Flashy weddings seem to have become compulsory, leaving many couples to start married life in debt

WHEN Mick Jagger married Bianca more than 30 years ago, he chartered a plane to carry 70 guests to the ceremony in the south of France. And that, we thought, was the last world in rock star extravagance. We didn't have a clue, did we?

This weekend is going to be one of those over-the-top footballers' weddings. Four England footballers are getting married. "Simple" plays no part in the proceedings. Estimates of the cost of the weddings goes from a comparatively modest £250,000 for Michael Carrick and Lisa Roughead to over £1m for Steven Gerrard and Alex Curran.

Remember that when you're renewing your season ticket.

Of course, it's absolutely nothing to do with us. It's their money and if they - or the glossy magazines - can afford it, then good luck to them.

It's just that it sets a pattern, doesn't it? Flash footballers have a flash wedding with hundreds of guests, designer clothes, all-night parties, singers, bands and exotic honeymoons and somehow it gradually seeps into the national consciousness that that's the way weddings are supposed to be. Who could forget the Beckhams' his 'n' hers thrones? It made Prince Charles and Camilla look positively understated.

And so thousands of couples who earn less in a year than some footballers do in a day, try and do the same thing. Even on a shoestring, it still costs more than they can afford, so they start married life with huge debts. Not good.

It doesn't have to be like that. Never used to be.

Unless you're the daughter of the Sultan of Brunei - whose wedding last week lasted three days at a cost that's eye watering, the rich and famous used to keep it simple too. In the 60s and 70s, there was a great fashion for pop stars and celebrities just to turn up at their local register office with a minimum of fuss, sign the papers, have a party and that was that. Cilla Black in her mini dress, with new husband Bobby on the steps of Marylbone Register Office set a great, happy low-key example. Their marriage lasted 30 years, until Bobby's death.

Odd, isn't it, that as weddings get bigger and more elaborate, marriages pack up sooner. Maybe they can't live up to all that expectation. Or the resulting debt.

Anyway, new laws being considered will now give unwed couples the same rights as the married. So much for commitment. This could, in theory, make marriage redundant and big flashy weddings even more so. But I wouldn't count on it.

There's nothing wrong with flashy weddings, it's just that they seem to have become compulsory. We have forgotten that there is an alternative. A ten-minute ceremony with two witnesses leaves you just as married as the OTT extravaganzas, and there's still plenty of room for manoeuvre between the two extremes.

So, if any other big name footballer and his model bride are planning a wedding, could they please do us all a favour and make it low key, close friends and family only, no opulence, extravagance or swanky showing off.

It might not fill so many pages in Hello magazine. But it would be a useful reminder that it's not the wedding that matters, it's the marriage. For now, at least.

WATCHING protesters on The World Naked Bike Ride brought tears to my eyes. And not, sadly, because I was moved by their cause, however justified.

It was almost a relief to learn that some men cheated. They weren't completely naked but wore socks. Just not on their feet.