Congratulations and celebrations...

Mike and Julie Stallard celebrated their wedding at Dog Vegas show in Winterton, Nr Scunthorpe, on the evening of Saturday, 24 August 2013 surrounded by lots of their agility friends. It was the first, we believe, wedding at a dog agility show. And wow, what a night it was!

The scene was set with a pink carpet, pink and black balloons, representing Mike and Julie's Club MJS Agility, in front of the Dog Vegas trailer. The was a guard of honour, supplied by Springers Agility, who all turned up in top hats and Dog Vegas agility members made an arch with jump poles for the  Bride and Groom to walk under to the Vegas trailer, where resplendent in his best vicars outfit, was Kev Kenny.

The crowds had gathered, many with their dogs and most, as requested, were wearing hats. They were entertained by DJ DDD Dave Roberts whilst waiting for the bride and groom.

The Groom arrived in his Kilt to the sounds of Scottish music and the crowds clapping and cheering along  and shortly after the bride arrived in a beautiful dress and walked to the trailer to the sounds of Eva Cassidy 'you take my breath away'.

The ceremony was both serious, moving and humorous, which had the crowds all laughing and in tears at the same time. The bride and groom left to the sounds of 'Greatest Day' by Take That, and huge cheers from the crowd.

Then followed a party to remember in a marquee with a beautiful buffet, where agility folk showed they know how to celebrate in style. They danced from start to finish and everyone joined in. Many commented to Mike and Julie that they had never been to a better wedding.

Mike Stallard and Julie Hutton knew each other from agility shows but just to say hello. In 2009, Mike moved to Wisbech (Cambs) and started agility training there. In April 2010 Julie went for a private lesson. She thought that  Mike was very good at making sure she guided her dog correctly with her body, so she booked for two hours the following week! Due to the hot weather, they stopped after an hour and had a cold drink (orange juice). Shortly after they started dating, but Mike still took the money for the double lesson!

In June 2010 Mike and Julie moved in together, and he proposed to her on a surprise weekend away in Glencoe. You can imagine Julie's surprise when a taxi turned up at her bed & breakfast and took her to a remote spot on Rannoch Moor. There Mike was waiting for her in his kilt with champagne and a Piper.

They chose to have their ceremony at a show because of their affinity to agility and, why not. It's how they met. They wanted to celebrate with agility folk and what better place than Dog Vegas at Winterton, one of their favourite venues.  It doesn’t get better than that!

Mike and Julie wish to just thank everyone who attended and helped make it an evening that they will treasure and never forget for the rest of their lives.

  • A huge thank you to all at Dog Vegas for making it such a special occasion
  • Special thanks go to Kev Kenny for his ceremonial duties which he performed as only Kev could!
  • Melissa Hovell and Anthony Bates, our wonderful bridesmaid and best man
  • Jackie Kenny  for all the arrangements and the gorgeous Mr & Mrs Stallard wedding rosettes
  • Dave & Sue for saving the day by making cake A-frame disasters not quite so disastrous!
  • Lisa for the wedding transport and doggy bandannas
  • Dave Roberts for coming back out of DJ retirement for the second time to give us a fabulous disco
  • Everyone who helped blow up balloons
  • The Springers Agility Club for the surprises
  • Lyn for standing in as photographer at such short notice

Mike and Julie are off to the highlands to honeymoon, and they are still smiling and on a high from a very special evening spent with agility folk. Thank you!

About the authors...
Mr & Mrs Stallard have seven dogs between them. Julie has been in agility since 2000 and Mike since 2003. They now run MJS Agility, their own training club near Bourne (Lincs.)

First published 30 August 2013

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