What Do You Think of Pet Weddings? – The New York Times

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student opinion
The events have recently become more popular. Why do you think that is? Would you attend or even host one?
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By Shannon Doyne
You’re about to read an article that describes the growing trend of weddings for people’s animals, including cats, dogs and even cows. In one ceremony, 80 canine pairs were united in marriage. But before you read the article, finish this sentence: Animal weddings are ______.
What do you think: Is this a good diversion for our times? A fine reason to throw a party? A waste of time or money? Something else entirely?
Odds are you’ve never hosted an animal wedding. But have you ever done anything out of the ordinary to celebrate your pets or their role in your life?
In “Love Is in the Air. So Is Dander,” Sean Malin writes about the trend. The article begins:
On Dec. 4, 2021, Twixie and Cowboy, both 2-year-old Brussels Griffons, were married at the Dallas home of the bride (Twixie), in the backyard. She wore an appliquéd lace bodice with a ruffle of layered tulle at the waist. The groom donned a handmade silk-cotton tuxedo and top hat.
In front of a makeshift chapel set up for the occasion, a ceremony was led by Sam Palmeter, whose Brussels Griffon, Grinch, attended and is a friend of the couple. Fig, another Brussels Griffon, served as a flower girl.
Later, four-legged guests enjoyed a meal of puppy chow from Vestals Catering in Dallas (which also caters events for humans), as well as a puppuccino bar and activities including a ball pit.
The nuptials cost about $25,000. Twixie’s owner, Tara Helwig, 37, a fitness coach in Dallas, and Cowboy’s owner, Makayla Wilson, 22, an epidemiology data analyst in Phoenix, split the bill.
The two and their canines met at a Brussels Griffon hangout in February 2021. The dogs soon became “boyfriend and girlfriend,” said Ms. Helwig, who started planning the wedding with Ms. Wilson after the owners and their pets visited each others’ homes.
Of the 40 Brussels Griffons invited, 37 attended. “It just turned out to be way grander than anticipated,” Ms. Helwig said.
Ms. Wilson, who handled the guest list, said that she and Ms. Helwig intended to throw “the most epic dog wedding.”
“We were not just going to do a photo shoot,” she added. “We wanted to do more than that.”
Celebrating a union of two animals, or even an animal and a human, is not a new concept. But as the pandemic forced many human couples to put ceremonies on hold, more people began to “think outside the box and write their own rules, and that’s especially true when it comes to pet weddings,” said Hannah Nowack, an editor at the wedding planning and registry website The Knot.
Last June, employees of Village Pet Supplies & Gifts in Luzerne, Pa., hosted the “Holy Catrimony” of Toby and Noelle, two local cats, at the store. Noelle’s owner, Melissa Sulima, an attorney in Pittston, Pa., had the idea after her cat became enamored with Toby, who lives at Village Pet Supplies, in videos that were shared on its Facebook page.
Following a string of successful in-person dates, every human who witnessed their chemistry agreed that the cats belonged together, “and it just exploded from there,” said Ms. Sulima, 42, who adopted Noelle in 2019 from Rescue Warriors Cat Rescue in West Pittston, Pa.
Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
You probably began this article with a firm opinion on the topic. Did that opinion change as you read? Why or why not? Did you learn anything surprising?
Now that you’ve read the piece, what do you see as the potential benefits of hosting a pet wedding? The potential drawbacks? Would you attend such a celebration if invited? Would you host one?
Do you think animals experience friendship or romantic love? Do you think the animals in your life have emotions that you can accurately interpret? How do you go about discerning what an animal is feeling?
What wedding described in the article would you most like to attend? Why?
Many pet owners go to great lengths to pamper and celebrate their pets. Have you ever had a beloved pet? What have you done that is out of the ordinary to show love and appreciation for him or her, or for the animal’s role in your life?
Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
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