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BY STEVE NEAVLING
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER[/FONT]
November 7, 2005
The moment Bobby and Gracie met, the two seemed made for each other.
Everywhere one went, the other followed.
So it came as no surprise when they tied the knot Sunday in front of about 70 friends and family members.
That the bride and groom each had four legs, a sunken black nose and a wrinkled face was another matter.
The pugs, ages 2 (Bobby) and 3 (Gracie), "love each other," said 79-year-old Susan Laurer, who wore flowers on her sweater to celebrate her Bobby's special day at the Animal Activity Center in their hometown of Clinton Township.
"Bobby loved Gracie at first sight. Now they play together, walk together and fight together."
The wedding was bittersweet.
With age taking a toll on her, Laurer handed over her beloved pooch to neighbors Frank and Cyndi Parise, Gracie's owners.
During the ceremony, Bobby moseyed down the aisle in a top hat, black tuxedo and red bowtie with his coiled tail wagging. After he took his place at the altar, his tongue flopped out.
The groomsmen and maid of honor -- pint-size chihuahuas in formal apparel -- sat obediently.
All eyes shifted as Gracie, her nails painted pink, sauntered down the aisle in a puffy white gown.
"We are gathered here today," said Pastor Joseph DeRose of Evangel Christian Church in Roseville, "to celebrate the joining of the paws of Bobbie and Gracie on this beautiful Sunday."
After some brief remarks, DeRose announced: "Now I introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bobby and Gracie Laurer."
The Baha Men's "Who Let the Dogs Out" rang from speakers.
Cameras flashed as the couple walked back down the aisle, past the rows of smiling humans and about 20 canines. Some of Laurer's family members drove more than two hours to attend.
"It was sweet," said Laurer's niece, Pat Spiewak, of Midland. "They were made for each other."
During the reception that followed at the center, the newlyweds dug into a two-tiered, bone-shaped cake with a pink heart in the center. The dog-friendly ingredients included peanut butter, carob, whole wheat and cream cheese.
A pile of gifts sat nearby.
No chance of puppies for this couple. They've been spayed and neutered.
The wedding cost $1,200.
"It really adds up," said Cyndi Parise. "But it was worth it."
Frank Parise smiled when asked to recall the moment the canines' eyes first met. Bobby was a few months old, he said.
"They took to each other right away," he said.
A honeymoon planned?
"I don't know," he said. "We'll have to think about that."
Detroit Free Press
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER[/FONT]
November 7, 2005
The moment Bobby and Gracie met, the two seemed made for each other.
Everywhere one went, the other followed.
So it came as no surprise when they tied the knot Sunday in front of about 70 friends and family members.
That the bride and groom each had four legs, a sunken black nose and a wrinkled face was another matter.
The pugs, ages 2 (Bobby) and 3 (Gracie), "love each other," said 79-year-old Susan Laurer, who wore flowers on her sweater to celebrate her Bobby's special day at the Animal Activity Center in their hometown of Clinton Township.
"Bobby loved Gracie at first sight. Now they play together, walk together and fight together."
The wedding was bittersweet.
With age taking a toll on her, Laurer handed over her beloved pooch to neighbors Frank and Cyndi Parise, Gracie's owners.
During the ceremony, Bobby moseyed down the aisle in a top hat, black tuxedo and red bowtie with his coiled tail wagging. After he took his place at the altar, his tongue flopped out.
The groomsmen and maid of honor -- pint-size chihuahuas in formal apparel -- sat obediently.
All eyes shifted as Gracie, her nails painted pink, sauntered down the aisle in a puffy white gown.
"We are gathered here today," said Pastor Joseph DeRose of Evangel Christian Church in Roseville, "to celebrate the joining of the paws of Bobbie and Gracie on this beautiful Sunday."
After some brief remarks, DeRose announced: "Now I introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bobby and Gracie Laurer."
The Baha Men's "Who Let the Dogs Out" rang from speakers.
Cameras flashed as the couple walked back down the aisle, past the rows of smiling humans and about 20 canines. Some of Laurer's family members drove more than two hours to attend.
"It was sweet," said Laurer's niece, Pat Spiewak, of Midland. "They were made for each other."
During the reception that followed at the center, the newlyweds dug into a two-tiered, bone-shaped cake with a pink heart in the center. The dog-friendly ingredients included peanut butter, carob, whole wheat and cream cheese.
A pile of gifts sat nearby.
No chance of puppies for this couple. They've been spayed and neutered.
The wedding cost $1,200.
"It really adds up," said Cyndi Parise. "But it was worth it."
Frank Parise smiled when asked to recall the moment the canines' eyes first met. Bobby was a few months old, he said.
"They took to each other right away," he said.
A honeymoon planned?
"I don't know," he said. "We'll have to think about that."
Detroit Free Press
