June is Wedding Month: Weddings On Horseback
Monday June 1, 2009
I'm updating this blog post because brides-to-be are still sending me their ideas for weddings on horseback.
I've only been witness to one wedding on horseback. Bride, groom and attendants, including the minister who didn't know how to ride, rode out to a lovely spot on a favorite trail. My sister, a very accomplished horsewoman, safely accompanied the minister who rode a very quiet school horse. He was a very good sport about the whole idea. The bride and her matron of honor wore lacy white shirts, black pants and while not on the horse the bride wore a simple but elegant flowered band in her hair.
The service was held under a bower of pines and everyone walked or rode back to the stable. Afterward, the bride and groom held a reception in their new home. It was sweet, unusual and memorable. I've often thought, if I had to do it again (and hopefully not!) a horseback wedding would be very fitting. Do you have ideas for a wedding on horseback, or did your wedding include horses? Click on the comments link to tell us what you think!
Comments
my daughter rode sidesaddle into her wedding on a beautiful white Arabian, at Arabian Nights Dinner Theater in Kissimmee, FL. After the ceremony, the bride and groom left in a carriage drawn by a percheron. Most beautiful wedding I have ever seen.
My wedding was June 17th and my horse was the ring bearer. This was fitting since it was the horses that brought us together.
I’m engaged to be married in October of 2007, and we plan to include our horses in our wedding. We both grew up around horses, but my fiance didn’t own a horse when I met him. When he came to my barn to help me clean stalls on our second date though, I knew he was different from other “Cowboys” I’d met.
I plan to ride my TB mare (sidesaddle), and my ‘Cowboy’ will ride our Suffolk Punch cross gelding. People ask why I have such a long engagement planned – but really – I have to learn to ride sidesaddle (in a dress, for that matter!), teach my horse sidesaddle basics, AND plan a wedding – I need all the time I can get!
I and my husband just got married in July 2006 on horseback. We had us and the maid of honor and best man also on horseback. The only reason we didn’t have the minister on horseback was unavailable at the time.
We had everyone that came to the wedding in chairs with stick ponys attached to the isle chair. The guys came in first and then my maid of honor and them at the end, myself. I and my maid of honor did not ride sidesaddle. Our dresses were full in enough to ride normal and I had a train that was part of my dress that draped over the back end of my horse.
My husband rode his Morgan and I rode my Quarter Horse. This did take us 18 months to plan. But worth every minute of time it took.
I am planning my wedding right now, It will be in Oct. of 07. We are already married, but never had a big wedding, so now that 3 years has past, we are getting married on our horses. Me on my gelding him on his, and my brides maid will be on a horse and so will the best man and preacher. I am having a lot of fun picking out decorations. I will also have to work with my horse so that he will tolerate a wedding dress on his back. Doesn’t help I have a spooky horse. I am so excited and I can hardly wait…I amy have to move the date up..lol
I am getting married in March of 08, we are getting married on horseback as well, they are how we met. I have been married before but have no idea what to wear?
I’m getting married in september 07 and want to ride in on my horse. He’s a very bouncy and spooky lad and I haven’t ridden sidesaddle properly so prob will need to sit astride. Groom will prefer a dress, so it’ll need to be very full, or any other ideas anyone? I have acome across a sidesaddle hire place on internet which is tempting. Any comments??
I have been wanting my wedding to be on horseback. I have still a while to go before that big day since I am only 17 and still in high school. But I told my boyfriend since we have been together that I want out wedding to be on horseback he laughed about it. We have been together since I was 11 and he was 12. The reason I am choosing the horseback wedding thing is because he is a Farmer boy and I am a country girl. I have loved horses since I was little and I always dreamed of a fairy-tale like wedding but on horseback.
I have some ideas of how I want the wedding but I would like to know of different idea things to make this be a Perfect Wedding even though I know its not going to be perfect which is a good thing since it will be more fun. Every one in my family askes me all the time how do I plan on having it on horseback and then my parents tell me that I can’t do it. But what I had planned is me and him to stay on the horses through the whole wedding even kiss while we are on the horses. I was thinking out side theme with square hay bails for our guest seats and us with out cowgirl/boy hats on. If anyone knows of any ideas to make it almost perfect I would really like that.
I recently was married on July 5th 2008. And yes my horses were included! I’ve had horses since I was born and they are in my blood and are my family. My husband has been around them and accepts my passion for these beautiful creatures. I keep my wedding party very simple. The groom, an escort, and I. Me and the escort (who gave me) away rode up together to the ceremony from the other hill side where the reception was to be held. The ceremony was held in the middle of a beautiful HAY field, were the guests sat on chairs (would’ve been hay bales had it not poured the rain down the day before and would’ve ruined the hay). We had an extra large aisle that had hay bales and very cute but rustic looking wagon wheels. And at the end there was the preacher and my husband awaiting under a home-made arch over looking the rolling hills of WV, decorated around it were a few hay bales and more wagon wheels.
The guests were able to watch us ride from a far. And we allowed the horses to take there time and become acquainted with the large mass of people before pushing them on. Then we rode down the aisle to the awaiting preacher and my husband. At the arch my escort dismounted and him and headed my horse while my husband assisted me off (Rather watched as I gracefully dismounted from astride in a wedding dress with a train) Then we had a very short ceremony (the escort had walked the horses to the side and held them there). And on our walk back down the aisle we rode our horses. I had a mounting block covered in mossy oak fabric beside the arch that allowed me to remount without hassle.
After the ceremony guests were able to greet us while they awaited being transported over to the reception on the other hillside by riding in the beds of pickup trucks.
Me and my husband then rode over to the reception were we entered from a back entrance of the yard on horseback. The entrance was amazing because we surprised everyone. There we allowed for some pictures and then dismounted and had a two designated people take them back to the barn.
Our reception was decorated with Baby Blue/White and Mossy Oak accents. The centerpieces on the tables were Mason Jars filled with Blue/White Fake Carnations with bandannas under them and tiny hay bales around them. Our cake was a 3 tier with the center tier being a horseshoe. Then we also has another cake that was two horseshoes interlocked that kinda looked like heart.
My husband and the escort wore Wranglers, Cowboy Boots and Western Long Sleeve Shirts in ivory and mossy oak (husband) and green and mossy oak (escort). I wore a white strapless wedding dress with a small train. I had a seamstress add mossy oak camo fabric to the band around the top of the bodice and then had mossy oak camo sash. I wore my Cowgirl boots, with barbwire theme bracelet, and a horseshoe necklace made by Montana Silversmith. My hair was french braided. The horses were adorned in there normal western attire. We however did get white reins for them and I also purchased white saddle pads and had my seamstress put a band of camo fabric around them to give them a touch of the theme as well.
Would I do it all again…YES. Like I mentioned it had poured the day before, actually the week before. And we had no alternate plan, no matter what we were getting married this was. I said my prayers and we had a very beautiful day. Also, we planned this in 6 months (or I did with minimal help). My best advice to anyone planning a wedding…DON’T stress. It all works out just fine if you know what you want and take initiative to get it. But if you stress that’s when things will go wrong. My best advice for anyone planning a wedding with horses. Make sure they are sound, people safe, and willing to please.
I had a blast planning my wedding and telling everyone about it. (If you couldn’t tell.) So if you have questions or need ideas I’m willing to give advice. My email is Kountry_Rebel_15@hotmail.com
Thanks for sharing this story! Sounds like a wonderful day!
Im getting married 4-10-2010 and was wanting to know if anyone had any ideas on how long a train needed to be on the dress and any pointers on how to dismount from the horse. due to im riding in on horseback and then dismounting for the cermeony. you can email me at
texaspaintedfilly@hotmail.com
thanks amy
I have the same question! I am getting married in the fall of 2010 and I will be the only one on horseback. I’m going to ride our black and white spotted draft down the aisle using just a bareback pad. I’m not concerned with balancing while riding but how to dismount gracefully in a dress from such a large horse. I’m considering using a step stool decorated with flowers?? Any other thoughts?
I got married in 2006 and had my horses in the wedding. I rode to the wedding site with my niece walking next to the horse’s head. She was wearing her pony club formals as my attendant. I stepped off and she then took my horse and I met my Dad and we continued 40 ft. to the wedding site. After the ceremony my husband and I were met with both our horses after the recessional by my niece and we got on and went for a 15 minute ride by ourselves down a quiet laneway that was secluded from the guests.It gave us some private time before the party. It also was a chance to relax for a bit with just each other. Cool unplanned things that happened:
horse whinnied from trailer as bridesmaids entered and then whinnied again just before I came in with other horse like she was announcing us.
horse I came in on saw crowd and started to just “carry himself” like he was a model or something
people to this day tell me that we had a wedding they will never forget
HINT; buy a cheap wedding dress off ebay and practice all your stuff with the horses. I rode on and next to both horses in a dress with a giant train so they would be used to any blowing white ruffles, or noise. I practiced coming up to them in it and walking away on several surface types-cement,grass,stones etc. Both horses were great for pictures and beyond-do your homework!!!
At Grapevine Canyon Ranch in Pearce, AZ. we have hosted weddings on horseback as well as non-riding weddings for our guests.
Most of the brides and grooms go with complete western jeans wear for the horseback weddings.
The challenge of dismounting in a wedding dress is overcome by wearing jeans at Grapevine Canyon Ranch.
Check out http://www.gcranch.com and see how some of our guests held their horseback weddings for ideas for your special day.