Tears as Couple Turns Their Wedding Into a Farewell for Their 19-Year-Old Dog
When we think of weddings, we all envision the usual: a joyful day filled with nothing but happy tears & endless laughter as two people celebrate the beginning of a new chapter. A day without a trace of sadness. That’s exactly how one Australian couple, Ryan and Libbee Dyer, imagined their wedding day would be when they first started planning for it. (Watch Video Above)
But life had other bittersweet plans.
As their wedding day was fast approaching, their beloved dog, 19-year-old Jack, was running out of time. Jack was more than just a pet to the couple; he was a special member of their little family. Jack was the furry best friend who’d seen them through different seasons of their life as a couple. In fact, Jack was Ryan’s childhood dog. This sweet senior had witnessed Ryan & Libbee’s love story blossom from the very beginning.
Sadly, Jack’s overall health had deteriorated drastically due to old age. By the time the couple was counting days to tying the knot, they had already made the heartbreaking decision to schedule him for euthanasia. But Ryan and Libbee couldn’t imagine putting Jack down without giving him a proper goodbye for all the years of unconditional love he’d shown them. So, they decided to dedicate their wedding day to celebrating him as their way of saying goodbye.
“He’s Going to Heaven”
The couple wanted to make Jack the center of their wedding, and they did exactly that when the big day arrived. They set up a cozy, decorated spot for Jack where guests could have a one-on-one moment with him as they said their goodbyes. Throughout the entire ceremony, Jack felt overwhelmingly loved as guests came up to pet him, give him treats, and thank him for being such a wonderful dog.
“He is going to go to heaven on Monday, so this weekend, as much as it’s our celebration, it’s a celebration for Jack as well. Just so everyone we love can say goodbye to him…I feel like he’s touched a part of everyone’s lives in his 19 years,” the beautiful bride, Libbee, explained in an emotional Instagram video posted by their wedding videographer.
The couple paid their tributes to Jack, took countless photos with him, and gave him a front view of them exchanging their heartfelt vows to each other. Even though saying goodbye to Jack on their special day came with its fair share of sadness, Ryan & Libbee wouldn’t change a thing. They honored their sweet boy just as he deserved, and to them, nothing would have made their wedding more special than this.
A Life Well Lived
Jack’s 19 years of existence were full of love, adventures, warmth, and beautiful memories. Ryan and Libbee always included him in family trips, even in his senior years. They made sure their four-legged best friend had a wholesome life, just as every dog deserves. When Jack was 18, the couple took him on an unforgettable ride on the Puffing Billy, Australia’s oldest steam locomotive.
“We do everything with him. We’ve taken him to New South Wales, South Australia, and we took him on Puffing Billy last year,” Libbee revealed in the video.
