Dogs Act as the Flower Girl and Ring Bearer at Owners’ Wedding and Make All the Guests ‘Go Aww’ (Exclusive)

Newlyweds Amanda and David had two special members in their wedding party — their dogs, who served as flower girl and ring bearer.

“They’re our fur babies, but we pretty much treat them like children,” the bride, Amanda, tells PEOPLE of golden retriever Aria and miniature Australian shepherd Ayce.

“They’re very, very special to us, a huge part of our lives,” she adds of the canine duo. “And with a wedding being such an important aspect of our lives, we wanted them to not only attend it but also be a part of it because it’s just really sentimental to us that we celebrate with them.”

Amanda and her husband, David, welcomed Ayce in March 2020 when he was 4 months old and Aria in February 2023 when she was 2 months old. The couple started training their dogs when the pets joined the family.

“It’s a really fun event to kind of put their training to the test,” she says, noting that David came up with the idea for the dogs’ roles in the ceremony.

When the Oregon couple tied the knot in Portland in August, Aria carried a flower basket down the aisle with Amanda’s sister, which delighted guests.

“They were screaming and really, really excited and really happy,” Amanda says. “There’s a video of her walking down the aisle, and you can hear the crowd go ‘Aww’ the whole time.”

They also incorporated the pair of pooches by serving cocktail napkins with their faces, saying, “Drinks on us. Love, Ayce and Aria. ” They also used customized drink stirrers and cocktails named after the canines.

The couple bought a custom-made floral collar for Aria and a boutonniere for Ayce from Poppy Flowers to create the dogs’ festive looks.

They also hired two dog trainers from Wags & Garlands, a service that specializes in dog sitting for weddings and special occasions.

“It was really nice because we were able to really enjoy our wedding ourselves without having to worry about them,” Amanda says. “And the dog trainers were amazing working with both Ayce and Aria and then making sure our guests were able to say hi.”

She adds that the trainers helped calm Ayce’s anxiety about being around crowds and interacting with strangers.

“When I think of our wedding, I really think of them and all the little features that they played a role in,” Amanda says of Aria and Ayce.

The celebration also featured a “pawty” in which she and David shared their first dance with the two dogs.

“It was just really sentimental to be able to spend a little bit more time with them on this very, very busy and special day,” she says.

Since sharing footage of the big event on Instagram, Amanda says she’s received a lot of messages from people who are considering including their own pets in their nuptials.

“I think it’s not only fun and enlightening to see dogs be part of the wedding but also inspire other dog parents to do the same and train their dogs to hopefully be able to walk down the aisle with them,” she adds.