Forget a horse and carriage, the new must have for weddings is a herd of alpacas. Small alpaca farms across the country have seen a flurry of bookings as the American trend arrives in the UK.

The animals are often brought out to “surprise” guests when they are used as ring-bearers or to entertain children at the reception. In what appears to be another example of social media one-upmanship brides are now posting pictures of their alpacas, often in veils or adorned with flowers, on Instagram and Twitter.

Stuart Ramsay, who runs Velvet Hall Alpacas in Innerleithen, Scotland, said he first supplied alpacas for a wedding when he was asked to by a local hotel. "It's taken off from there," he told The Telegraph. "Most weddings want it as a surprise for the guests.

“We stay for a couple of hours so people can meet the alpacas and take photos with them.”