by Audrey Poff, illustration by Brittney Osborn

The final dress fitting has taken place, the tuxedos have been ordered and invitations have been mailed. By the time this issue goes to press, we will be on a short countdown to wedding day.

Our youngest daughter, Sophie, and her fiancé, Reid, plan to marry in late August.

Sophie was just 1 year old when we started Jonesboro Occasions in 2003. It seems like only yesterday that she would accompany me to the office while her older siblings were in school. Some days she would entertain herself with crayons and a coloring book under my desk while I worked. Other days, she would create her own artwork at the office. I still remember finding her with “For Deposit Only” stamped repeatedly across her forehead when she was 2 years old. To her credit, she’s always been good at entertaining herself.

Weddings are big business these days, and I am so proud of the way Sophie has moved forward with wedding planning, especially while tackling her first semester of graduate school at A-State. It’s a lot to juggle, but she has stayed on top of it all, even while attempting to write a thesis.

For Rodney and me, it’s the fourth wedding in four years for our blended family of four. Each ceremony has been as unique as each of our adult children, and we have been blessed to be a part of each one. Venues have ranged from a beautiful outdoor wedding in Oklahoma to an elegant ceremony at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. We’ve had beautiful blue-sky ceremonies, as well as a beautiful garden ceremony that took place in a short but steady drizzle.

Later this month, Sophie and Reid will put their own spin on their wedding by incorporating their fur baby, a 1-year-old Golden Retriever named Hazel, as their Dog of Honor. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me a little nervous, but it’s really not than uncommon to include your dog in a wedding today. From flower collars to canine wedding attire, you can accessorize your fur baby for the big day and include her in your wedding photos.

Concerned about the logistics? We also learned that Hounds’ Hideaway, one of Hazel’s favorite places, offers packages to help couples include their favorite pet in the ceremony. Not only will they board your dog during your wedding festivities, they will also help get your pet to the ceremony on time and escort her back to Hounds’ Hideaway after her wedding assignment is complete.

I don’t know whether Hazel will steal the show or crash the wedding in ways unimaginable, but I do know that she has two parents who adore her. As soon as she sees that her humans are getting married, I know her tail will be wagging all the way down the aisle.

Congratulations, Sophie and Reid. May you enjoy a lifetime of love and happiness that grows stronger each day and the companionship of lots of good dogs along the way.