In Peru, dogs say ‘I do’

Cynthia Ceballos’s Valentine’s Day celebration in Peru’s capital Lima on Monday was not about her love life. It was about the marriage of two of her small, fluffy, white dogs.

Dressed in Andean-inspired clothing, Ceballos’ pets won Lima’s MatriCan — a play on the Spanish words for “wedding” and “dog” — a local competition that celebrates Valentine’s Day by dressing dogs as if they were about to get married.

“I saw an Andean wedding and said: ‘Why can’t I do the same with my little dogs?” Ceballos said.

We had a very nice time with the owners who brought their four-legged friends.

—  Patricia Ballari, from Lima’s parks service

Mass weddings are common in Peru, especially on Valentine’s Day. It is a way for Peruvians who cannot afford a wedding of their own to celebrate and ensure their union is legally recognised. Mass dog weddings are just a twist on the tradition.

Some dogs were dressed in more conventional attire — a bow tie for the dog groom, a white bell-shaped dress for the bride. Others wore colourful, summery attire fit for the hot weather. One owner even put a veil on one of the dogs.

The owners then helped their pets sign their marriage papers by lifting their paws and pressing them on paper. In the end, the dogs and owners all took a picture together.

“In this very special day that is the day of love and friendship we have married eight dog couples,” said Patricia Ballari, from Lima’s parks service, which organised the event.

“They have received their certificate of matrimony. We had a very nice time with the owners who brought their four-legged friends,” Ballari said.

— Reuters