It's a package that includes a virtual consult with all of her prewedding services, including a customized Pinterest board. The couple can then hire a pet sitter or assign a friend or family member for the wedding. "It's not the same as having a pet attendant who does this for a living," she said. "But it's way less stressful than having nothing." Why Pawsh Weddings and others like it are so in demand is simple, Edwards says. "Dogs are people too. They may not be humans. But they are people too by every definition. They just happen to be furry and bark. If everyone acted like dogs the world would be a better place." |
| Looking For Wedding Deals? Start on Black Friday - The New York Times Posted: 27 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST  The annual consumer blitz that is Black Friday, has seeped into the wedding landscape, like smoke from Romeo y Julieta cigars, frequently given as groomsmen gifts. (They're 28 percent off at the Famous Smoke Shop.) The advertised deep discounts, offered by retailers beginning Friday, Nov. 29, and that often continue through Cyber Monday, Dec. 2, can be found on a wide range of wedding products and services, both common and uncommon. Among the many bridal clothing retailers cutting prices, David's Bridal is offering 50 percent off some bridesmaids dresses on Black Friday and an extra 50 percent off all clearance dresses and other items on Cyber Monday. Bridesmaid for Hire, a New York company that peddles bridesmaid services like toast making, is also having a sale. All services from Black Friday through Cyber Monday are 20 percent off. Maid of honor speech-writing packages that generally go for $400 will cost $320, said Jen Glantz, the founder of the five-year-old company. Bridesmaid services, which include wedding day errand running, wearing the bridesmaids' dress, toast making, walking down the aisle and general advice-giving, normally about $2,500, will be on sale for $2,000. According to Ms. Glantz, Black Friday and Cyber Monday fall at the perfect time of year for brides and grooms looking to score serious savings on not just stuff, but services. "Right now it's the dead season" of the wedding calendar year, she said. "Wedding season was over in mid-October, and engagement season is just around the corner." (Christmas, New Year's and Valentine's Day) The lull in between seasons, from the perspective of companies like hers, is crucial for drumming up business. "If I want my calendar to be full in 2020, I need to use this time to start getting bookings now," she said. Though hiring bridesmaids is probably not front of mind for most couples, Ms. Glantz may be among an upswing of more service oriented businesses coming up with incentives to attract clients before the flurry of holiday proposals. "A D.J. I work with consistently who is one of the most popular in our area has started doing a Black Friday special," said Christina Moore, the owner of Bella Giornata Events, a wedding planning service in Charlottesville, Va. "People are always surprised to hear that." Even event planning services like Ms. Moore's are getting in on the action. "For us, Black Friday is about offering add-ons," said Laurie Hardman, the owner of Laurie D'Anne Events in Nashville. "For anyone filling out a contact form on Friday, they have two months to book with us." Couples who book on Black Friday will get complimentary vintage car service to pick them up after their wedding and a complimentary one-night stay at the Dream Hotel in Nashville. Ms. Glantz, whose bridesmaid services include advising brides on all aspects of wedding planning, said couples should also capitalize on online travel deals for out-of-town wedding guests and honeymoon packages. (EF Ultimate Break, a travel company aimed at millennials, has a 20 percent off deal on an 11-day Greek Islands tour). Couples should also reach out to vendors who may seem indifferent to the weekend-long shopping bonanza. "If you have a favorite vendor who doesn't advertise a sale — whether it's a photographer, a florist, a D.J., a band or a wedding planner — you should still reach out to them," she said. "You can say, 'I'd really like to work with you. Are you offering any competitive pricing for Black Friday or Cyber Monday?' Chances are they'll work with you." Buying services on Black Friday may not work for everyone. "You don't want a hastily bought Black Friday deal to complicate your day," said Susan Cordogan, the owner and founder of Big City Bride, an event-planning firm in Chicago. "A favorite spa, hair salon or nail salon might not honor discounted services on a Saturday." A better idea, Ms. Cordogan said, is sticking to Black Friday's bedrock: retail stores. "Go to any of the big department stores for discounts on bridesmaids dresses or mother-of-the-bride dresses," she said. "If you want to give all your bridesmaids a matching clutch they can carry on your wedding day, or if you want them to have matching earrings, those are all great things to buy on Black Friday at a discounted rate. And all the personalization sites, where you can get monogrammed gifts. You can certainly take advantage of that." Thinking beyond the wedding weekend can also be helpful. "You're going to need a dress for your shower or your welcome brunch," Ms. Cordogan said. Before then, you're going to need invitations. Minted offers 25 percent off save-the-date cards on Black Friday, Ms. Moore noted, and deals on thank-you notes and invitations often pop up on the site throughout the weekend. Among the retail deals that excite her most, she said, are 30 percent off cupcake orders from Baked by Melissa. "Not as many people have cupcakes at their wedding as they should, and these are delicious and adorable and delivered fresh to your door," she said. Ms. Moore is also excited about discounted dresses by Bhldn, which has free shipping on all orders and 30 percent off all markdowns with a code throughout the weekend. "Brides should run, not walk, to their computers to order their bridesmaids dresses from Bhldn," she said. (And if they want to do so while wearing sparkly Kate Spade Keds, a popular choice for wedding reception footwear, they can get 30 percent off on Black Friday at Keds.com). Brides should think twice before sprinting to the keyboard to buy their own dresses though, Ms. Moore said, noting that oftentimes it's better to see the dress in person before making a purchase. Image  Floravere, an online retailer that touts runway-quality wedding dresses, is offering 10 percent off all gown purchases and 20 percent off all accessories, bridesmaids gifts, and "beyond the ceremony" pieces, Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Anomalie, another online wedding dress site that uses visualization software, is giving away free custom veils with the purchase of a dress. Watters, whose brands include Wtoo by Watters Bridesmaids dresses, has a 25 percent off sale for all ready-to-wear styles on Black Friday. Despite the quality and savings at these sites, Ms. Moore urges caution. "Brides often have a preconceived notion of what they want their dresses to look like, then when they go to a bridal shop they end up in a completely different dress, based on how they feel in it," she said. A better bet, then, may be shopping for a wedding dress at one of the many boutiques offering "White Friday" sales. Jacqueline Ward, an owner of Our Story Bridal, a consignment shop in New York that sells gowns from designers like Carolina Herrera and Elie Saab, said her store will give a free fingertip-length tulle veil with any dress purchase all weekend. The shop is also slashing the prices of most of its already-discounted dresses another 10 percent. Many of the 700 in its inventory originally sold for $10,000. "And we're already selling them 50 to 60 percent off," she said. From Ms. Ward's vantage point, Black Friday is important because it gives brides an incentive to pull the trigger on one of their most important purchases. "Sometimes you're afraid to commit to a dress, and then it gets sold and it haunts you," she said. "What's good about a promotion like this is it gives you a deadline. It makes you feel more confident about saying yes." Continue following our fashion and lifestyle coverage on Facebook (Styles and Modern Love), Twitter (Styles, Fashion and Weddings) and Instagram. |
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