Zazie and Kristi speak to Nicole Ettenhofer, VP of Growth and Strategy at George Street Photo & Video, about pet-friendly ways to get cute wedding photos with your pet.

As people increasingly consider pets to be part of the family, they want to involve them in their wedding. So what you can you do to make sure you get some great photos that include the pet, without overwhelming them? We begin with a personal story from Nicole that will have you tearing up in a good way, and which shows you can trust her tips to be pet-friendly.

A wedding is a big event and most pets are not used to big gatherings, so we get Nicole’s tips on the preparation that people should do in advance of the celebration. A pet handler can help to make sure things go smoothly, and we talk about the kind of things they should do.

Pets can play a wide range of roles in a wedding, from being the ring-bearer to simply making a brief appearance. We consider the best ways to involve them and how to take the pet’s personality into account. Nicole has ideas for getting your pet to cooperate with having their photo taken, but she also reminds us to make the most of those cute moments when the pet does something unexpected—often these unplanned moments can make the best photos.

And although you might assume that we’re talking only about dogs, cats and bigger animals like horses and llamas also get a mention.

Finally, we talk about the books we’re reading.

About Nicole Ettenhofer:

Nicole Ettenhofer is the VP of Growth & Strategy for George Street Photo & Video, a national wedding photo and video company based in Chicago, IL with experience serving thousands of customers and offering best in quality wedding coverage at an affordable cost. With over a decade of experience in the wedding industry, Nicole is an expert in wedding trends and couples photography and has helped the company achieve accolades such as The Knot’s Best of Weddings every year from 2020-2024, The Knot’s Best of Weddings Hall of Fame for the company’s commitment to quality and value and WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice 2024. Before joining George Street, Nicole served as a thought leader within the event and hospitality industry for over 20 years. As for her personal life, Nicole resides near Denver, CO with her husband and two dogs and is an avid hiking enthusiast.

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About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

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Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat.

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