Having the bride and groom's rings delivered by an owl is the hottest new trend for magical wedding ideas, according to reports.

Manchester United footballer Wes Brown is set to tie the knot with fiancee Leanne Wassell this summer and has reportedly hired a barn owl to be the ring bearer on the big day.

Explaining how the stunt works, wedding owl trainer and falconer Mike Roberts told the Guardian: "Birds of prey don't come back for any affection. It's food they want. She knows that when I whistle, if she comes to the glove she'll get a reward."

He suggested that this latest rise in popularity for having dramatic birds such as owls and eagles as part of the wedding party may have been fuelled by Harry Potter's snowy owl Hedwig.

Footballers' nuptials have sparked trends for unusual wedding albums in the past, with many couples choosing to sit on thrones during their marriage ceremonies emulating Posh and Becks' 1999 wedding photo albums.