Dogs at Weddings: Rustic Australian Wedding

Serena Faber Nelson Founder & Pet Lifestyle Writer

Pet lifestyle expert Serena Faber-Nelson is the founder of Pretty Fluffy. A contributor to Everyday with Rachael Ray, Modern Dog Magazine, Cesars Way and more; her modern, stylized take on DIY dog treats has seen her recipes viewed millions of times over.

Serena is the author of the go-to dog mom bible, Dog Mama, and the popular dog treat recipe book, Healthy Homemade Dog Treats.

To say I’m in love with both the dog AND the wedding featured in this post is a complete understatement. You might recognise the bride – the lovely Emma, who is the creator, baker and owner of the adorable Sweet Chops doggie bakery. And just like her cute little pooch cupcakes, her effortless style and attention to detail completely translates into a swoon-worthy* wedding. From a reception under the stars, to personalised homemade touches throughout – this is one wedding filled with heart felt sweetness… and a dog named ‘Noogie’ front and centre!

* I don’t normally swoon, but when I see lanterns, wheat fields and labradors in black tie I make an exception.

From the bride, Emma:
Andy and I agreed from the start that we wanted the day to be relaxed, fun and with formalities kept to a minimum. As we progressed with the planning we realised that most of our guests would be visiting Western Australia for the first time, so we decided to give them a ‘Taste of WA’. These two sentiments formed the basis for the rest of our plans.

The ceremony was at Woodbridge House in Guildford and the reception was at Riverside @ Woodbridge – a small family run cafe on the premises of the historic Woodbridge House. The venue is located on Swan River (very WA!), it was a beautiful rustic setting and most importantly, the owner was really flexible. Pretty much anything was possible including decorating, bringing outside food and drinks (WA beer, wine and cheeses), and importantly, allowing dogs! While we disappeared to have our photos taken we organised a local winery to give a tasting and had some outdoor games for people to play.

The cocktail reception under the stars followed where we served cocktail food like little fish and chips wrapped in the West Australian newspaper, a smorgesboard of cheeses from around the state and instead of having a wedding cake, we had a table of 7 different flavoured cakes for desert so people could chose their own. To continue with the relaxed vibe we gave everyone thongs so they could let loose on the dance floor (everyone was wearing these before we even arrived back to the reception!) and we set up a make shift photo booth so our photographer could capture the craziness! We had lots of little DIY elements that were so much fun to make and I like to think added a real personal touch. At the end of the night guests took home a jar of WA made preserves and hopefully memories of a really fun night!

One of the most important factors in our choice of venue was that we were able to have our beloved labrador Noogie with us on the day. He caught the bus with the rest of the guests and then roamed free for the afternoon/night to greet guests, sleep through speeches, search for food and even make an apparance in the photo booth! On the day Noogie wore a simple black tie to match his Dad’s and then went al la naturale for the reception! 

CREDITS:
Wedding Photography: Samm Blake / Wedding Dress: Hilde Heim / Ceremony: Woodbridge House – Guildford WA / Reception Venue: Riverside @ Woodbridge / Flowers: Flowers in the Garden / Make-Up & Hair: Friends of the Bride / Wedding Shoes: Cinderella Bella / Wedding Cake: Cakestacks / Invitations & Paper: Monique Welker / Doggie Tie: Modified Mens Tie from Target

Want your wedding featured on Pretty Fluffy? Send through your submission to serena@prettyfluffy.com Please include a zip file featuring 15-25 of your favourite photos (photos must be clear of watermarks and at least 600 pixels wide), and a brief description of your wedding day and how your dog was involved.