I never thought I’d watch my husband walking down the aisle with another man. Fortunately, he was gallantly fulfilling his best man duties by escorting the male of honour from the altar.

The lucky chap in question was 32-year-old estate agent James Westendarp, elegantly suited and booted with an elaborate hydrangea buttonhole (the groomsmen wore a discreet rose) to be by his best friend, the bride’s side on her big day.

“Initially, I agreed to do it only if I could have a backless dress, but I ended up in a morning coat like the rest of the guys,” Westendarp laughs. “The groom did compliment my astonishing beauty in his speech, though. So that’s one tradition that wasn’t broken.”

“Guysmaids”,“best women”, exotic mini-break "hags" (mixed sex stag and hen dos) – couples are increasingly throwing away the rule book when it comes to modern nuptials.