A man’s best friend is always the best man at his wedding, which is why this golden retriever was outfitted in a tailored uniform and took a place of honor next to the groom at a wedding earlier this month.
U.S. Army Veteran Justin Lansford met his four-year-old buddy, Gabe, when he was paired with the service dog through a program called the Warrior Canine Connection. Lansford had been struggling since losing a leg in an explosion while serving as a paratrooper in Afghanistan.
His bride, Carol Balmes, had been his girlfriend since high school. After meeting Gabe, the veteran fell instantly in love with the puppy, and enlisted his help when proposing marriage to Carol.
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The trio have been so inseparable that it didn’t seem right not to include the retriever in their wedding. The dog’s vest was made from Justin’s military uniform and decorations, leaving not a dry eye in the group assembled for the ceremony in Largo, Florida.
“Since day one, we’ve been joined to the hip,” Lansford told the New York Daily News. “It meant the world to have him next to me. He’s there for me all day, every day.”
(WATCH the video below from ABC News) – Photos by Brad Hall Studios
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