Can My Dog Be Included in a Live Wedding Illustration?

Can My Dog Be Included in a Live Wedding Illustration?

If your dog is coming to your wedding, there's a very good chance they're not just a pet.

They're part of the family.

So one question couples may wonder when booking a live wedding illustrator is:

“Can you draw our dog too?”

The answer is absolutely yes — and recently, I finally had the chance to illustrate my first four-legged wedding guest!

My first dog wedding guest

At a recent wedding, amongst all the beautifully dressed guests, there was one particularly fluffy guest waiting for a portrait too.

A dog!

It was actually my first time illustrating a dog live at a wedding, and I loved being able to include them alongside their humans.

There was something especially lovely about seeing the finished portrait knowing that this little family member had been included in the wedding memories too.

And, unsurprisingly, the dog received plenty of attention from the other guests throughout the day!

Does my dog need to sit still for a portrait?

Thankfully, no.

And I think most dog owners will be relieved to hear that!

My live wedding portraits are created from reference photographs, so there's no need for your dog — or your human guests, for that matter — to sit beside me while I draw.

I can take a quick photograph when they're comfortable and settled, then work from that while they get back to the much more important business of exploring the venue, receiving cuddles and looking for dropped wedding breakfast.

It keeps everything relaxed and means the portrait doesn't interrupt your day.

What if my dog can't attend the wedding?

This is where illustration can become even more personal.

Not every venue is dog-friendly, and sometimes an older or nervous pet would simply be happier at home.

That doesn't necessarily mean they have to be left out of your wedding illustration.

If there's someone — or a furry someone — you'd really love included, it's always worth asking me before the wedding.

Depending on the illustration you'd like, I may be able to work from a clear reference photograph instead.

I love finding little ways to make wedding portraits feel genuinely personal to the people receiving them.

Pets are part of the story too

After illustrating so many wedding guests, I've realised that the portraits people treasure most aren't necessarily the most elaborate ones.

They're the ones that mean something.

For one person, that might be a portrait with their grandparents.

For someone else, it's their children dressed up for the occasion.

And for another couple, it might be a little illustration of themselves with the dog who's been beside them through house moves, rainy Sunday walks, wedding planning and everything in between.

That's what I love about wedding illustration.

It doesn't have to follow a rule about who counts as a “wedding guest”.

If they're important to you, they're important to the story of your day.

Planning a dog-friendly wedding?

If you're planning a dog-friendly wedding and would love your four-legged guest to have their own portrait too, please tell me about them when you enquire — bonus points if you send me a photo!

I'm a Cheshire-based live wedding illustrator travelling to weddings across the UK, creating personalised guest portraits with instant prints for your friends, family and, apparently now, your dogs too.

I'd love to hear about your wedding — and meet your smallest, fluffiest or most enthusiastic guest. ✿