“Say Yes to Your Furever Best Friend”: A Styled Wedding Shoot for Shelter Dogs

Weddings are about love, connection, and happily ever afters. But what happens when that same energy gets poured into helping shelter dogs get the attention they deserve?

Orlando-based photographer Mike Fried of Sonacity Photography brought together a dream team of wedding professionals for a styled wedding shoot for shelter dogs unlike any other—complete with tuxes, veils, florals, and gourmet dog treats.

The twist? The stars of the shoot were some of the longest-residing pups at Orange County Animal Services (OCAS), with the dog handler Allison, @pupsofocas, all still waiting for their forever homes.

With creativity, compassion, and a whole lot of puppy kisses, this project blended wedding-day magic with a cause that hits close to the heart. Below, Mike shares how the idea came to life and why so many local vendors jumped at the chance to be part of it.

I used to volunteer with a group that would take intake photos of shelter dogs, and honestly, it was one of the best parts of my week. Every dog was cuter than the last. One day, my wife and I went to the shelter, you know, just to look. (Which we all know is code for “you’re definitely going home with a dog.” )

While we were walking through, one of the pups actually recognized me from her intake session a couple days earlier. She raised her paw and jumped up to get our attention like, “Hey, remember me?” We took her out to the yard to play, and she immediately gave us this big ol’ hug, stood up on her back legs and wrapped her front ones around us. At that point, she had us wrapped around her little paw. We knew she was ours.

I’ve always been a dog person, so when the opportunity came up to help them out while also doing photography, it was an easy yes. I think it was back in 2018 when I first got involved with Pawsitive Shelter Photography (shoutout to them!).

Some friends were volunteering and mentioned it to me, and that’s how I got looped in. Sadly, the group had to pause during COVID, but the time I spent with them was amazing. They did so much good and gave so many dogs a chance to be seen.

After PSP closed, I still wanted to help the shelter, but I figured, why not switch it up? I started thinking of creative ways to get more eyes on these dogs. Different themes felt like a fun way to make things fresh and reach new audiences. We’ve already done a ’90s shoot, a candy-themed one, and a few others. This styled wedding shoot for shelter dogs is actually our fourth one!

I teamed up with two rockstar wedding planners, Brittani from Love Out Loud Events and Yulieth from Radiant Events & Design, and we brainstormed what eventually became Say Yes to Your Furever Best Friend. It’s like “love at first sniff.”

I’m a sucker for a good theme, whether it’s a party or a photoshoot, and I think a lot of people connect with that kind of creativity. Weddings are all about love and commitment, and we’re tapping into that same emotion, just with a four-legged twist.

Plus, when you have so many vendors involved, it really expands the reach. Everyone shares, posts, and tags, so the dogs are getting seen by a way bigger audience. It’s not just a cute photoshoot, it’s a full-blown awareness campaign wrapped in tulle and bowties.

Oh man, it’s a blast. The second a dog walks in, the whole room goes “Awwwwww!” It’s like clockwork.

We try not to overwhelm them right away, we let the dogs get used to the space, sniff around, maybe run off a little zoomie energy. Once they’re feeling good, we bring them to the set. They’re showered with treats by Jamie, Woof Gang Bakery SODO, pets, and love while they’re in the spotlight.

It’s a little loud (we’re near the kennels, so there’s a lot of background barking), but every person there is focused on making the dog feel like the star of the show, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. And if a dog needs more time to warm up? No problem. We go at their pace.

That’s something I coordinate with OCAS. I’ll ask which dogs have been there the longest, which ones haven’t had much social media love, or which ones might need a little extra attention to get noticed.

The volunteers at OCAS have amazing instincts and know these dogs inside and out, so I lean on them a lot. If I had unlimited time, I’d try to photograph every single one.

Honestly, there’s always a moment that hits you right in the feels. One that stands out was a dog who came out super anxious. We let him chill for a bit, sniffed around, and once he felt safe, he walked right over to one of the models, plopped in her lap, and rolled over for belly rubs. Like, “Alright, I’m ready for love now.” It was such a sweet moment.

The dream? Every single dog gets adopted. That would be amazing.

But even beyond that, just bringing more eyes to the shelter and helping these individual pups get noticed is a win. If someone sees a dog they connect with, or they share the post and someone else sees it, that could be the moment that changes everything for that dog.

There are so many ways! OCAS is always looking for volunteers, people to walk dogs, play with them, give them love. If you’re a photographer, you can volunteer to take intake photos. I do this too, and it’s honestly such a rewarding experience.

Usually, Allison or Alexa from the shelter will bring the dogs out, and we just hang out, have fun, and try to capture their personality. It’s simple, it’s impactful, and it could be the difference between a dog being overlooked or adopted.

You get a styled wedding shoot for shelter dogs filled with amazing vendors who all just want to help a few dogs find their forever homes—and maybe sneak in some snuggles along the way.

It’s love, creativity, and community all wrapped into one.

While this wasn’t an adoption event, the heart behind the styled wedding shoot for shelter dogs was all about giving shelter dogs a moment to shine.

With the creativity and generosity of local wedding pros, these pups were celebrated, styled, and photographed to help increase their visibility—and maybe bring them one step closer to finding a forever home. It’s a beautiful reminder that the love we celebrate in weddings can extend far beyond the aisle.