PHILADELPHIA -- When Angela Agnes was planning her wedding, she knew she wanted Rylee, her pit bull-German shepherd mix, to be the canine flower girl.

But Agnes said that would require finding someone to bring Rylee to and from the ceremony, and to look after the pup while she was there.

“I was like, ‘Anyone I would trust with my baby is going to be at my wedding,’” Agnes said, recalling how she described the dilemma to her lifelong friend, Oriana Principe.

Agnes and her husband wished they could outsource the task to a trustworthy third-party, so none of their guests had to be on dog duty.

And so Waggy Weddings was born.

Agnes and Principe, who have never lived more than four blocks apart in South Philly, already ran the pet-sitting and dog-walking service, Waggy Little Rascals. In 2022, they expanded their offerings to include wedding-day dog-wrangling.

On clients’ big days, Waggy Weddings attendants — including Agnes and Principe — drive pups to and from venues, coordinate furry “first looks,” help dogs mingle during cocktail hour, and even provide personalized aftercare so pooches can decompress from all that socializing.

“We’re with you for the whole process,” Principe said. “If there is an outfit you want the dog in, we will dress the dog. When we get to the venue, we’ll have them greet the guests if that’s something you want.”

Waggy Weddings’ packages start at $400, and are typically customized with à la carte offerings, such as pre-wedding training sessions or post-wedding overnight stays.

The goal is “to make things as hassle-free as possible, so that you can enjoy your day,” Principe said. “We will handle everything with your dog.”

During initial meetings with clients, Agnes and Principe said they can feel couples’ stress levels decrease. Sometimes, clients discover the service after other dog-attendant options fall through.

“It’s a huge relief for them,” Agnes said. “They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we want this so bad. It would make our day actually perfect.’”

Laura Principato felt that way when she learned that Agnes and Principe, who already walked her dog, Fletcher, were offering wedding-day services. At the time, Principato was planning a May 2022 wedding at the American Swedish Historical Museum, and knew she wanted her beloved 110-pound Doberman-Great Pyrenees mix included in the day.

“But the logistics of that are kind of difficult,” said the 32-year-old teacher from South Philly. Without Waggy Weddings, “I actually don’t even know what we would have done,” especially since it ended up downpouring the entire day. The Waggy crew kept Fletcher clean and dry under an umbrella and were constantly wiping his paws.

Some of Principato’s most cherished moments of the day: kissing Fletcher after walking down the aisle, and taking family photos with the pup.

One of those photos now hangs in her home. Another is displayed in her classroom, where it gets many compliments from parents and students.More couples want their dogs at their weddings

As pet owners increasingly pamper their canine companions with luxuries such as holiday gifts and private dog-park outings, it’s no surprise that animals are also being included in milestone moments.

About 1 in 5 married couples included their pets in their weddings, according to a recent survey by Chewy, an online pet supply retailer. Demand for wedding-day pet care has grown in recent years, and more businesses are offering the service, according to the wedding planning website The Knot.

Still, Agnes and Principe said Waggy Weddings is usually the only dog-attendant business at the Philadelphia-area wedding expos they attend. And couples at the events aren’t always familiar with the concept.

“Some people do get confused,” Agnes said. “They think that we physically —”

“Marry dogs,” Principe said, finishing Agnes’ sentence with a laugh.Crafting a perfect furry first look

Once couples learn what Waggy Weddings really does, the dog lovers often get excited to include their fur babies in such special moments.

Even after dozens of weddings, Agnes said she still gets choked up witnessing the unbridled happiness of dogs and humans throughout the day. The moment that always gets her, she said, is when a pup greets their people after the ceremony.

“Everybody’s cheering and happy, and the dog’s waiting for them at the end of the aisle, and they take them and walk off,” Agnes said. “I cry every time.”

Principe, meanwhile, said she always looks forward to the first look, where the dog gets to see their humans in wedding attire for the first time.

“It’s just the sweetest moment, because the dogs are so excited. It’s just straight butt wiggles,” she said. The reveal usually happens from a few feet away, and you can almost see the dog think, “Oh, I need to run for them.”

Then, they take off.

For Principe, of course, the moment is never completely stress-free. She has paw wipes in hand to ensure no white dress is dirtied. But, in some sort of wedding-day magic, the interaction always goes off without a hitch, and with a few excited barks.

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