Kelsea and Jonathan planned their UBC Boathouse wedding with one important guest in mind: their Mini Bernedoodle, Gus. From walking down the aisle as ring bearer to staying beside them during the ceremony and adding his paw print to their Unity Certificate, Gus was simply part of the day.

Boris had already helped shape their family years before leaving their pawprints on their ceremony.

The Wangwang Memorial Bench in Richmond, BC, remembers Wangwang and her three puppies, gives unseen animals a place in our collective memory, and offers rest to those who continue to stand for animals. By Kit Chan and Kevin Leung, founders of Pawfect Witness™ and Vancity Officiant

Pawfect Witness™ began long before it had a name. From Fi Chai, the only witness to our own marriage, to Fagu and Maji finding their way home, this is the story of how one deeply personal belief grew into something larger: that every animal deserves to be seen, acknowledged and remembered.

Pawfect Witness™ began in weddings with a simple belief: every animal life deserves to be seen. Today, that belief is growing beyond ceremonies through remembrance, acknowledgement and projects such as the Wang Wang Memorial Bench in Vancouver, creating a place for animals and the people who care about them to be seen.

A pet-inclusive wedding ceremony is not about allowing pets to be present, but about acknowledging their role within the relationship and integrating that meaning into the structure of the ceremony.