Brittany & Hugo’s Wedding at The Ensora: Four Pets, Two Pawprints, and a Whole Lot of Love
Some wedding guests arrive quietly, settle into their seats, and wait patiently for the ceremony to begin. At Brittany and Hugo’s intimate Legal Signing Ceremony at The Ensora in Richmond, Aslan had other ideas. With his broad head, muscular build, and rather imposing appearance, he might initially seem like a dog you’d approach with some caution. But it took only a few seconds to discover that he was far more interested in making friends than looking intimidating.
All Kit had to do was call his name, and Aslan would come bounding towards her, delighted to deliver an enthusiastic kiss. He was affectionate, sociable, and apparently determined to make sure nobody left without receiving some love. Our officiant, Kevin, was an especially willing recipient, and as the wedding unfolded, it became clear that the affection was very much mutual.
Caught on Camera: The Officiant and His Four-Legged Friends
Kit wasn't originally scheduled to work that day. But when she heard that Brittany and Hugo would be bringing both a dog and a cat to their wedding at The Ensora, she decided to come along with her camera. It wasn't every day that we welcomed both canine and feline guests to the same ceremony, and she was curious to see how the two would take part.
Alongside the couple's interactions with their animals and the ceremony itself, Kit's camera captured a rather entertaining series of moments involving Kevin. Between his officiating duties, he somehow found opportunities to exchange affectionate kisses with both Indy the cat and Aslan the dog. Judging by the photographs, these weren't isolated incidents either. Fortunately, Kit was there to document the evidence.
Four Pets, Each With a Story
For Brittany and Hugo, their animals are part of the family they have built together. And like any family, each member has a story.
Indy du Kleetbos is a Chartreux cat with a rather regal personality. She joined the couple after her previous owner, an elderly woman who had cared for her since kittenhood, could no longer look after her.
Phoenix was rescued from a farm, where he had been the runt of the litter. Once small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, he has grown into a strong, spirited cat with an unexpected talent for playing fetch.
Then came Storm, their sociable snow-white cat. Brittany jokingly mentioned that they seem to have a preference for odd numbers when it comes to cats.
And finally, Aslan.
His name means "lion" in Turkish, a fitting choice for a dog with such a commanding appearance. He joined the family after Brittany and Hugo bought their first house, when his previous family could no longer care for him.
Although, judging by his behaviour at the wedding, Aslan seemed considerably more interested in cuddles than living up to his lion-like name.
Over time, these four animals became part of Brittany and Hugo's everyday life together.
When Brittany temporarily moved overseas, the family had to be separated. Aslan and Indy accompanied her, while Phoenix and Storm remained in the Netherlands.
By the time of the wedding, the four animals had been apart for almost a year. For various reasons, Phoenix and Storm hadn't been able to join the others in Vancouver.
But Brittany and Hugo had some happy news to share: the separation would soon be coming to an end.
After nearly a year apart, they were looking forward to having their whole pack together again. We were genuinely delighted to hear that.
And while Phoenix and Storm couldn't be there in person for the wedding, Brittany and Hugo had made sure they wouldn't be left out of the celebration.
Two Human Witnesses, Four Beloved Pets
Brittany and Hugo invited just two friends, Maria and Tina, to witness their marriage.
With four beloved animals included in the occasion, two attending in person and two from overseas, this was possibly the first ceremony we'd hosted where the pets outnumbered the human guests.
It was also one of those weddings that reminded us how much happiness can fit into a very small gathering.
Throughout the ceremony, Hugo held Indy in his arms. Aslan stayed close to Brittany, who would regularly reach down to stroke him.
There was nothing particularly ceremonial about these gestures. They were simply the familiar ways people interact with the animals they love.
And perhaps that was what made them so lovely to watch.
The animals didn't need to sit perfectly still, behave like formal guests, or wait for a designated moment to receive affection. They were simply there, being themselves, while Brittany and Hugo got married.
There was laughter, tenderness, and more than enough happiness to fill the room.
Two Pawprints, Representing Four
After Brittany and Hugo made their marriage official and Maria and Tina signed the legal documents, it was time for Aslan and Indy to leave their own marks.
Through Pawfect Witness™, the couple invited their animals to add pawprints to a Unity Certificate, a symbolic acknowledgement of their place in the family.
Of course, the legal witnesses were Maria and Tina. Aslan and Indy's participation was something different, but no less personal to the couple.
And those two pawprints carried a little extra significance.
Aslan and Indy were also representing Phoenix and Storm, who couldn't attend in person.
Pawfect Witness™ was created from our belief that animal companions can have a place in wedding celebrations, while giving couples an opportunity to support animals beyond their own families.
Brittany and Hugo chose to donate to HugABull Foundation and RAPS, extending their celebration to organizations helping animals in need.
It was lovely to see all four members of their animal family acknowledged, even with an ocean separating them.
Although, as we soon discovered, one of those overseas family members had found another way to participate.
Storm Was Watching
After the ceremony, Hugo showed us something we hadn't expected.
The wedding had been livestreamed for family overseas. And in the Netherlands, there was apparently another viewer following the proceedings.
Storm.
Hugo played a video showing their snow-white cat watching the livestream, looking intently at the screen while Brittany and Hugo were signing their marriage documents.
We have absolutely no idea what Storm thought was happening.
Perhaps she recognized familiar faces. Perhaps the moving images were simply fascinating.
Either way, we couldn't stop smiling.
There we were, thinking two animals had attended the ceremony, only to discover that Storm had been watching from thousands of kilometres away.
It was quite possibly the most unexpected wedding livestream audience we'd encountered.
A Champagne Toast, Aslan Style
To finish the celebration, Brittany and Hugo shared a champagne toast. And naturally, we couldn't leave Aslan out. While the humans enjoyed their champagne, Kit prepared a little bowl for him. His version was, of course, just water. A much more dog-friendly vintage.
Aslan seemed thoroughly pleased with the arrangement. In fact, he enjoyed it so much that Kit ended up serving him a second bowl. And each time, Aslan responded in the most Aslan-like way possible: by giving Kit a kiss.
Two bowls of water. Two thank-you kisses. We'd call that a rather successful toast.
A Familiar Feeling
Watching Brittany and Hugo together with Aslan and Indy brought back memories of our own wedding, when our beloved Fi Chai was right there beside us.
We remembered the comfort of having him close, and how little else we needed to make that moment feel complete.
There was something familiar about watching Hugo hold Indy and Brittany gently stroke Aslan throughout the ceremony.
Their animals weren't accessories to the occasion. They were part of the life the couple shared, and it felt perfectly natural for them to be there.
Of course, every couple imagines their wedding differently. Some want a room filled with relatives and friends. Others prefer a small gathering, with only the people and companions closest to them.
For Brittany and Hugo, two friends and their beloved animals made for a celebration filled with happiness.
And we understood that feeling.
The Affection Went Both Ways
After the wedding, Brittany left us a lovely review, saying that we had gone "above and beyond to include our pets."
Reading those words made us smile.
Perhaps it was the little things: the attention given to Aslan and Indy, the freedom for them to be part of the ceremony, or an officiant who apparently couldn't resist sneaking kisses with both of them.
Or perhaps it was the two bowls of very exclusive, alcohol-free champagne served to a particularly appreciative dog.
Whatever moments Brittany had in mind, the affection certainly went both ways.
Kit had come along because she genuinely wanted to capture this wedding. Kevin had clearly enjoyed every opportunity to interact with the animals. And both of us were grateful to witness a marriage where the couple's love for their pets was so openly expressed.
And there was one more thing that made us smile: Brittany and Hugo had told us that their whole pack would soon be reunited.
After seeing how much these four animals meant to them, we couldn't have been happier for the family.
We hope that before long, Indy, Aslan, Phoenix, and Storm will all be together again, sharing the same home, the same everyday moments, and, knowing Aslan, probably quite a few more kisses.
For Brittany and Hugo, it was their wedding day.
For us, it was one of those ceremonies we'll remember with a particularly big smile.
See the Celebration in Motion
From Aslan and Indy’s pawprints to the champagne toast, some moments are even better seen in motion. Here’s a little glimpse of Brittany and Hugo’s wedding day.
