I Do, I Dog

A Fairytale Romance Inspired by a True Story

SYNOPSIS

(adapted from The $5 Dog Wedding Book as featured in the New York Times Weddings)

Even when tragic news strikes, nothing will stand in the way of Lilly’s dream – To have a big, loud, Italian wedding. Without a Mr. Right in her line of sight, Lilly, with the help of friends and strangers from all over the world, embarks on a fairy tale journey to a one-of-a-kind wedding.

STATUS

1. Powered By A Thousand Volts Of Energy, Lilly exhibits this bon vivant where food, wine, and laughter is what life is all about. With her singing and dancing, her joie de vivre is contagious to anyone around her. As a traveling nurse, her patients even swear that her energy bears healing powers.

2. Burning The Midnight Oil After long shifts at the hospital, Lilly prepares meals for dog rescue shelters; Charlie’s Dog Shelter, is her favorite. Together, Lilly and Charlie care for the dogs. Charlie always wonders why Lilly doesn’t own a dog. Lilly is afraid that she won’t be able to care for him because of her erratic work schedule.

3. Love At First Sight One day, as Lilly meanders the streets of Palm Springs, she ends up at a park holding a Dog Adoption Fair. Lilly is overwhelmed with so many dogs seeking a loving family – then, she sees him. Sagging skin, curled up tight into himself in the darkest corner of the enclosure, the dog does all he can to stay unnoticed. Lilly knows she has to save him. At last, Bernie has a new home!

4. The Quest For A New Friend Lilly can’t bear to leave Bernie alone when she goes to work. Together, they seek a new friend. One day, as Lilly and Bernie stroll through a park Bernie senses something is off. Hidden under a Bougainvillea lies a dog curled up tight, scared out of his wits. With Charlie’s help, she rescues the dog. At last, Spinner has a new home, and Bernie, a new friend!

5. The Pursuit Of Giving A few years back, Lilly donated one of her kidneys to a dear friend. Since then, Lilly has been an avid advocate for organ donation. It is thanks to Lilly that one of her patients donates a kidney to a woman on the donor’s waiting list. Lilly’s experience as a donor changes people’s lives wherever she goes. Strangers become friends. Patients get a second chance at life. Lilly has no time to think of a Mr. Right who could make her dream of a big Italian wedding come true.

6. Living The Life A turn of events changes Lilly’s life: the heat from the desert makes Spinner sick. On a whim, Lilly buys a yacht and moves to live at the Coronado Marina near the She knows they have to move to an amazing dog beach. Her new Marina friends encourage her to pursue her dream of a big Italian wedding even without a Mr. Right. Everyone comes up with wild ideas, but none to Lilly’s liking.

7. Tragic News One of Lilly’s new friends, Mason, understands her more than anyone else. He’s like a father to Lilly. It is Mason who gives Lilly the wild idea of holding a symbolic for her and Bernie. After Bernie is the most devoted being in Lilly’s life. Lilly and her friends make plans to hold a fundraising wedding to save lives: the lives of people and the lives of dogs. But an incurable illness strikes Lilly, putting her dream on hold.

8. Will You Mary Me? To Charlie, Lilly means everything in the world. He will do all he can to ensure her dream becomes a reality. He reaches out to organ donors, dog shelter owners, organ recipients, and stars, who believe in Lilly’s causes to save human and dog lives. A mystery benefactor sets up a worldwide GoFundMe campaign to celebrate Lilly’s symbolic wedding. Love always finds a way, dream do come true, but never as you’d expect. Lilly’s journey is far to happen for real – and it will mean something.