A groom was surprised with a one-of-a-kind first look on his wedding day when he turned around to find his beloved sausage dog in a wedding dress looking up at him.
Madeline Savage Meineke, from Atlanta, Georgia, always wanted a dog growing up, but due to travel commitments playing competitive sports, a furry companion wasn’t on the cards for several years.
After graduating college, she thought it would be the perfect time to get a pooch – doting on sausage dogs because of how small they are and because of their fiery personalities, she said.
Having been dating then-boyfriend Quinn, 30, for around eight months, Madeline, convinced him they should get Pennie, a long-haired miniature dachshund, who they immediately fell in love with.
And so, leading up to the couple’s big day on April 6, Madeline started thinking of ways to incorporate Pennie into the occasion.
She first hoped Pennie could be the couple’s “flower dog,” only to find out strict rules at the venue would mean Pennie couldn’t walk down the aisle.
Madeline then decided to improvise, working with her photographer Claudia Goodwin, of Claudia Goodwin Films, to make “Miss Pennie” part of the first look shoot – and to be dressed up.
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Pennie donned her own wedding dress, and as Quinn turned around and didn’t see his wife-to-be, his initial shock then turned to absolute joy when he saw Pennie excitably looking up at him.
The pair then shared a loving embrace and were snapped in a series of fun shots at Christ the King Cathedral in Buckhead, Georgia.
Madeline said: “Pennie and Quinn didn’t realize what was happening, so when Quinn turned around, he thought he blacked out because he didn’t see me when he looked up.
“Then, he looked down, and there was our sweet angel in all her glory.
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“Quinn was surprised, but so was Miss Pennie – that’s when Pennie got excited because she realized it was her dad.
“Then they had their special moment to share.
“Since I hadn’t had my first look with Quinn at that time, I had to peek from a window, but I was able to see his reaction firsthand.
“It made me light up with joy that this eight-pound furry animal could bring so much happiness.
“The bond the two of them share truly made my heart swell with joy.
“I didn’t think the video would blow up as much as it did, but we have received such positive responses from every angle.”