Meet DR. Kreinberg of Furever Us Wedding Pet Care

Dr. Monika Kreinberg & Her Dog | Furever Us Wedding Pet Care

What Does Wedding Pet Care Have to Do With It?

Hello, all lovely couples getting ready to tie the knot! I am Antonio, an award-winning wedding photographer, and owner of White House Wedding Photography. I recently had the pleasure of connecting with Dr. Kreinberg of Furever Us Wedding Pet Care Company. I was totally impressed with her love for animals and people. You should have seen the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her animals! I had to ask her for an interview so I could share her story with you.

Monika, as she preferred to be addressed, was very kind and gracious in her response. So if you love your pets and want to include them in your celebration of love, or if you are a pet lover, this post is for you!

Who Are You, What Do You Like To Do, What Makes You Happy?

There are so many sides to this question, I will give you the short and sweet version. I am Monika Kreinberg, and I’m the founder of Furever Us, a wedding pet care business. My company specializes in helping couples incorporate their favorite pets into their wedding day activities.

Ever since I was a child, I have always loved dogs and cats and honestly any animal that came my way (except spiders, I admit). One of my grandmothers taught me how to rehabilitate small birds that fell out of their nests at just 5 years old.

This passion has followed me all my life. I have always had pets, and as I got older, I became very involved in animal rescue work. I have had countless fosters over the years and still foster to this day.

My Professional And Educational Background

While I was pursuing Masters of Art (MA) in Public Relations, I did a lot of event planning and became very good at it. But my educational pursuit didn’t stop there. I also hold a Master of Science (MS) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). I’m also certified in animal psychology and dog training.

What Was The Thought Process Behind Starting Furever Us?

As mentioned earlier, dogs have always been my passion. And I knew long before I started planning my own wedding that my dogs had to be a part of my wedding. After all, they are my children!

Unfortunately, though, there weren’t any wedding vendors or companies that were providing the sort of niched services my honey and I were looking for. There just wasn’t anyone out there helping brides incorporate their pets in their weddings.

My now hubby and I had to figure it out for ourselves – and figure it out we did. Yes, we had some learning pains, like not getting the photos and video footage we envisioned. But overall, the main goal was accomplished. My fur babies partake in my wedding, and a brand new idea was born for a niche wedding service – Furever Us!

The name Furever Us didn’t come about right away. I knew that I didn’t want couples to go through what my husband and I experienced when planning our wedding. So, my passion for helping people and my unyielding love for animals are the traits that led me to create my wedding pet service business, Furever Us.

How Did you Come Up With The Name For Your Wedding Pet Care Business?

Once I knew I was going to start a wedding pet care business, I kept looking at my dogs and cats and asking myself what I think when I am with them? The answer to my question was a resounding “I wish this moment would last forever,” and wallah, Furever Us was born!

What Services Do You Provide & What Locations Do You Serve?

We are a wedding pet care company. We help couples with their dogs and cats before, during, and after the wedding, so no one but us has to worry about them.

Currently, we serve all of South Florida- from the Keys to West Palm Beach but will travel to wherever your Furever Us event is held. Furever Us is a licensed, bonded, and insured company.

Here at Furever Us, all our pet handlers are trained in pet first aid and are CPR Certified. Therefore, we are capable of responding to most accidents and emergencies with optimum care. However, if an emergency occurs that is beyond our expertise, we will transport your pet to the nearest pet emergency clinic. So you can rest assured that your fur babies will be in good hands.

Some of The Services We Provide Are:

Transport to and from your wedding venue
Doggie concierge services
Private pet butler for each furbaby
Bridal & Groom Outfits
Extra props
And of course, overnight care and honeymoon sitting

How Do You Work With Couples Interested in Your Wedding Pet Care Service?

Although we are not as involved with wedding planning as the venues and wedding planners, my booking begins with a complimentary consultation.

Consultation: I love to sit down with my couples over Zoom or in person and chat with them. You know – get to know what their wedding visions are, what their likes and dislikes are, and so forth.

Packages: After we figure out what is essential to the couple, we can pick a ready-made package or create a custom package that better meets their needs and pocketbook.

Booking With Furever Us: We have a modern and secure online booking application. Once you decide on a package, the contract and payments are handled through our booking application. We require a 50% deposit to secure the wedding date, and the balance is due 30 days before the wedding date.

What Education, Schooling, or Skills Are Needed to Become a Wedding Pet Care Provider?

Must love animals! As for what my team and I do – all of us have a background in working with animals. Some of us have experience in animal psychology, some are trainers, and some are vet techs.

I pride myself on working with people who have a passion for animals and will go out of their way to help people and their animals. All of Furever Us’s team members volunteer with rescues and have a big heart for all animals.

We are all aware that, for the most part, weddings are a one-time occasion. Furthermore, weddings can be extremely complicated events. From working with multiple vendors and personalities to dealing with weather and everything else, it is enough to drive brides and grooms crazy. But, throw in your favorite furry, and the complication level just jump a notch are few.

What is most challenging about being a Wedding Pet Care Provider?

The most challenging part for us, doing what we do, is working with shy dogs that are not used to being around many people. Of course, we always vet all pets before taking them into our care. However, the reality is that meeting them one-on-one is different than when they are surrounded by 20 people.

My primary concern is the pet’s wellbeing. I want to make sure that all pets within my care are comfortable and having a fun time. Therefore, whenever a pet in my care exhibits signs of stress, I will immediately implement measures to remove the pet from the environment causing the stress.

Another challenge for me is working with other vendors and helping them understand that some dogs may require a little patience when taking videos or pictures.

Who is Your Most Ideal Client, And Why?

Honestly, so far, we have been fortunate. Our ideal clients are a care-free couple that loves their dog(s) as if they were their children. A couple that understands that dogs will be dogs and are ready and looking forward to the unexpected.

What is The Number One Question Couples Looking For a Wedding Pet Care Provider Should Ask?

The number one question they should ask us is:

Will you take care of my furbaby as if they were your own?
Do you have experience?
And why should we hire you?

We have worked with many couples to help them have a pawfect (not a misspelling – haha) day. As mentioned earlier, for me, this is a passion and not a job. I love working with all types of furbabies and really understand how hard it is to trust someone with them.

My main goal for dogs in my care is for them to have fun, not be stressed, and enjoy the day just as much as their parents – wink, wink. They deserve it because they are always there for us. So helping couples share this special moment with their fur babies, is priceless!

What’s One Piece of Wedding Pet Care Conventional Advice That You Disagree With & Why?

This is an easy one – not having your pets at your wedding! Traditionally, this was not the norm. But, of course, with Furever Us, this has all changed. We want to let couples know that this is possible with just a little planning.

What is The Number One Mistake You See Couples Make When Planning Their Wedding?

Not hiring us on time. We often get couples reaching out to us a month before or even a few weeks. Unfortunately, we have a limited number of trained staff, and if we already have booked weddings for that day, we have to say no.

Furever Us is a small company for a good reason! We are small because we are passionate about what we do – love and care for our pets. So make sure to get in touch with us at least six months out from your wedding day.

Can You Share a Little About The Current Wedding Pet Care Trend?

One trend that I noticed is gaining popularity is couples opting for their dogs to sign the marriage license. Another trend I’m seeing is brides having their pets running down the aisle to the altar.