Looking to celebrate your big day with majestic and loving friends? Horses are one of the most intelligent, powerful, and stunning animals on Earth. For the perfect horse wedding, you’re going to need to know a few things before you begin your big day with these brilliant creatures.
When & Where to Incorporate Horses
First things first, you’ll need to decide during which parts of the wedding you want the horses involved, how much you want the horses involved, and where.
Here are a few possible options to consider for horse placement. Feel free to incorporate some, if not all of them during your perfect horse wedding.
Grand entry
Option #1: Ride in style to the aisle on horseback or arrive by horse and carriage.
Option #2: Instead of walking down the aisle, ride down the aisle to make an unforgettable entrance. Be sure that your aisle is wide enough to allow for a horse to easily move through.
Grand exit
If you prefer leaving your big day with a finale, riding horseback or being pulled by a carriage would be a sure way to conclude your day as one heck of a memorable horse wedding.
Bridal party pictures
Have your bridal party pose with horses for a stunning photo session.
Option #1: Each member of the bridal party could have their own horse, or you could have a few horses for your party to pose alongside and/or ride.
Option #2: Having horses in the background of your session for both the bridal party and/or the bride and groom’s pictures could make for a striking visual.
Bride and groom pictures
Have a horse prepared for both the bride and groom to pose with, engage with, and/or ride on. There are plenty of beautiful posing options when it comes to working with horses.
Miniature horse as your ring bearer
Another fun option to incorporate into your horse wedding: have a miniature horse to carry the rings down the aisle. This would be one of the cutest highlights of the day, I’m sure. Be sure to have someone to lead your miniature horse, a flower girl or ring bearer, so that you can ensure a safe arrival of the rings down the aisle!
Location is Everything
When choosing the perfect location for your horse wedding, you’ll want to be sure to stay away from busy venues such as city locations or loud distracting environments. Because horses hear more than double the amount of sound as humans do, picking the right location is vital.
This will ensure that your horses stay relaxed and comfortable during your dream wedding. You wouldn’t want them running away scared or reacting in panic. No, for the perfect horse wedding, you’ll need the perfect location!
Suggested Locations for your horse wedding:
• Ranches
• Estates
• Farms
• Fields with gated areas
Locational Requirements
Within the location of your horse wedding, you’ll need to locate a place to rest and house the horses. This could be a barn or stable. This will ensure that the horses have a spot to return to when they are not needed and help them stay comfortable while they wait. A comfortable horse is a much better companion on your big day than an uncomfortable one, for sure!
Choosing the right location for your horse wedding will allow the horses to be properly prepared and well-taken care of throughout the course of the day. They will need a spot not only to wait but to return to when the wedding is over.
You’ll want to make sure the horses feel comfortable and safe, giving them time to adapt to the environment. Weddings can be a nervous and exciting time for horses. With all those people and all those fun activities, you’ll want to make sure your horses are having fun too.
Horse Trainer
Having a horse trainer for your horse wedding is similar to the difference between a pinchy ill fitted shoe and the most beautiful shoe in your perfect size. A horse wedding without a trainer is a tight half-sized shoe that does the job, but not without a few blisters by the end of the night to show for it.
To ensure a beautiful wedding, you’ll want a trainer. It makes the world of a difference to have someone who knows how to handle horses when they are at their best, and when they are at their worst, on your wedding day. A horse trainer guarantees a seamless day and the horse wedding of your dreams!
Horse Trainer Research
Be sure to do some research to ensure you’re selecting the right fit for the job. Depending on your location, scout out some nearby ranches, and/or riding coaches to decide who would be the ideal trainer for your horse wedding.
Assistant Horse Trainer (Optional)
An assistant horse trainer would be someone who could get the horses’ attention for pictures and someone to take care of transporting them to different places throughout the wedding.
Having an assistant to help with the horses will come in handy, especially if you are dealing with multiple horses. You and/or your bridal party don’t want to be preoccupied with handling a multitude of horses throughout the day.
Be sure to pick someone who is not afraid to lead horses, tend to them in between events, and calm them down if need be.
Horse Wedding Pictures
Horse Photographer
A horse photographer is vital when it comes to your horse wedding. You’ll want someone who knows how to capture horses so that your portraits and pictures are top quality. You’ll need a photographer who is not afraid to get close and has preferably worked with horses before.
Although the idea of having horses in your pictures is enchanting, snapping a picture of your bridal party on top of a horse whose head is turned, nose is flared, or ears are tucked, is not going to make for the prettiest of pictures. You’ll want to select a photographer who’s been around the block before and knows how to capture these brilliant beauties in their prime environment. I’ve photographed many horse weddings, elopements and engagements and to help you get a better idea of my work in this area, you can check out this Western Elopement gallery and my Sage Creek Ranch Styled Shoot.
Your Horse Wedding
Pre-Interaction
Before the festivities begin, you and your bridal party may want to spend a few minutes interacting with the horses. This will ensure a connection is made between horses and riders. This will also help to make the horse feel safe with its leader for the day, and overall, get you in the mood for your perfect horse wedding.
Pro Tip: Have Horses Cleaned Beforehand
Have the horses cleaned beforehand so as not to ruin the wedding dress, bridal party, clothes, etc.
Horse themed games
Now that the day has gone on, a few horse themed games would be a wonderful addition to your horse wedding! Here are some suggestions:
• Pony rides for the kids
• Horseshoe throwing
Horse themed decorations
To add to the theme, here are a few horse themed decorations to consider:
• Horse shoes
•Hay bales
• Horse place settings
• Horse themed cake
• Gifts to bridal and groom party (horseshoe cufflinks option men/horseshoe jewelry women)
Your Perfect Horse Wedding
Now that you know the steps it takes to complete your perfect horse wedding, you’ll be ready to have the wedding of your dreams. With the help of a horse photographer, trainer, and the right location, you’ll be sure to shine alongside some of the world’s finest creatures. Be sure to have fun while enjoying your stunning horse wedding and if you’re looking for more tips and tricks for incorporating horses into your big day, be sure to check out my blog, Tips for Eloping With Your Horses.
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