Military couple moved their wedding two hours earlier — and left guests in tears when they arrived at the reception with a new family member
A Virginia couple’s wedding day held a surprise that went beyond the usual vows and celebrations. They were determined to include a very special companion in their lives, and it required quick thinking and planning. The timing was tricky, and they had to make unexpected adjustments to their carefully planned schedule. Every decision that morning carried extra weight, shaping a day that would be remembered in ways they never anticipated.
As reported by PEOPLE, Eduardo Del Pozo and Regan Mast visited the Fairfax County Animal Shelter on October 26, 2023, just days before their wedding, searching for a rescue puppy. Del Pozo, then 21, had grown up with German Shepherds and was immediately interested when a shelter employee mentioned a 4-month-old German Shepherd named Daisy. The employee explained that Daisy would be available for adoption at the grand opening of the shelter’s new branch in Lorton. The couple was eager to adopt her, but the ceremony was set for the same time as the grand opening.
Determined not to miss the chance, Eduardo and Regan asked their officiant, friends, and family to move their wedding earlier to 9 a.m., instead of 11 a.m. Del Pozo recalled, “I was in my suit, and she was still in her dress,” as they rushed from the wedding to the shelter. Both serving as military police sergeants at Quantico, they exchanged their vows and quickly headed to the new shelter, arriving first in line just as the staff cut the ceremonial ribbon. Their excitement grew the moment they saw Daisy. Regan, then 22, said, “It was love at first sight. She's so sweet.”
The shelter staff were equally delighted by the match. Rebecca Cavedon, the shelter’s communications manager, said, “Pets are part of our family. To see that they got married literally that morning and then added to their family — and the joy that brought them, just made us all smile and made our day — it made a really special day for us even better.” Following the adoption, Eduardo and Regan introduced Daisy at their wedding reception, surprising friends and family. Eduardo shared, “It symbolized us starting our own family. My wife and I are beyond excited.”
To-be-married couples have long shown a deep compassion for dogs, whether by opening their homes to rescue animals or by stepping in to save abandoned canines in need. In another incident, Dylan McCay and his fiancée Emily Roberts showed this kind of selflessness when they came across an injured Goldendoodle on the roadside and did not hesitate to help. The dog, later named Acklin, had been struck in a hit-and-run and was “covered in blood and appeared broken.” The couple took her to Greenbrier Animal Hospital, where vets found fractures in both hind legs and feared infection. Without hesitation, Dylan and Emily used their wedding savings to fund her reconstructive surgery, costing between $10,000 and $15,000. They expressed joy at the chance to give Acklin a new life and later set up a GoFundMe to support her rehabilitation.