When pet owners dress up their dogs in miniature white dresses and tiny tuxes, some believe the barks that signal 'I do' reveal true puppy love.

當主人們為自己的狗狗精心打扮，給它們穿上迷你白色婚紗和燕尾服時，有些人相信，這時候狗狗的叫聲就是在表達象征真愛的那三個字——“我愿意”。

These animal lovers say their pooches can feel real longing for other pets, but experts aren't so sure. Most people agree a wedding is just for fun or charity when the groom is drooling and the bride's gown needs tailoring for her tail. After all, 'you may now lick the bride' doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

這些動物愛好者表示，他們的狗狗能夠感覺到其他寵物的真實渴望，但專家對此卻不那么肯定。不過，大部分人都承認，當“新郎”在流口水，“新娘”的禮服需要給尾巴留個小洞時，舉行一場婚禮只是為了好玩或慈善事業。畢竟，在證婚人說“你現在可以舔你的新娘”時，并不代表狗狗們會這么做。

The doggy nuptials are gaining attention as Valentine's Day approaches and people find new and unique ways to pamper their pets.

狗狗的婚禮同情人節的慶祝方式一樣引人注目。如今，人們找到全新和與眾不同的方式來寵愛自己的寵物。

'Pet marriage or weddings are for people,' said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and a professor at Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

美國動物行為研究學會（American College of Veterinary Behaviorists）執行理事兼德州農工大學獸醫學院（Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine）教授邦妮?比弗（Bonnie Beaver）博士表示，寵物婚禮是為人辦的。

Owners host weddings because it makes them feel good, she said, though most get planned for dogs instead of cats. People can't know what dogs are thinking, but studies have shown they do experience emotion, Beaver said.

比弗表示，主人主持婚禮因為這會讓他們感覺很好，雖然為狗籌劃的婚禮比貓多。人們并不清楚狗狗的感受，但有研究表明，狗狗會有些情感上的體驗。

'Fear is a classic example,' she said. 'But we don't know if they experience it as you or I would.'

她說：“恐懼是最典型的一種體驗，但我們并不知道它們體驗到的恐懼是否與你我在婚禮場合體驗到的一樣。”

'The weddings are for the dogs,' said Adina Slotsky, the owner and CEO of Hollywood Pet Parties. Though birthday parties, dubbed 'barkdays,' are much more popular, she said.

好萊塢寵物聚會（Hollywood Pet Parties）老板兼總經理艾迪娜?斯洛特斯基（Adina Slotsky）說：“這些婚禮是為狗狗舉辦的。”但她也表示俗稱“狗叫日”（barkdays）的狗狗生日派對，通常更受歡迎。

When owners plan doggy nuptials, they can go all out. There are groomsmen and bridesmaids of every breed, flowers, music and a reception with food both people and pooches can enjoy, ranging from apple slices to baby back ribs with spinach.

主人們為狗狗籌劃洞房花燭夜可謂是無所不用其極：品種各異的“伴郎”和“伴娘”、鮮花、音樂和可供主人和狗狗享用的婚宴美食，從蘋果片到菠菜小肉排應有盡有。

All pet weddings move quickly because of short animal attention spans. With all the distractions, dogs spend lots of time on leashes.

由于狗狗很難長時間集中注意力，所有寵物婚禮總是很短。由于“誘惑”太多，大部分時間狗狗是被皮帶拴著的。

A simple wedding costs about $300, Slotsky said. But it can easily grow to thousands of dollars if guests are plentiful, the venue is top-notch, the food is extravagant, a band plays and a florist creates centerpieces, she said.

斯洛特斯基表示，一場簡單的婚禮大約需要300美元。但如果出席婚禮的“賓客”種類繁多，婚禮地點豪華，食物品質高端，且還有樂隊演奏和花卉作為裝飾的話，價格就會漲到動輒幾千美元。

The most lavish pet wedding took place in New York in 2012 when Baby Hope Diamond, a fluffy white Coton de Tulear, married a poodle named Chilly Pasternak as a charity fundraiser.

最奢華的寵物婚禮莫過于2012年的“紐約大婚”，一只名叫寶貝?希望?鉆石（Baby Hope Diamond）的白色圖萊亞爾絨毛犬，和一只名叫寒寒?帕斯捷爾納克（Chilly Pasternak）的卷毛狗喜結連理。這場婚禮同時也是一場慈善籌款活動。

Everything was donated, and guests spent up to $10,000 for a table of ten.

所有東西都捐了出去。賓客為一桌10人花費高達一萬美元。

It was a ceremony for the ages, complete with limos, a $6,000 designer dress, a sushi chef, mixologist to create 'puptails,' florist, orchestra, wedding planner and parking valets. Ellen DeGeneres' pet food company furnished a dog food buffet.

這可謂是一場“世紀婚禮”，豪華轎車、新娘6000美元的定制婚紗、一名壽司師傅、調制“狗尾酒”的調酒師、花卉裝飾品、管弦樂隊、婚禮策劃師以及泊車員一應俱全。除此之外，艾倫?德杰尼勒斯（Ellen DeGeneres）寵物食品公司還提供了一頓狗糧自助餐。

The event raised $158,187.26 for the Humane Society of New York and earned a place in Guinness World Records for the most expensive pet wedding.

這場婚禮為紐約動物保護協會（Humane Society of New York）籌集了158187.26美元的善款，并作為最昂貴的寵物婚禮打破了吉尼斯世界紀錄。

One thing pet owners don't have to worry about is divorce. But because animals have unique personalities just like people, there is no guarantee two animals will get along, Beaver said.

比弗表示，主人不需要擔心的事就是寵物離婚的問題。但因為動物和人一樣也有獨特的個性，沒人能保證“夫妻倆”能和睦相處。

No studies show pets like or love one another, but 'it is very common for two or more individual animals to spend a great amount of time together and show signs of stress if separated,' she said.

她說：“沒有研究顯示，寵物喜歡或愛另一半，但兩只或者兩只以上單身的動物會花大量時間呆在一起且如果分開便會表現得很焦慮，這種狀況很常見。”

But some stick by the belief that dogs love, including Carol Bryant, co-founder of Wigglebutt Warriors, the fundraising division of dog health website Fidose of Reality.

但仍有人相信狗狗之間有愛，比如狗狗健康網站Fidose of Reality籌款部門的卡羅爾?布萊恩特（Carol Bryant）。他也是Wigglebutt Warriors的創始人之一。

'I do believe that dogs can love and be in love with each other,' said Bryant, whose cocker spaniel married another dog for a company fundraiser.

布萊恩特表示，他相信狗狗能愛，且會愛上對方。為了給一家公司籌集資金，他的可卡犬嫁給了另外一只狗。

Vocabulary

tux: 燕尾服

pooch: 雜種狗

nuptial: 婚禮

pamper: 寵愛

top-notch：一流的

centerpiece：（放在桌子中間的）裝飾品

nuptial：（文或謔）結婚，婚禮

reception：正式的歡迎場合，宴會

baby back ribs：豬排骨

limo: 豪華轎車

mixologist: 酒吧調酒師

buffet: 自助餐