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Two dogs ‘who are deeply in love’ got married at South Carolina animal shelter

Duke and Honey got married at a county-operated animal shelter in South Carolina, and the elaborately staged affair included formal attire, a wedding cake and vows
Duke and Honey got married at a county-operated animal shelter in South Carolina, and the elaborately staged affair included formal attire, a wedding cake and vows JCM Photography photo

Two dogs got married Thursday at a county-run animal shelter in South Carolina, and the event was formal in the extreme.

That meant tossed flowers, live string music and exchanged vows, concluding with “you may now lick the bride.”

Greenville County Animal Care hosted the event in part because the groom, Duke, is one of its former shelter animals, according to shelter spokeswoman Paula Church. The shelter is about 110 miles northwest of Columbia.

“Duke and Honey are sweethearts who are deeply in love,” Church told McClatchy News. “It’s the first time we’ve ever done this, so we don’t know quite what to expect. But it’s going to be quite an affair.”

By that, she means Duke and Honey, who are owned by the same family, were afforded “a high dollar two-legged wedding” with all the same amenities as human couples.

That’s due entirely to the involvement of Greenville-based WeddingFestivals.com, a bridal show producer that envisioned the affair as a chance to raise money for the shelter. (In lieu of gifts for the couple, it asked that donations be made to the shelter.)

“There’s going to be formal flower arrangements, a maid of honor, best man, and the groom and bride will have a formal clothes fitting. The bride is even getting a beaded bodice and a veil,” Church said, noting the professional vendors are taking the affair “very seriously.”

“It will be all the things you’d have for a human wedding, though I’m assuming the bride’s maid will need help tossing flower petals down the aisle. If we’re lucky, we’ll get her to hold the basket in her mouth. There’s even going to be a photographer and string duo performing.”

Formal invitations were sent out Tuesday, welcoming the public.

However, most of the food was made for dogs, so snacks for human attendees was limited to cupcakes and punch, Church said.

This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 10:08 AM with the headline "Two dogs ‘who are deeply in love’ got married at South Carolina animal shelter."

MP
Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a state reporter for The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News outlets in North Carolina. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. 
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