WYOMING, Michigan — A West Michigan woman is helping turn man's best friend - into best man.
When it comes to your wedding day, there are so many things to think about, so the thought of bringing your dog along might be out of the question. But now, a Wyoming woman has created a way to no longer worry about leaving your furry friend behind for those memories.
"I think it's just really an incredible experience to be able to have every member of your family, including the furry ones, at your wedding," said Ally Fuhs.
Fuhs is a dog trainer that travels all over West Michigan with her company, Captivated Canine. In September, she was in her good friends' wedding, and the couple was devastated at the thought of leaving their dog behind. So, Fuhs stepped in and offer to 'watch' their dog for the entire trip and wedding day because of her experience, and love for dogs.
Then an idea sparked to turn it into a new branch of her business called Wags & Weddings.
"I just see more and more of that type of close relationship with our pets," she said, "and I just think that they do add so much extra joy to that day."
Through Wags and Weddings, couples can hire Fuhs to handle and take care of their dog at their wedding ceremony, wedding pictures, and even the reception.
"It's a big day, and there's a lot of stress involved," said Fuhs, "and we don't want to necessarily have to ask one of our family members to be in charge of our pet all day because they're hopefully going to be enjoying the day too."
"I think it's really helpful to have somebody that is there just exclusively to make sure your pet is on their best behavior," she added, "and that you can have the greatest day possible with them there."
Fuhs said she'll work with the couple to make the vision for their pet's involvement come true, and they can have so many different roles throughout the day.
"If they're going to be really involved, I will work with them ahead of time to make sure the dog is trained to that level," Fuhs said, "and if they really just want their dog present at the wedding there for photos, that's totally fine too and I'll be with the dog off to the side ready to jump in whenever they're ready."
Fuhs said that because of her dog training experience, she'll be able to work with the dogs more easily to really achieve the expectations that the couple is looking for.
"I think it really just helps bring extra joy," she said, "but also relieves any like nervousness or jitters that day for everyone at the wedding."
And as a dog owner herself, Fuhs said she understands their value in people's lives.
"Mental health is something that has been a huge struggle for so many people during the pandemic, myself included," Fuhs said, "and pets, I think, have just made a huge positive impact on that."
And Fuhs hopes that through Wags & Weddings, she can create memories of a lifetime for families and their companions.
"I think to myself every day about how lucky I am," she said with tears in her eyes. "I love pets, and I really love working with people."
You can learn more about Wags & Weddings, or contact Fuhs about your own big day by clicking here or email captivatedcanine@gmail.com.
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