Instead of flowers, this bridal party posed with rescue puppies wearing tiny flower crowns
This Florida wedding has gone to the dogs -- literally.
When most people envision their dream wedding, ideas usually include romantic sunset photos, karaoke to classic songs and the release of white doves.
For this couple based in Sarasota, Florida, their dream wedding meant puppies in the bridal party.
“We’re very involved with the community, and we wanted to give back to the community -- puppies with a local shelter was our choice to do that,” Andee Krasinski told “Good Morning America.”
When Andee and Tina Krasinski got married in Plant City, Florida, on Nov. 11, instead of bouquets, the couple’s bridal party carried rescue puppies down the aisle. The lifelong dog lovers said they wanted their wedding to send a message of support to local dog shelters and rescues.
“Our animals are our kids ... That’s how we look at them,” Tina Krasinksi told “Good Morning America.”
Both Tina and Andee share a love of humans' best friend. Tina has adopted dogs her whole life, and Andee currently works as the general manager at Bayside Pet Resort in Sarasota after years of working at dog shelters across the country.
“I've had to be the person that makes the decision of which animals I can keep and what animals I have to send on to another shelter and hope that they take them … it's a very hard decision to make -- to look at an animal and essentially say, ‘I choose you to live,’ Andee said.
Andee -- who came up with the idea -- said she was inspired years ago by a story she saw on "The Dodo," an online publication devoted to telling animal stories. A woman incorporated puppies into her wedding, and Andee knew she had to had include dogs in her wedding, too.
She contacted Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue, a shelter in their area that takes in about 2,000 rescues every year.
What the shelter offered her was exactly what she was looking for and more.
“It was very serendipitous … me contacting them and them just so happening to have 10 puppies from the same litter,” Andee said.
The litter had been born just five weeks prior with the “bluest eyes” Andee had ever seen on baby dogs. The couple emphasized that, for the most part, the puppies were well-behaved during the ceremony.
“Only one bridesmaid got peed on,” Andee laughed, “and it was just her hand.”
The couple also said that the 10 puppies interacted very well with their 3-year-old daughter Carter. Tina added that one puppy’s ill-timed scene actually helped ease their wedding jitters and lighten the mood.
“One whined during our vows and actually helped calm us. You know, we giggled instead of crying … It broke the ice a little bit and made me laugh,” Tina said.
In fact, the puppies did their job so well that the couple took one home with them. He is now named Swift, in honor of Taylor Swift, whom Carter loves.
Together, the Krasinskis have two cats and three dogs, including Swift. One of the other dogs, a 13-year-old Bichon named Mr. Boog Dinkleton, also served in the wedding, riding down the aisle in the flower girl wagon.
“In about a year's time we've now adopted four animals,” Tina said.
“But we're done. We're done. My next request is a baby,” Andee said.
The puppy love at the wedding turned out to be infectious because Andee said that now two other puppies from the litter have been spoken for and will be adopted later in the month once they get a little older.
The couple said they feel so “grateful” and “appreciative” of the support they’ve received, and they shared with “GMA” that they want to inspire others to learn about the importance of rescuing dogs.
The Krasinskis also hope their wedding leads to the adoption of all of their four-legged bridesmaids.
“I have no doubt that the attention that this brought them is going to help them find amazing homes,” Andee said.
“And not just them but all the other dogs (at Nate's Honor Animal Rescue) as well,” Tina said.
