Horsing Around: Hiring Equines for Your Wedding

Do you dream of having a fairytale princess wedding? If, unlike Cinderella, you're not able to create magical horses out of mice, you'll have to hire horses from a local vendor instead. The good news is, there are plenty of options available, from horse-drawn carriages to prancing white ponies, for you and your sweetheart to ride.

Horse-Drawn Carriages

Renting a horse-drawn carriage is one time-honored way to incorporate a fairytale touch. Your approach will be heralded by the clip-clop of hooves. The bride and her bridesmaids may wish to arrive in one coach, while the groom and groomsmen arrive in another. Or the newlywed couple can ride away together into the sunset.

Ask the carriage rental company about the uniforms of their drivers and footmen. They may have several options available from royal-style attendants to old-fashioned Victorian ones. The right embellishments can complement your wedding's theme perfectly.

Many horse rental businesses will allow you to choose the color of your mount, so you can have an all-white horse to match your gown, or a pitch black steed to contrast it. However, specific coat colors are harder to reserve around popular wedding dates, so be sure to put in your request early. If you can't secure a team of fire-red horses to match your favorite lipstick, worry not–any horse will make a grand entrance.

Unless your wedding date has a 100% sunny weather forecast, you may want to rent a carriage with a convertible top. Ask rental companies what options they offer for protection from rain.

How many members are in your wedding party? The number of passengers a carriage can accommodate depends on carriage size and number of horses. If you're planning on transporting large groups, it may be more cost-effective to hire larger carriages.

Be sure to complete your wedding's fairytale look by choosing the perfect princess gown and tiara. Matching his-and-hers silver champagne goblets at your reception complete the Cinderella look. You might even splurge on clear "glass" slippers. Just be sure the event ends before midnight!

Horse Sense

Sure, your fiancé claims "wild horses couldn't drag him away" from your wedding altar. To make sure this is an actual impossibility, take a few precautions when dealing with your rented animals. Like humans, every horse has his or her own personality, so discuss your wedding requirements with the handlers to ensure you and your horse are well-matched. Never let a guest feed the horse any snack that has not been pre-approved by the horse's handler.

As romantic as movie horses look galloping along a beach in slow motion, working with real horses can be less than fairytale-perfect. Although professional horse rental businesses make every effort to train their animals to be calm in all situations, horses are still animals and can be startled by unexpected sights or noises.

Before you hire horses from a rental company, ask about their handling policies. Horses that are well cared for are better behaved and less likely to display neurotic behavior that can disrupt your wedding. Professional handlers will be able to show you their certifications and should be willing to give you a tour of their facilities so you can see the animals are kept in good conditions.

Planning your route? You can take a horse carriage on most roads (your carriage company will know the regulations in your city) but as a general rule, roads with less traffic are better. Horses travel around four to seven miles an hour, on average. Don't worry if you inspire some honking; professional carriage horses have been fully trained to be calm around traffic noises. You can also ask about hiring a traffic police escort to be on the safe side.

Horses play an important role in Indian weddings and many Asian ceremonies. Be sure to let the horse's handler know if your celebration will involve drummers, banners waving, money throwing, fireworks, or other traditions that may unsettle the animal, as not all horses have been trained around these stimuli and you want the animal you choose to be able to remain calm despite these distractions.

You can use a horse in your wedding photographs, your engagement photo session, or both. Be sure your photographer is comfortable around animals beforehand. Ask the horse's handler about adding ornamentation to the horse's mane and tail to match your wedding colors. To make an extra-special entrance and spectacular photo-op, consider riding a horse down the aisle.

Animal rentals aren’t limited to just horses. Some companies will hire camels for an exotic touch, or you can hire reindeer to pull a sled for winter weddings. Horse rentals aren’t limited to just weddings, either. Pony rides are always a hit at children's parties. And horse carriages can create the perfect transportation for an anniversary celebration, or can carry you to dinner or a night at the theater. For the truly romantically ambitious, you can even use a horse to pick up your date for the senior prom. Just be sure to choose calm, experienced animals and comply with all safety regulations; your imagination should be the only thing running wild.