In many cultures, there’s a wedding tradition that the groom isn’t supposed to see the bride in her dress before the actual ceremony. That typically makes for a happy, tear-inducing “first look” moment, when the groom finally turns and sees his beautiful future wife.
Hana, a photographer from Oregon, knew she wanted that precious “first look” at her own wedding. The thing is, she wanted to have that important moment with her dog, Gumbo.
Hana, who goes by @mycaninelife on Instagram, shared:
“My only request for my wedding was that I get a first look with my dog. He’s my lifeline, my calm after every storm, and the bestest boy.”
The bride usually gets what the bride wants, and so on the day of her wedding, photographers were ready to capture the shot. 7-year-old Retriever mix Gumbo was dressed in a little half tuxedo as his mom, dressed in her traditional white gown, crouched behind him.
Hana later shared photos and videos to Instagram of the “first look” between her and her beloved pooch. Both look as happy and in love as anyone would be on the day they take the next big life step.
“It’s not a surprise that everyone you meet falls in love with him. Thank you for being my sunshine when everything looks dark. If there is anything that shows the love between us, this is it. I love you Gumbo.”
Hana’s other two dogs, Maple and Aslan, were also there to celebrate the union of their humans.
Planning A Dog-Friendly Wedding
To be clear, Hana’s husband is totally on board with the “dogs before anything” mentality. In another post, Hana explained how they planned their wedding “specifically around” her dogs.
“Before I even knew who I was gonna marry, I knew that whatever dogs I had, they would be a part of my wedding. After I met Jared, the dogs became a part of our identity as a couple.”
The couple chose a dog-friendly outdoor venue and recruited friends to be dog wranglers on the big day. The wranglers helped pose the dogs, walk and feed them, and checked on them during the ceremony so Hana could focus on the happiest moment of her life without worry.
“Everything went perfectly and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she added.
Through her account @mycaninelife, Hana shares beautiful photos of her dogs and documents their indoor and outdoor adventures. The family has 128,000 followers, and I’m about to be one of them.
Toledo, United States.
