Love me love my Dogs

Celebrity bride Ayda did a walkies up the aisle - with eight dogs as bridesmaids as she married Robbie Williams at his LA mansion.

The pets would have been perfectly at home - after all it was their own back garden. They wore collars of flowers for the big day and were no doubt treated to a Hollywood sized steak for their supper. Hopefully they were all bright-eyed and bushy tailed afterwards.

Robbie and Ayda said they had axed normal wedding day conventions. No hen and stag parties, no best man. Just 50 close family and friends in the low-key ceremony. Rumours circulate that a baby is on the way were fuelled by the designer nursery in the Mansion.

If they'd waited a while they could have had a joint wedding and baptism - the Church of England now invites couples to take up this option as so many people who come to speak to us about weddings already have children. And obviously many who come to ask about baptising their children are not actually married.

I have been asked about dogs being bridesmaids in the past - though I've never actually seen it happen in church. No doubt Robbie and Ayda will set a trend and we can expect more canine requests in the near future. How sweet!

People are inspired by films too - certainly since the Harry Potter stories we have noticed Owl ring bearers at the wedding shows. It sounds like a hoot - but I'm not sure how many Vicars would freak at the sight of a winged creature flying straight at them. Though most of them have probably got bats in the belfry...