Cassidy Williams had her wedding all planned out. It was to be a relatively small ceremony on the beach in Manzanita, Oregon, which is a coastal town with breathtaking views of the Pacific. Her and her fiance’s dog — a precious golden retriever named Dood — would stay behind in their home state of Utah, where the three of them would celebrate later.
This is the lovely Cassidy Williams with her fiancé, Mattijs.
And this is Dood.
But all of their plans changed when veterinarians told Williams that, even though he was only five years old, Dood was not long for this world. He had terminal cancer on his skull, and his life would soon be over.
With that heartbreaking news, Williams changed her wedding plans completely. Instead of leaving him behind, Dood was driven to Utah by Williams’ father so that the dog could be part of the ceremony. Williams wanted him to be able to swim in the ocean for the first — and last — time.
Not only was Dood present at the wedding, but he also served as ring bearer.
And because his time was so short, wedding photographer Natalya Jenney was instructed to pay special attention to him on the big day.
How dapper is he?
On the day of the wedding, Dood was in great spirits, hanging out with the guests and being the life of the party. He also got to experience the beach, and enjoyed frolicking in the waves.
Jenney described him as “energetic, loving, and simply happy-looking. He was running around, giving kisses to everyone, and just enjoying the amount of people all together ready to give him a petting.”
Dood really enjoyed the ocean, and Williams says her wedding went perfectly.
He clearly knows how handsome he is.
Dood’s life may be cut short by cancer, but his memory will live in everyone’s hearts, including Jenney’s. “Dood brought a great energy to the wedding,” she said. “He filled that space with love and comfort.”
You can see more of Jenney’s photography on her website and Instagram.
