“You could tell he was so proud …” ❤️
From the moment Julia and Tom Moriggi got engaged, they knew exactly who would play a starring role on their wedding day — their golden retriever, Wally, the most tenderhearted member of their family.
Wally joined the Moriggis in 2020 as a puppy and quickly became their “emotional core.” More than just cuddly and playful, he seemed to feel things as deeply as any human could.
“Wally’s known for his big feelings and his almost human personality,” Julia told The Dodo. “If we leave the beach or park, he’ll pout like a little kid and sulk in the car.”
For Julia and Tom, life with Wally has been full of laughter, slow dances, and unconditional love — so naturally, their wedding wouldn’t feel complete without him.
“When we started planning, we said from day one that Wally would be part of everything,” Julia said. “Our guests already expected it — it wouldn’t be our day without him.”
The couple went all in. Subtle nods to Wally were everywhere — from cocktail napkins featuring a golden retriever lounging in a martini glass to small design details on the seating chart. But they also wanted him front and center during the ceremony.
So, Wally earned a very special title: Best Boy.
“He was with us the entire day,” Julia said. “He walked down the aisle with Tom, greeted everyone, and was just overjoyed to see all his favorite people in one place.”
Wally wagged and beamed his way through the ceremony, stealing hearts as he went. But the best part came after the vows, when he helped his parents make it official.
Since New York only requires one witness signature on a marriage license, Julia and Tom deliberately chose to wed there — leaving a second signature line open for a paw print.
“Technically, that makes Wally our second witness,” Julia laughed. “We pressed his paw in ink and stamped it right next to our names.”
He seemed proud of the moment, tail wagging as if he knew he’d just helped his parents tie the knot.
Of course, no wedding is complete without cake — and Wally had one of his own. The couple presented him with a custom dog-friendly dessert from Boston’s Dog Eat Cake bakery, decorated with the words ‘I do, too.’ Guests even took home Wally-branded dog treats for their pets, stamped with “Love, Wally.”
After the last dance and final goodbyes, the trio ended the night snapping silly pictures in the photo booth — one last joyful memory from a day filled with love.
“Wally loves people so much that when everyone leaves, he gets this deep sadness, like he’s missing out on the fun,” Julia said. “He was completely wiped out afterward but so happy. He definitely knew it was a big moment.”
Wally’s post-wedding blues quickly lifted when he joined his parents on their honeymoon in upstate New York, where he continued his favorite role — being by their side through everything.
“He’s truly our best friend,” Julia said. “Having him with us made our wedding feel like pure magic.”