Weddings and your horse

[PurplePickle]

Anyone having a wedding where thier horse is involved in anyway?

Would like to know how its planned what you are doing etc, I am thinking of doing something for mine , I would love to ride to church but how do you with a dress!

Also writing a piece about it so any info would help.

 

[jumpthemoon]

A friend of mine did this - she had sidesaddle lessons and her OH rode too - they went on horseback to the reception with a police escort

 

[ecrozier]

Awww thats so cool!
We just had photos taken with our horses before the reception, my friend (bridesmaid) plaited them up and put ribbons in their manes etc. They came out really nicely!

 

[mollymurphy]

Well Molly (the black in my sig) is broken to drive, so i want her to take me to church!

I was planning on riding Murph down the ailse, but he's no longer with us.

The others will be involved somehow, but i'm not even engaged (yet!), so have got time to think!

 

[sallypops]

i have always dreamed that popy would pull my carriage but i doubt it'll happen, i'll just take a picture of her with me lol!!

 

[meemzul]

I was meant to but family wouldn't let me as i was 4 months pregnant!!! How mean!

But my suprise was Mr Rowson our old huntmans arrived to take me to church with his horse and carriage!!!

 

[PaintboxEDT]

my boy is also a driving horse and he has been to many weddings so im hoping that one day if i ever get married lol and my boy is still able then i would like him to take me

 

[Theresa_F]

Our whole wedding involved the horses, our wedding invite went out from them - had their painted head shots at the top, inviting people to come to the Reid Rooms on 16 May and feed them minty cubes, at the end there was also a mention that Theresa and Andy were getting married. We actually got married in what was the old working stables.

Instead of bowls of favors, we had bowls of minty cubes. We both rode to where we had the actual ceremony and the horses met all the guest and were in the photos. Cairo was best horse and Jemima was mare of honour.

Cairo was exhausted at the end from holding his leg out to say please to people for treats.

First thing OH said when asking me to marry him, was that Cairo had to be there.

Wonderful day and the horses really made the occasion.

 

[miller]

Took a couple of liveries horses to the church ready for bride/groom to come out - all plaited up and shiny tak with ribbons/flowers matching the bridesmaids in their plaits - did look a bit iccky IMO with a bright chestnut wearing cerise ribbons

 

[Theresa_F]

Should have added that I have been married more than once, I rode my TB side saddle to my other wedding and my OH went in friend's pony and trap. My bridesmaid rode my TB back to the reception for me, following behind the trap.

With my recent marriage, I managed to find a place where I could have the wedding that had stables nearby where I could have an overnight livery and park the box. On both occasions, friends very kindly groomed for me on the day. I made up the flowers and ribbons for the mane and tail ready to be quickly attached and put flowers and ribbons on the bridles in advance.

I have to add, I have had very steady horses who were fine with being covered in wedding finery - my TB even had little bells in her mane, and with a wedding dress billowing everywhere. Poor Jemima had a side saddle put on her two days before and I just jumped on with a full wedding dress which went over her head - thanks goodness for a steady gypsy cob as I forgot about that happening to her.

Also helps if your OH loves horses too.

With your dress, sit bare assed on the saddle

to avoid creasing it and lay it out on top of the horse - don't have a long train and avoid laying it too far over the tail in case they poo! My first wedding dress was based on a victorian riding habit but with full skirt and the my second was a full skirted elizabethan type dress. I also used a dark red skirt first time and a silver grey second time to not show too many marks.

Finally watch out for stray poos catching out guests. Luckily Cairo and Jemima behaved themselves, but I did have a bucket and shovel carefully placed just in case at the reception.

 

[hadfos]

I would have loved to but would probably have been a bit tooo much for my lad,lol!he very good but....standing still outside a church whilst i had my photos taken could have proved very eventful,lol!!I wanted to put my dress on etc after the wedding and get on him but never got round to it unfortunately!!

 

[luckilotti]

i had planned to but, we ended up getting wed bonfire weekend so it wouldnt have been practical - when the horseys were travelling back fireworks would have been going off!
i had 3 options, my shetland taking me, my hannXarab or section D as they all drive or ride side saddle - couldnt do the side saddle as i am expecting twins and ended up with a dress with a huge train. the driving thing, would have been easy to get from the yard to church, but the reception was over 30min drive away via car, so wouldnt have been poss before it went dark.

my mum made enquires re a horse drawn carriage from a company specialising in weddings - even they wouldnt do it due to the time/weekend/distances. all they could offer was that i left the church in the carriage - stopped in a parking bay round the corner and then got in a car... in the end i had a lovely vintage car and we manged to have the roof off as the weather was so good for november!

 

[cheeky girl]

I was the opposite my wedding was my day to be clean, tidy in a gorgeous dress and I didn't want my horses anywhere near me

I do worship my horses but that was my day off. They only would of done something naughty to spoil it

 

[KrashnBurn]

I had a medieval wedding in October and my horse came. I made some Caparison for him and I think he looked super at the entrance to the castle we got married in.

PM me for details if you like

 

[shelly018]

My friend got married a few years ago and she had 2 horse and carriages to and from the church and I rode her horse behind them.

Was really nice, he had small flowers attached to his plaits and his tail was plaited with the flowers and subtle ribbons stiched into it. I wore the same colour button hole and tie and they had a sash made in ivory and gold which he wore around his neck.

She was able to get on him after the ceremony and have photos taken with was lovely. But, if you are planning on doing something similar, make sure you practise at home, as it took a couple of goes for him to accept the dress - we used old sheets!

Good luck and congratulations!!

 

[Donkeymad]

I had a surprise at my wedding when the lady who I kept my pony with, just turned up at the church with my pony, groomed to a shine and silver bows on her headcollar. Made my day

 

[AnnaJ]

I would love to turn up to the register office on Athena - my guests would look at me 'gone out'!!!!