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Updated Mar 06, 2025What to Know About a Wedding Donkey (and Why You Should Rent One)
Keep the drinks flowing and the party going with a burro.
Making your wedding day truly spectacular is sometimes about the personal touches. And if you're an animal lover, then a wedding donkey can bring the fun while surprising your guests. These furry friends often come in an adorable miniature size, and the latest trend is all about having these burros serve beer and other drinks to guests during your cocktail hour or reception. You may even just score a two-for-one deal with a bartender and server for your tequila donkey wedding. (And no, we don't mean the donkey will make the drinks.) We've spoken with donkey wedding experts and gathered all the info you need to know before booking a burro for your party. So, let's take a look at how a beer donkey can elevate your wedding with drinks and cuteness.
In this article: Definition | Cost | Timing | How to Hire | Who to Hire
What Is a Wedding Burro?
So, what's the key difference between a burro and a donkey? Simply put, none. They're the same thing with a different name. Burro is just the Spanish word for donkey, but burro typically refers to those in the wild. A wedding burro is just a small donkey with baskets to carry small, lightweight goodies for guests, like cans of drinks or favors. Tia at AZ Beer Burro Co. explains why these animals make such great company at weddings. "All our burros are gentle, well-trained, love attention and make a unique touch to any event. They are masters of lightening the burden of socializing. The guests can hug these long-eared friends and take priceless pictures with them to create memories of a lifetime."
How Much Is a Donkey Rental for a Wedding?
We spoke with Shannon of The Tipsy Burro and Tia from AZ Beer Burro Co. about pricing for wedding burro rentals. A one-hour visit can start around $650, while a two-hour visit is around $1,000 or a flat rate of around $750 per hour. For longer visits, do keep in mind the donkeys will need breaks, and travel costs may not always be included if the venue is more than 25–40 miles outside of range. If you'd like to tip, consider consulting our guide on tipping wedding vendors and be sure to ask the donkey handlers what special treats you can give the burros as their "tip."
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
If you want to ensure this service fits your wedding budget, a must-have tool is The Knot Budget Advisor. Here you can learn how much rentals, bar services and more cost near you, like having a donkey at wedding receptions. It's also helpful to use a wedding alcohol calculator to determine your budget for beer burros and guests.
What Is the Significance of a Donkey at a Wedding?
Other than being adorable, it's said that donkeys represent humility and peace. In some cultures, like Greek wedding traditions, a bride may ride to the church on a donkey or it will deliver the dowry. Greek wedding donkeys are just one of the more practical wedding traditions around the world, while many Southwestern regions utilize donkeys to deliver something else entirely: drinks. Beer donkeys at weddings may wear satchels or packs on their sides full of alcoholic beverages to keep the fiesta going. This may have started from Mexican wedding parades, where decorated donkeys bring tequila to the wedding party.
How to Find Donkey Rentals for a Wedding Near You
No need to Google "wedding donkey rental near me" when you've got The Knot Vendor Marketplace at your disposal. You can find everything from bar services and beverages and rentals to coordinate with your beer donkey on your wedding day. There are plenty of vendors now offering this service, along with other convenient extras like mini ponies and bartending. Plus, an important reason to rely on pros when it comes to having a donkey attend your wedding? These animal-care experts will ensure the four-legged attendee is cared for and treated humanely and lovingly.
Wedding Donkey Rentals to Know
If you're running low on creative wedding bar ideas, how about bringing the bar to your guests? A donkey serving beer at wedding receptions and cocktail hours will create a memorable and fun experience for guests of all ages. (Just make sure to pack some juice boxes in the satchels for the little ones.) Here are some wedding donkey rentals around the country to help you find the right one.
Ears With Beers in Dripping Springs, Texas
If you're located in the Austin area, consider Ears With Beers for your wedding donkey rental. With eight years of experience, this company offers two miniature donkeys with wicker baskets, perfect for carrying drinks, snacks and other pint-sized favors. Surprise your guests during cocktail hour or your reception for an unforgettable experience. Past couples loved how friendly and adorable the burros were and the professionalism of the donkey handlers.
Florida Beer Burros in Sebring, Florida
With Florida Beer Burros, you get a bundle of wedding services in one, including rescue donkeys ready to serve your guests with beer, favors and a smile. These mini donkeys are fitted with saddle packs with insulated baskets, and you can also rent them for your indoor or outdoor venue. Guests have called this service a hit and loved how it elevated their cocktail hour, after-party and wedding reception activities.
Rocky Mountain Beverage Burro in Littleton, Colorado
If you're thinking about having wedding donkeys and beer burros for your Colorado event, check out Rocky Mountain Beverage Burro. This vendor offers personalized beverage service and rescue donkeys, and they are happy to serve your guests with special treats and drinks. Some past couples raved about how the donkeys made the day more memorable and put a smile on their guests' faces, especially during photo ops and drink service.
Pineview Farms in Maryville, Tennessee
Located near the Great Smoky Mountains, you can find beer burro wedding services with Pineview Farms. This vendor, noted for their easy-to-work-with attitude and adorable mini donkeys, offers extras like guest greetings and photo opportunities. Their floral saddle packs are also the perfect touch to match your wedding day decor.
Thirsty Burros in Norco, California
SoCal couples may want to consider Thirsty Burros for renting their beer donkeys at weddings. One of the most exciting surprise wedding ideas, a burro with this company means you get coordinated costumes, photo opportunities and a unique way to transport drinks. Reviewers rave over the donkeys for their cocktail hours and other special events, saying how big of a hit they were with guests.
The Tipsy Burro in Ada, Michigan
Local to the Grand Rapids area? The Tipsy Burro might just be the thing for your wedding. With more than five years of experience, these beer burros have everything from wedding attire to Mexican-themed outfits to bring the fiesta to your day. Even if you aren't offering alcoholic drinks, you can fill their baskets with favors and other little goodies to make your wedding reception even more special.
AZ Beer Burro Co. in Cave Creek, Arizona
For any couples tying the knot in Arizona, check out AZ Beer Burro Co. (in business for more than 12 years). Tia from AZ Beer Burro adds that they have a mini bar setup on the burros' backs. She says, "This holds the limes, toothpicks, napkins and several different flavors of beer salts. We also can serve most any beverage the client supplies, even specialty drinks, wine and churros with our Churro Burro." This is a must-have if you're serving tequila at your wedding.
Wandering Waterhole in La Mesa, New Mexico
Wandering Waterhole in New Mexico is a mobile bar and party service that also provides donkey rentals for wedding receptions and cocktail hours. So not only can they handle all the drink services for your event, but their beer burro will also pass them out to guests. Past couples loved how inclusive their offerings were and even how cute the bar trailer was.
The Spiked Lil' Burro in Mount Vernon, Indiana
The handler at The Spiked Lil' Burro is also a licensed bartender, meaning you get an adorable donkey and drink services in one. You can choose a coordinated outfit for your beer burro as well, and he loves to pose for photos with your loved ones. This Indiana vendor also has a miniature pony and a Clydesdale available for rental to turn your wedding reception or cocktail hour into an unforgettable event.
TC Spirit Donkeys in Traverse City, Michigan
For any North Michigan nearlyweds, try TC Spirit Donkeys for beer burros wedding services. This company says they love to party their "asses off," and you're helping to support a veteran-owned, woman-owned business in the process. Their mini donkeys are great for photos, bringing drinks or even as a donkey-gram for your wedding day.
