I am looking to hear/see how everyone has included thier horses in thier wedding? Did you ride in? Have them there? Or did you just include horse shoes in your decor?
Also, if you rode in, how did you navigate getting off in a big dress gracefully?
I’m planning on having our wedding at my parents farm, the horses may or may not be there, but they won’t be in the actual wedding. Haven’t set a date yet.
I’ve got a large bit collection that I may incorporate somehow. I might just hang them somewhere for photos with my mom (she’s the only other horsey one).
I’d like to do something like this for the center pieces.
SO does a lot of hunting, so a couple of the tables may have similar centerpieces done with antlers instead of horseshoes.
I’m planning on hiring a photographer (who knows horses) on a different day to do a shoot with me in my dress and the horses. I don’t even care if SO is there for that 
This is what several of my friends have done.
I rode sidesaddle down the aisle on a horse I was training - black TWH stallion. I put flowers and ribbons in his mane and tail and used a flat saddle covered with a black towel. My dad led him down the aisle. We gave him a small amount of tranquilizer so that none of the guests on either side were in any danger due to spooking. It worked really well. He was fairly alert, but calm. When I reached the end of the aisle, my dad handed him off to a “horse attendant” and helped me down. She led him behind the bridesmaids where he hung out during the ceremony.
older daughter had her wedding here at home …all the horses kept watching the proceedings and making a compete ass of themselves so we put them into their stalls
Younger daughter’s Golden Retriever was the ring bearer. she carried the wedding ring in a basket down the center aisle without chasing the rabbit that showed up
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I was engaged for a few years so in that time, had my farrier leave the shoes every time they got new ones. I cleaned them up and made my own table numbers with them, on wood slabs my dad made.
I didn’t want to have to worry about my horse at my wedding - I’d end up being stressed about if someone wrapped her right for the trailer!!
(Does that work? I can’t seem to add photos in the post itself.)
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My horse was explicitly barred from the venue, my mother’s backyard, for gross crimes of Garden Eating which he had previously committed in that location.
One of my barnmates made me cry two days before by saying “why don’t I ship him over, help you get on him with your dress, and then bring him back to the farm?” A very sweet offer and I was very touched.
A friend did canter in on her big white horse. Dress and all. It took practice, and he’s a very sane fellow.
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Not my wedding, but my horses are in the background of some photos of a wedding that happened earlier this year on the property I rent for them. The photographer obviously wasn’t a horse person because all of the photos show them looking like complete derps.
I saw a wedding where they used bits as the napkin rings. I thought that was really cute. They got a bunch of used ones from the tack stores in the area. Every used tack store will tell you they have way too many 4.5 inch snaffle o rings.
Many years ago, when the newspapers were laden with photos of engaged couples and extensive reporting on weddings (including a detailed description of your dress) a letter from mom was in my mailbox. It was a newspaper clipping folded up and a note that said something like “this guy doesn’t know what he is in for.” It was a head shot and her Appaloosa was between the grinning newlyweds. The groom probably thought he was #1 in her life.
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Not my wedding, but helped a friend.
She wanted her horse present on her wedding day, but was being married at a very formal venue. So she compromised on having her horse brought to her house prior to the wedding, and to having pictures taken.
Another friend and I worked on it. Days ahead of time had her wrap a sheet around her waist and walk around him/mount him. He was fine.
Day of the wedding, friend and I got to the barn early, cleaned him up (we had bathed him the day before), and trailered him to bride’s home in suburban NJ. One family homes on small lots. Pulled up to the front of the house. Bridesmaid came out and asked “Is that [the bride]'s horse?” (Who else’s would it be?)
Lovely horse walked down a narrow alley, edging past a window air conditioner, to a small backyard. This horse had shown hunter quite a bit–he obviously thought he was at a show, alert, looking around, probably wondering where the ring was, but pretty well-behaved. I was pretty confident at this point.
Then the bride came out in her dress. This sensible, low key woman had opted for something out of a Disney princess movie. Huge bouffant skirt, puffed sleeves, pearls and crystals. Big headdress with trailing veil. Wow. My heart sank.
Horse was great. We had a sheet over him to keep her clean. She tried to sit sidesaddle, but with all that satin she slithered right off. I picked up the dress and she somehow straddled him, with the dress sort of heaped up around her and trailing over his hindquarters. She got great pics of her on the horse with her future husband standing at his head (carefully, he was not a horse person but game). More pics of her with her bridal party.
The horse was wonderful–the only bad move he made was trying to eat the the groom’s boutonniere.
Once done, friend and loaded the horse, returned him to the barn, went to my house to clean up and dress, and went (a bit late) to the wedding.
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Well, if it was not for him, why was it perfectly placed right at nose level?
You’re a good friend.
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I didn’t include horses in my own wedding in any way, mainly because I didn’t want all my non-horsey relatives making comments about it the whole time. If I had included horse decor, I would have cousins coming up to me all night going, “I see there’s a horse on the napkin!” 
Plus, live horses are a pain in the butt and I didn’t need any additional stress.
But… the venue were we got married coincidentally had a neighboring horse farm (just a little backyard setup). That factored 0% into my choice of venue, I honestly barely even thought about it. Yet during our ceremony, the neighbor’s horses galloped up to the fence and watched. They are in all the pictures, in the distance right behind us. It couldn’t have been more perfect. 
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The reception was held on my little farm. We put a tent up in the small pasture, added some potted plants, and catered BBQ, lol. We tied the horses on the other side of a fence for formal pictures. Once those were done, we went inside to change and then saddled up and rode off for a quick ride around the farm. We didn’t spend that much, but insisted on paying for the wedding ourselves (both employed and making good money). We sold his house and moved to my farm. Then, sold that and headed to where we live now. Easy, low budget, comfortable, and everyone was happy because it was low key and fun. The flowers, photographer, pastor, baker were all neighbors or from our church. We actually were married in the church and did the reception at the farm. I think the whole thing, dress included, was less than 5K. We weren’t being cheapskates. We were both active duty and efficient, lol.
I rode my horse up to where my Dad was waiting. I had a short dress, but had practiced. Then after the ceremony, my (newly minted!) husband and I mounted up (he was on his horse, a white horse with a white tux) and we rode away!
We also had friends playing the music, it was "story book love’ because of course, we were being painfully gauche!
Neither of my personal horses were included in the actual day, because neither is well-behaved enough for that!
We did engagement photos with the horses, had horseshoes as part of the centerpieces (along with hockey pucks, for hubby), and we had a carriage and 2 Clydesdales. They were perfect and years later people still talk about them! Was fun to have horses included but not have to worry about my own. Would definitely give thought if this is something you/your horses would enjoy, if not perhaps think about other ways they could be included besides live. Best of luck!
Saddled up both horses outside our house in San Francisco, rode down the street to the venue, in the door, down the aisle, dismounted at the “hitching rail” we made, and got married. Boom. Good times.
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Pictures pictures pictures
Was on my farm, so we passed by them.
Spotted Silkie hen was my boutique.
Sorry about the logo, if you used to use that company, you know they have gone batshyt crazy and you may be having huge problems accessing your own images now. =(
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My first wedding took place at the barn where I taught lessons and worked with the 4H kids (and my now-ex was the barn’s farrier). We used the indoor arena as outdoors in February in northern Oregon was too questionable. The 4H kids decorated the arena and the horses. My dad led my horse to start:
The pastor - who was afraid of horses but a family friend and a very good sport - performed the brief ceremony from a decorated mounting block:
And yes, we took a victory lap when it was over:
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We had our pictures done at the back of the farm and stopped for some pictures with the horses. Only thing they did wrong was try to eat my bouquet in the picture where I was holding both horses.
