Groom surprised bride with dog collar in the middle of vows - she broke down when he returned with real gift moments later

Weddings often come with surprises, but one groom pulled off a gesture that stunned everyone in the room. In a video shared by the bride, Lily Digby, on her TikTok page @ruethevizsla, she showed how her husband stopped his vows, handed her a dog collar with a name tag, and walked away from the altar. Posted in August, the clip has gained 3.2 million views and over 472,400 likes, with viewers and Digby equally stunned by what the groom returned with.

He was holding a cute puppy, the one she had always dreamed of. "Honestly, I was in complete shock," Digby told Newsweek. "He said in his vows that he was giving me something...I couldn’t understand what was happening." At first, she wondered if he was hinting at something else, even joking to herself about pregnancy. But when the little puppy appeared, she knew it was the moment she had always imagined.

For Digby, the timing made it unforgettable. "I had always imagined us starting our family with a puppy first, but never imagined the timing of, on our wedding day, during the vows," she said. "It was the most beautiful moment, though, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s now been over a year [sic], and we truly feel like a family with the three of us." The secret had been tightly guarded, with only her sister, who officiated the wedding, and one other person in on the plan. Even her closest friends were caught off guard, which only amplified the reactions in the room. "Everyone there was in so much shock and just laughing in the best way possible," Digby said.

TikTok viewers couldn’t get enough of the video that was captioned, "He handed me a collar with her name on it and a Polaroid picture." Many shared how they’d react if it happened at their own wedding. @rob.johnson09 remarked, "I’m glad he was a part of the actual wedding. That dog will be a part of so many key memories in their life, so why not start with one of the biggest with him by your side, too?" @breebushka commented, "Thanks, now I have something to fight with my husband about tonight." @spellbound.au chimed in, "Marry that man, oh wait, carry on and say yes to the puppy and him." @cattieoftheworld recounted, "My dogs walked us down the aisle. I think it’s a sweet thought as the pup will grow with their marriage, but it's so sad when it inevitably passes. I hope your marriage lasts longer, though."

These comments reflect a broader trend of couples wanting to include their pets in wedding celebrations. According to WeddingWire, 91% of pet owners involve their dogs in some part of the wedding, with 30% even including them in the ceremony itself. This shows how pets are increasingly seen as true family members, present for life’s most meaningful moments.

You can follow @ruethevizsla on TikTok for more personal content.