Featuring For the Love of Paws!

QUICK Q&A:

How did you get your idea or concept for your business? At the time, a lot of my friends were getting married. I remember talking with a co-worker of mine about how it would be awesome to have your pet at your wedding. This led me to come up with For the Love of Paws!

What is unique about your business?For the Love of Paws is the first wedding pet coordination company in the New England area. All of our handlers are certified and trained to work with dogs. We make it possible for our couples to not only have their fur babies be there on their wedding day but also be a big part of it. Our handlers will ensure that your pup walks down the aisle, poses for pictures and is well taken care of throughout the entire day.

How did you pick the name of your business? I wish there was a fun or cool story behind the name but it just kind of came to me when I was coming up with the concept of the company. I was sitting in my living room with my pups, talking to my husband, boyfriend at the time, and I just spit out the name For the Love of Paws. I loved it so much and thought it was a perfect way to integrate both the love from weddings with pups.

Tell us a little bit about your background in your career prior to starting your business. I am a certified dog trainer and animal behaviorist, which has helped me a lot throughout the years. Prior to starting For the Love of Paws, I was helping friends and family members train their pups as well as volunteering at animal shelters. I have always had a passion for working with animals. I actually grew up riding horses and competed all across the country. I knew from a young age that I wanted to work with animals.

What is something you are most proud of in your business? I am extremely proud of how far For the Love of Paws has come in just a few short years. We have handlers all across the country, helping couples be able to have their furry friend at their wedding. I am even more proud of all of my FLP handlers. FLP would not be where it is today without their hard work, dedication and passion for animals.

What motivates you? My biggest motivation is all of the dogs that I get to work with, of course. There is nothing better than working with so many great pups and helping them be such a big part of their owners wedding day. I always think about my favorite quote, “Dogs might be in just a small part of our lives, but to them, we are their whole life.” This quote hits home every time I hear it. Dogs have such an important role in our lives. It only seems right that they are with us on one of the best days of our lives.

Tell us about a memory you have from a past wedding that sticks out in your mind. My biggest memory is from one of my very first weddings that I ever worked. I had a client who wanted to have their 3 year old niece walk their pup down the aisle. The client’s pup was a little wild and could be hard to wrangle. I remember practicing with the little girl a few times before it was game time and it being a disaster. She was getting pulled everywhere and running down the aisle. I was totally blown away by how amazing they both were during the actual ceremony! The pup actually sat halfway down the aisle and looked at the guests on either side. Everyone thought it was the cutest thing ever and it turned out to be an incredible wedding.

Who has been your greatest inspiration My dad has been my biggest inspiration. He has shown me what a little hard work and passion can get you.

What do you do in your spare time to decompress? I spend a lot of my time cooking, hiking and working out. I love living a healthy and active lifestyle, so I spend a lot of my time experimenting with different foods and creating new recipes.

If you had to give one piece of advice to couples planning their wedding, what would it be? Don’t get caught up in all of the little details. When the day finally does come, you won’t be thinking about what color chargers you picked out. You will be so focused on your partner and your love for each other that those little details you stressed so much about won’t be a thought in your mind.