A Dog-Friendly Wedding at UBC Boathouse: Kelsea, Jonathan & Gus | A Vancity Officiant Ceremony Story

We knew Gus was going to be a big part of this wedding before we even met him.

In the weeks before Kelsea and Jonathan’s wedding, we had quite a few conversations about Gus, their mini Bernedoodle.

When should he walk in? Who would bring him in? Could he walk down the aisle without a leash? Would he be okay staying at the front?

Kelsea wanted Gus to come in soon after she and Jonathan were both at the front. She wanted him beside them for the ceremony, and in their photos and videos. She also knew he might need a minute to settle down.

By the time I arrived at UBC Boathouse in Richmond with Kevin on their wedding day, I understood why we had talked about Gus so much.

About UBC Boathouse

One thing that made this wedding possible was having a venue where Gus could be part of the day. At UBC Boathouse, he was able to join Kelsea and Jonathan for the ceremony and stay with them at the front. If you’re planning to include your dog or another pet in your wedding here, we recommend confirming the venue’s current pet guidelines directly with the UBC Boathouse events team.

Gus was already everywhere

Before Gus himself appeared, there were already little details around the wedding that were about him. There was a display dedicated to him, with items for guests to take, and his face and name showed up in different parts of the wedding.

It wasn’t part of the ceremony. It was just clear that Gus was part of Kelsea and Jonathan’s everyday life, so naturally, he was part of their wedding too.

Then it was time for the ceremony.

After Kelsea walked down the aisle with her dad, Kevin asked everyone to welcome a special guest.

That was Gus.

He came down the aisle as their ring bearer, off leash, and joined Kelsea and Jonathan at the front.

And he stayed.

For most of the ceremony, Gus was simply there with them.

What Pawfect Witness means to us

Kevin and I started Pawfect Witness with a pretty simple idea. We never wanted to charge couples for including it in their ceremony. Instead, we ask them to make a donation to an animal charity.

For Kelsea and Jonathan, even that part happened naturally. Kelsea has been a long-term supporter of the BC SPCA and is a monthly donor. When she learned about Pawfect Witness, she also told us that she had recently made an additional donation. Kevin told her there was no need to make another donation just for the ceremony.

Knowing that she had already been supporting animal welfare long before the wedding made being part of their day especially meaningful to us. Pawfect Witness wasn’t introducing them to the idea of giving back. It was something they were already doing.

But we have also never seen Pawfect Witness as just a cute moment where a dog puts a paw print on a certificate.

Whenever a couple includes Pawfect Witness, Kevin and I talk about the pet before the wedding and work out what participation actually makes sense for them. The paw print is only one part of it.

Every Pawfect Witness ceremony is also a chance for a donation to go toward helping other animals. That has always been part of the idea.

The dog comes first

One thing Kevin and I have always been careful about with Pawfect Witness is the dog’s comfort.

Before the wedding, we ask questions. How big is the dog? What are they like around people? Who do they know and trust? Who will handle them on the wedding day? Where will they be during the ceremony?

Even something as simple as the paw print depends on the dog. For a small dog, doing it on a table might be easier. For another dog, staying on the floor might make more sense. We don’t want to lift a dog onto a table just because it makes a better photo.

The same applies to the ceremony itself. Some dogs are perfectly happy staying at the front with their people. Some would rather walk in, say hello, and leave with their handler. We work around that.

There isn’t one Pawfect Witness setup that every dog has to follow.

Getting the paw print is never more important than the dog being comfortable.

Planning around Gus

Gus was a good example of why we ask these questions.

Before the wedding, Kevin had already asked who would bring him in, whether he could walk down the aisle on his own, whether he needed a leash, and whether he would be comfortable staying at the front.

Kelsea explained that the person caring for Gus would bring him in, take off his leash, and let him make his way down the aisle. She also warned us that he might need a minute to settle.

So when the wedding day came, we weren’t expecting Gus to hit a mark, sit in one spot and behave perfectly for the camera.

We already knew what Gus was like.

Not every dog needs to do what Gus did

Of course, not every dog will do what Gus did.

We’ve had dogs who were excited, distracted or nervous during a wedding. Some are happy to walk down the aisle but don’t want to stay at the front. Some need to leave with a handler after a few minutes.

That’s completely fine.

Having your dog in your wedding doesn’t mean they need to stay for the whole ceremony. You plan around the dog you actually have.

For Gus, having someone dedicated to looking after him before and after the ceremony also helped. This is something we think couples should consider, especially when there isn’t a family member or friend who can be responsible for the dog throughout the day.

The couple shouldn’t have to watch the clock for a bathroom break, hold a leash while getting ready, or work out where the dog needs to go after the ceremony. That job also doesn’t automatically need to fall on someone in the wedding party.

A paw print, then back down the aisle

Later in the ceremony, after the human witnesses signed the legal documents, Gus joined Kelsea and Jonathan for his Pawfect Witness moment and added his paw print to their keepsake Unity Certificate.

At the end, Kelsea, Jonathan and Gus walked back down the aisle together.

Ring bearer, Pawfect Witness, and mostly just their dog.

I was filming from the side that day, and what I remember most wasn’t the paw print.

It was how normal it felt to see Gus standing there with them.

If you’re the kind of person who wants your dog with you all the time, you probably understand this already. You don’t necessarily want them to “do” something at your wedding. You just want them there.

That was what I liked about Kelsea and Jonathan’s wedding.

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Gus was there.

Featured in this story

Planning: Celine Wildeman, Above & Beyond Event Planning

Florals: Pioum Floral Rentals + Athiana Acres

Rentals & Décor: Debut Event Designs

Pet Care / Wedding Day Handler: The Doodle Box (@the.doodle.box)

Photos in this story documented by Kit Chan / Vancity Officiant.