Avril Lavigne, Deryck Whibley to wed soon

Canadianrockers Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley, singer for Sum 41, have moved up their wedding date, according to news reports.

The pair, who have been engaged for more than a year, are said to be ready to wed soon.

They moved up the date supposedly due to concerns over media scrutiny over their previously planned Aug. 26 wedding in California.

Reports say the two notified friends and family days ago of a change in plans, and directed their wedding guests to book tickets immediately for Santa Barbara, Calif., where the couple share a home.

"I cannot comment on the personal lives of our artists," said Lavigne's publicist, Sean Cordner.

The Insider website says Lavigne's bridal shower was last Friday, and some of the gifts included handcuffs and a racy red bra and thong.

Hooked up 2 years ago

Whibley, 26, and Lavigne, 21, have been dating since early 2004.

Whibley's band, based in Ajax, Ont., formed in 1996.The four-man band, known for its heady mix of punk-pop songs and goofy onstage antics, was signed to a major record label in 1999.

The band's first full-length CD, All Killer No Filler, came out in 2001 and produced three hits: Fat Lip, In Too Deep and Motivation.Its latest CD, Go Chuck Yourself, was released in Canada in March.

Lavigne first shot to fame at 17 with the song Complicated, and has been making headlines in her role as an actress.

The pride of Napanee, Ont., has been attending movie premieres in couture gowns instead of her trademark undershirt, tie and ripped skater shorts.

She's the voice of Heather the possum in the animated movie Over the Hedge, and has been cast in Richard Linklater's Fast Food Nation as a teenage animal activist.