Group Aims to Break Guinness World Record for Largest Dog Wedding

A group of canine lovers have set their sights to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for largest dog wedding ceremony declaring their “puptials.”

Members of the Villa Park Community F.U.N. (Focus on Unifying Neighbors) Commission have arranged for it to be the centerpiece of the Paws & Claws in the Park animal adoption event slated for Saturday, September 25th at Lions Park, 320 E. Wildwood Ave. in Villa Park.

Organizers are confident they will be able to draw from not only fellow DuPage County communities, but the entire metropolitan Chicago area. Villa Park is about 20 miles west of downtown Chicago.

In 2007, an event held in Littleton, Colorado established 178 canine couples as the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title in this light-hearted category. A November 2008 attempt in Oak Park, Illinois to break that record fell short when 87 canine couples came together.

Among the participants in that event was Leslie Allison-Seei, who has unleashed the idea of taking another crack at the mark. In addition to serving as chairperson of the Community F.U.N. Commission, Allison-Seei volunteers for several dog organizations, has frequently dressed up as a giant doggy for charity events and parades, and is recognized around town as The Dogmother of Villa Park.

She and her husband, Greg, own Robust Promotions. The Villa Park-based firm brings professional promotional-and-marketing expertise that is vital to such a large-scale logistical effort.

Villa Park Village President Nick Cuzzone has agreed to be the “Doggy Do’s” officiant for the occasion. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m., kicking off the four-hour event. The $25 registration fee will be split between all the animal rescue groups that will be on hand. It will also feature a doggy speed-dating session, a variety of vendors, and training workshops provided by the Lyons Township Dog Training Club. Each dog will receive a Doggy Do’s Wedding Gift Bag and customized wedding certificate.

The Seeis have a couple of dogs that will be contributing to the overall “puptials.” Allison-Seei, who refers to herself and fellow dog owners as “leash holders,” says that the goal is to attract 500 dogs that will be matched up to break the record with 250 canine couples.

“After the events of the past year, leash holders are practically begging for a reason to come out of their dens and celebrate with their dogs,” says Allison-Seei. “We are also excited about raising money, and awareness, for these worthy organizations.”

Among the event sponsors are Phillip’s Flowers & Gifts, which is creating the wedding arch that all the canine couples will march through; Ruff Life, which is supplying the Doggie Do’s Wedding Gift Bags; Fetch Portraits, which is building wedding sets for do-it-yourself portraits after the record attempt; and Pet Supplies Plus, which will be supplying a post-ceremony Goat’s Milk Champagne toast for all the doggy couples.

Anyone who registers during August’s “Dog Days of Summer” will receive a special limited edition GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS water bottle. To sign up for event updates, visit www.pawsandclawsvp.com. For more information, including details for rescues or vendors, or if you’d like to volunteer, email pride@invillapark.com.

Note: in case it’s raining cats and dogs on September 25th, the event’s back-up date is slated for Sunday, September 26th.