For so many of us, dogs are members of the family. And weddings are about bringing together family and the people we love most. If your dog is in that lucky bunch, there are many ways you can include them at your wedding without causing the dog—or you—undue stress.

Here are some of our favorite dog-friendly wedding approaches (and one to reconsider) that we’ve seen from our past couples:

A dedicated handler

Hire a professional (like their regular dog-walker or dog-sitter) to chaperone your canine best friend on your wedding day, so that all of their doggy needs (like potty breaks, walks and playtime, and breaks from the action) are met, while you focus on you! Need recs? We have them.

Pet friendly hotels

If you don’t want to overwhelm your dog with the full wedding day, try getting ready at a pet-friendly hotel like the Fairmont Hotel Washington or The LINE DC, so you can have some quality time with your dog early in the day.

Photo op

Have your dog’s handler bring them for a guest appearance (I recommend 10-15 minutes tops) and some adorable must-have photos of the 3 of you! The beginning of family formals, or golden hour portraits, are great times wedding photos with your dog.

Engagement session

If your dog is high-strung, or gets overstimulated or nervous around crowds and might not do well at the wedding, instead incorporate them in your engagement session! Many photographers—us included—adore having your dog at your engagement session.

As a bonus, if you plan on having them for a photo op at the wedding, it gives both dog and photographer an opportunity to meet and get a feel for each other before the stress and time crunch of the wedding day.

There in spirit

Is it not in the cards or not your style to make your dog a wedding guest? You can still incorporate them by naming a featured cocktail after them, including a dog figurine on your cake or decor, or soliciting donations to a local animal shelter in their name on your wedding registry.

Consider with caution: Ceremonies

It can be so appealing to have your dog walk down the aisle! A gentle word of caution: just like small children, most of our beloved pets are, to one degree or another, chaos agents. If the potential for a memorable meltdown or unexpected moment appeals to you, yay!

But before you go down this route, do your pup (and yourselves) a favor, and if crowds, new situations, or anything else ceremony-related are likely to stress them out, take a beat and consider if their attendance is worth that discomfort—and whether there are better alternatives to include them in your wedding day.