How to dress horse for wedding?

K

KikiDee

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 August 2025
Messages
489
Visit site
My horse is being dropped off at my wedding venue for some photos with us on our wedding day 🥰

He will be plaited up but I'm stuck on what to 'dress' him in 😁 I would love a pearl browband but I don't think I want to take him in a bridle as he is quite mouthy with his bit and will be gaping and slobbering in all the photos 😳

I've been searching for something similar like a smart leather headcollar with a pearl browband but I don't think they exist! Does anyone have any suggestions or know where I could get something from please? Or do I just go with a plain white halter?
 
Wedding number 2 for Ted, he was a busy boy that year.

Congratulations on your wedding. My advice having done it twice with a horse, is unless you are 100% confident that your horse will be bombproof at the venue and with everything you are asking him to do, you do need a bridle on him. His handler can have a cloth to wipe his mouth clean for the photos before he is handed to you. I used a plain leather cavesson bridle with a brass and leather lead rein. Don't oil or soap the lead rein, just use furniture polish buffed up on it. Soap or oil will get on your hands and then your dress.

If you use a wreath like I did over the head, have a practice first and if fresh flowers watch he doesn't eat them before the photo's ! Avoid traditional hoof oil, you are guaranteed to get it on your dress, use the quick drying varnish.

Don't let your guests feed him canape's !. Have a shovel and bag hidden in the bushes just in case ! and above all have the most wonderful day.
 

Attachments

  • 509427033_10238055949238896_3472460392882725706_n.jpg
    509427033_10238055949238896_3472460392882725706_n.jpg
    271.5 KB · Views: 92
AdorableAlice said:
Wedding number 2 for Ted, he was a busy boy that year.

Congratulations on your wedding. My advice having done it twice with a horse, is unless you are 100% confident that your horse will be bombproof at the venue and with everything you are asking him to do, you do need a bridle on him. His handler can have a cloth to wipe his mouth clean for the photos before he is handed to you. I used a plain leather cavesson bridle with a brass and leather lead rein. Don't oil or soap the lead rein, just use furniture polish buffed up on it. Soap or oil will get on your hands and then your dress.

If you use a wreath like I did over the head, have a practice first and if fresh flowers watch he doesn't eat them before the photo's ! Avoid traditional hoof oil, you are guaranteed to get it on your dress, use the quick drying varnish.

Don't let your guests feed him canape's !. Have a shovel and bag hidden in the bushes just in case ! and above all have the most wonderful day.
Click to expand...

Thank you, brilliant tips and beautiful photos! 😍

He is sharp as sh*t (so he'll look good in the photos) 🤣 but he goes out regularly to competitions etc. so I know what I'm dealing with and he'll just think it's another day out and be confused where the warmup is! 😅 Even at his most 'extra' he will behave in a headcollar, he's not really a pushy horse, he's just gobby in his bridle and will have his mouth wide open constantly 🙄 but I'll chuck one on the lorry just incase.

He won't be getting involved in the actual wedding or meeting any guests, our venue has some lovely quiet outdoor areas so he is literally being boxed over by a competent friend, unloaded for pics with me and then will go home again. 🥰
 
Cloball said:
My old boss had little white rose buds plaited into her horses mane, he was a dark bay.

A friend of mine also had a flower wreath and went with a bridle for her boy.

I decided against taking my nutty pony although the hacking from my venue would be amazing. I had runaway bride visions.
Click to expand...

Yes I have no intentions of riding mine in my dress even in my wildest dreams. He can't even cope with an exercise sheet 😅 But on that note I may practice swishing around him in some noisy rustly clothing ahead of the wedding so he isn't too terrified of me on the day 🤓
 
The lady at the venue was super keen, there was even a little paddock. But the drive down the access road terrified half the wedding guest without a horse on board.
KikiDee said:
Yes I have no intentions of riding mine in my dress even in my wildest dreams. He can't even cope with an exercise sheet 😅 But on that note I may practice swishing around him in some noisy rustly clothing ahead of the wedding so he isn't too terrified of me on the day 🤓
Click to expand...
 
KikiDee said:
Thank you, brilliant tips and beautiful photos! 😍

He is sharp as sh*t (so he'll look good in the photos) 🤣 but he goes out regularly to competitions etc. so I know what I'm dealing with and he'll just think it's another day out and be confused where the warmup is! 😅 Even at his most 'extra' he will behave in a headcollar, he's not really a pushy horse, he's just gobby in his bridle and will have his mouth wide open constantly 🙄 but I'll chuck one on the lorry just incase.

He won't be getting involved in the actual wedding or meeting any guests, our venue has some lovely quiet outdoor areas so he is literally being boxed over by a competent friend, unloaded for pics with me and then will go home again. 🥰
Click to expand...
Have the best day ever.

Ted was a lot more hands on, the first wedding was outdoors and he was in the back row watching the ceremony. My husband was hiding in a bush with a bag and shovel. I handled him and was given the most lovely picture by the photographer, with the church slightly blurred behind us and him and I watching the ceremony. He was such a star that day and only had one moment of worry, that was when everyone cheered and clapped when the bride and groom had their first kiss, but he just clung on to me a bit. He is a huge horse and I did need a bridle on him. Given his back history I felt so proud of him that day. His manners held out throughout and he even told me he needed a pee so we disappeared round the back of the building and found some gravel. The guests loved him and he lapped up the attention, my only concern were the ladies in their strappy little sandals and a gentleman who told me all horses love Guinness and stuck a pint glass in Teds face.

Second wedding was indoors and he watched through a window. This wedding had a number of disabled wheelchair using children. The way my enormous horse interacted with those children moved me to tears, it isn't appropriate to post those pictures. He knew he needed to be careful and gentle.
 

Attachments

  • c7c60ad5-dff6-4200-9ec6-36c0e4affebe.jpg
    c7c60ad5-dff6-4200-9ec6-36c0e4affebe.jpg
    132.1 KB · Views: 87
AdorableAlice said:
Wedding number 2 for Ted, he was a busy boy that year.

Congratulations on your wedding. My advice having done it twice with a horse, is unless you are 100% confident that your horse will be bombproof at the venue and with everything you are asking him to do, you do need a bridle on him. His handler can have a cloth to wipe his mouth clean for the photos before he is handed to you. I used a plain leather cavesson bridle with a brass and leather lead rein. Don't oil or soap the lead rein, just use furniture polish buffed up on it. Soap or oil will get on your hands and then your dress.

If you use a wreath like I did over the head, have a practice first and if fresh flowers watch he doesn't eat them before the photo's ! Avoid traditional hoof oil, you are guaranteed to get it on your dress, use the quick drying varnish.

Don't let your guests feed him canape's !. Have a shovel and bag hidden in the bushes just in case ! and above all have the most wonderful day.
Click to expand...
This is the most sensible advice.
Done plenty of carriage horses for weddings, also lent a mare to side saddle the bride to venue - BRIDLE! Every time.
If hellbent on a headcollar, OP can buy a fancy browband to slip on the headpiece, but I wouldn’t, even if the horse is quite used to weddings.
 
Tack that twinkles do beautiful browbands to order if you decide to go with a bridle. If you choose to stay with a headcollar they also do stunning headcollars with stones on the noseband.
I am sure they would be able to help you with whatever you choose.

Congratulations and have a lovely day!
 
Exasperated said:
This is the most sensible advice.
Done plenty of carriage horses for weddings, also lent a mare to side saddle the bride to venue - BRIDLE! Every time.
If hellbent on a headcollar, OP can buy a fancy browband to slip on the headpiece, but I wouldn’t, even if the horse is quite used to weddings.
Click to expand...

Thank you! He won't actually be exposed to the wedding as I think that would totally overwhelm him. We are getting married at a venue on a country estate, so he will be coming in the 'back gate' for some nice pictures in the grounds set back from the venue with just myself and other half, then popped back on the lorry to go home. But I will pack a bridle just incase he does come off the lorry a bit of a live wire! 😁
 
I did my friends horse for her wedding.

He had matching roses in his mane to her posy, and the bridesmaids.

He also wore a sash in pink, baby blue and white, with her name and her husbands name , plus the date of the wedding.

15yrs later, she still has it.

He wore a bridle with a sparkly browband. He loved every minute of it.
 
Britestar said:
I did my friends horse for her wedding.

He had matching roses in his mane to her posy, and the bridesmaids.

He also wore a sash in pink, baby blue and white, with her name and her husbands name , plus the date of the wedding.

15yrs later, she still has it.

He wore a bridle with a sparkly browband. He loved every minute of it.
Click to expand...

I do already have a bridle for him that has a diamanté browband actually, but I have no sparkle on my dress or anything so wasn’t sure if it would look odd!
 
KikiDee said:
Good idea thank you!
Click to expand...
It probably isn’t, you know.
KikiDee said:
Thank you! He won't actually be exposed to the wedding as I think that would totally overwhelm him. We are getting married at a venue on a country estate, so he will be coming in the 'back gate' for some nice pictures in the grounds set back from the venue with just myself and other half, then popped back on the lorry to go home. But I will pack a bridle just incase he does come off the lorry a bit of a live wire! 😁
Click to expand...
have a fabulous day! (and a lovely, long, married life….)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top