BRIGHTON, Colo. (KMGH) – A pair of newlyweds shared a very special moment with their terminally ill dog when she served as the witness at their wedding in an emergency veterinary hospital shortly before her death.
Newlyweds Randy and Alexandria Eckhart chose their 8-year-old dog, Bella Rose, as their witness after a wrench in their wedding day plans turned out to be the best memory. It all happened with the help of a Colorado law.
Five days before the couple were supposed to leave for their November 9, 2024, wedding in New Mexico, they took Bella Rose to the vet. That’s when they discovered she had two large tumors. Her worsening condition and a big blizzard had the Eckharts rethinking their plan.
“She was a really big part of our lives, and having her in our wedding was really important to us,” Alexandria Eckhart said.
In between spending their days by their dog’s side at the emergency veterinary hospital, the couple turned a small thought into a big idea. In Colorado, a couple can get married without an officiant or witness, which means they can choose their own – and the Eckharts chose Bella Rose.
“We drove up there and got our marriage license, and we both looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s just go do this at the vet, so we know for sure Bella’s here and can sign this and do it,’” Randy Eckhart said. “We kind of joked about it the day before at the vet, and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, that’d be so great if you guys all came and did your wedding here.’”
So, that’s exactly what the couple did. As their witness, Bella Rose stamped her paw print as a “signature” on their wedding certificate.
Though their beloved pet has since died, the Eckharts are left with a very special moment to remember her forever. They later got a gift, one they feel comes from doggy heaven, to fill the big hole in their hearts: Teddy, a 4-month-old long-haired dachshund.
“The house was just so empty and quiet, and just the way we came across him [Teddy] and some things that he embodies or shows just really kind of makes me feel like Bella sent him,” Alexandria Eckhart said.
Colorado is in the minority of states where a couple’s pet can serve as a witness at their wedding.
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