Getting married this summer? Here’s how your horse can have a ‘mane’ role

(Image credit: SEAN_ELLIOTT_PHOTOGRAPHY-797)

You’re engaged! The lucky person, by this point, we assume is well aware that they will always be second to your beloved horse, perhaps they have even become your trusted competition groom. Our world revolves around our horses so it’s only natural to want to share the big day with our four-legged friends too. Wherever you choose to get married, here’s how your horse can have a ‘mane’ role, as explained by Rachel Fraser.

Ride down the aisle

With outdoor ceremonies becoming ever more popular, it’s never been easier to bring your horse to your wedding. You could even ride down the aisle like groom Steve did. Friend of the groom John Brindle explained that, as ‘a big romantic’, Steve wanted to surprise his wife on their wedding day, so John’s wife Christine suggested he ride down the aisle! Although he had never ridden before, Steve looked very at home in the saddle! Horse & Hound would always recommend wearing a riding hat to current safety specifications.

Although arriving on horseback takes some consideration (which style of dress you choose, for example, as a close-fitting sheath gown won’t allow you to straddle a horse!), it’s a fabulous way to arrive in true equestrian style. You’ll need some serious hairspray to create a hair do to cope with a riding hat, but it’s far from impossible and the veil can be clipped in last-minute once you’ve arrived. You could even decorate your helmet with flowers for a horsey take on the flower crown trend.

I dreamt that Billy – my Quarter Horse gelding – would walk me down the aisle. He’d been my partner in crime since childhood, so it seemed fitting that he should “give me away”. Much to my father’s relief though, we settled on a small wedding abroad, which sadly ruled out Billy attending. Desperate for him to be a part of our day, I discovered From The Tail Jewellery. They create all sorts: rings, necklaces and bracelets to name a few, made from your own horse’s hair. I will be walking down the aisle wearing a beautiful bespoke bracelet made from Billy’s tail hair. It does help that he’s palomino with a white tail, but if your horse’s colour clashed you could always opt to have the hair used in a pendant necklace instead.

You only wear your wedding dress once, right? Wrong! Why not get back into your gown for a glorious photoshoot with your horse? Who hasn’t dreamed of galloping their horse across a field, wedding dress flying in the wind? Alex Sharp Photography, based in Worcestershire, offers both on-the-day wedding photography and post-wedding horsey photoshoots. Her horsey background combined with her eye for photography helps her create stunning images for you to treasure.

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A features writer based in the West Midlands, Rachel wrote for a number of public sector organisations’ in-house magazines before going freelance. She has also written for national newspapers and lifestyle magazines on animal welfare issues. She is the proud owner of a quarter horse, Billy, traditional cob, Trooper, and miniature spotted pony, Hercules. She runs a small livery yard and enjoys all aspects of equestrianism, from Trec to eventing and more recently in-hand showing.

Getting married this summer? Here’s how your horse can have a ‘mane’ role

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