Happily fur-ever after! James Middleton and Alizée Thevenet’s dogs had a special role on the couple’s wedding day. According to HOLA! USA’s sister brand HELLO!, the newlyweds’ canines Ella and Mabel served as flower girls at the ceremony in France earlier this month. A pawfect choice given that James has credited Ella with introducing him to Alizée back in 2018.

“The two of us (Ella and me) were at the South Kensington Club in Chelsea. Ella was lying at my feet under the table; realising she might want some water, I trusted her to take herself over to the water bowl across the terrace. However, she made a beeline for Alizée,” the Duchess of Cambridge’s brother wrote in a 2021 article for The Telegraph .

“Rather embarrassed, I went over to apologise and bring Ella back. But Alizée thought I was the waiter and ordered her drink while continuing to stroke Ella, who at this point was on her back lapping up the attention,” James added. “Little did I know, but I had just met my future wife, all thanks to Ella.”

The couple went on to get engaged in 2019 and finally, after postponing their wedding twice, tied the knot on September 11, 2021 in Bormes-les-Mimosas. The intimate affair was attended by the groom’s older sister Kate as well as his brother-in-law Prince William, in addition to niece Princess Charlotte and nephews Prince George and Prince Louis.

Pippa Middleton, her husband James Matthews, and their children, Arthur and Grace, also attended the wedding. James told HELLO!, who published photos from the special day, “There are three important things for a good party: good music, good food and wine, and wonderful people. We were lucky enough to have all three.”