She Fell in Love, and the Dog Approved

vowsTara Harper knew Fritz Rahr was “the one” after he volunteered to join her on a trip to rescue a German shepherd — and then gave it a bath.Tara Harper and Fritz Rahr were married at home on July 11 in Fort Worth, Texas.Credit…Zerb Mellish for The New York TimesIn June 2018, when Tara Harper told Frederick Rahr that she was going to drive eight hours round trip, from Dallas to Pasadena, Texas, to pick up an elderly and neglected German shepherd, she never imagined the man she had been seeing for just a few months would volunteer to join her. When he did, she figured he was just trying to score a few points with her.But after both had spent time in the car with the rescued animal, Ms. Harper knew that having Mr. Rahr, 53, who goes by Fritz, with her at that time was so much more. “It didn’t matter to Fritz that our new friend was dirty and smelled,” she said.When they returned to Ms. Harper’s Dallas home, Mr. Rahr jumped in the shower with the old dog and gave him what was probably his first bath. “After the shower, Fritz and I were sitting on the kitchen floor exhausted,” Ms. Harper said. “The rescue came over to Fritz and put his foot on his arm, thanking him. I started bawling.”It was then that Ms. Harper, 45, realized that his love of animals and rescuing them was real. “But more than that,” she said. “I knew he was kind. I knew in that moment that I was going to spend the rest of my life with this man.”ImageThe bride’s father, John Harper, awaited as Ms. Harper descended the staircase.  Credit…Zerb Mellish for The New York TimesThe pair had first met at a Rahr & Sons Brewing Company event in Fort Worth, Texas, where Ms. Harper was holding a dog adoption for the charity she co-founded, Paws in the City. Though Ms. Harper teases that she’s surprised Mr. Rahr remembers as she was in sunglasses and a ball cap all day. Even the date is a little fuzzy now, she says. “We think it was about nine years ago.”In September 2017, Mr. Rahr messaged Ms. Harper on Facebook. “I reached out to her after I saw her comment on a mutual topic of interest.” Mr. Rahr says he couldn’t help himself. “I had to ask Tara out on a date,” Mr. Rahr said, “There was something captivating about Tara. Her love and passion for dog rescue really hit home for me. I would do anything for my dogs and from what I could tell Tara would do that and a lot more.”Ms. Harper didn’t say yes at first. In fact, Mr. Rahr, who lived in Fort Worth, asked several more times before she finally agreed. It wasn’t that she wasn’t intrigued. “I immediately thought he was incredibly good-looking, very nice and funny,” she said. br>Read More