Listen to the episode now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.
This week’s topics: wedding day pet care, how to include your dog in your wedding, cat-friendly wedding tips, Minnesota wedding pet attendant services, stress-free ways to feature pets at weddings, dog-of-honor ceremony ideas, managing anxious or older pets on the wedding day, creative ways to incorporate pets into wedding décor and favors, pet-inclusive wedding planning tips, working with pet-friendly wedding venues, ensuring pet safety during weddings, photo ideas with dogs and cats at weddings, custom pet wedding details, hiring professional pet attendants for weddings, memorable wedding moments with furry friends
For couples who can’t imagine saying “I do” without their fur-child, this episode of the Wedding Day Podcast is a must-listen. Host Sonja Babich, CEO of Iron Diamond Media, and co-host Brooke Beise, Publisher of Minnesota Bride and Nebraska Wedding Day, sit down with Lara Leinen, founder of Doggy Social, to talk about the art of seamlessly including pets in weddings. Lara shares how her own 2017 wedding — and the desire to snap a single photo with her beloved cat — sparked the idea for a service that now lovingly handles all the logistics for couples who want their pups (and occasionally kitties!) present for their celebration.
Lara takes listeners through the Doggy Social experience, starting with a personal consultation where couples talk through their vision for their pet’s involvement. Safety and comfort are always the top priorities. “Some dogs are party animals and love the attention,” she explains, “while others just need a quiet fifteen minutes for a few portraits before heading home to nap.” Services are entirely customized, from pick-up and drop-off to on-site care and even overnight stays, ensuring pets are well cared for and stress-free.
When it comes to wedding day moments, Lara and her team help create picture-perfect appearances without the chaos. Popular options include having a pup walk down the aisle as a “dog of honor,” enjoying a private pre-ceremony cuddle session with the couple, or making a cameo during cocktail hour for guest photos. Each pet gets a dedicated attendant, and every plan has a built-in backup strategy — because even the best-behaved dogs can get stage fright. For older pets or anxious pups, shorter appearances are often best, prioritizing their comfort while still capturing the memory.
Beyond the logistics, Lara shares fun ways couples are weaving pets into their wedding design. From signature cocktails featuring custom pup toppers to dog treat favors for guests with four-legged friends at home, animal-loving couples are finding creative touches that make their weddings feel personal and playful. She even recalls a wedding where the family cat made its aisle debut in a clear backpack — proving that with the right planning, anything is possible.
Throughout the episode, the trio emphasizes how professional pet attendants ease stress for both couples and venues. Lara notes that many venues, especially golf courses, were initially hesitant to allow dogs, but services like Doggy Social have built trust by ensuring weddings stay safe, clean and worry-free. With the growing trend of pet-friendly weddings, venues like Bavaria Downs in Chaska, MN, and Pinewood in Cambridge, MN, are embracing pups as honored guests — especially when a trained attendant is there to manage the details.
This episode is powered by Summit Hill Studios and Doggy Social. Special thanks to members Linen Effects, Continental Diamond, Warpaint International.
