Miley Cyrus’ dad weighs in on nuptials

Billy Ray Cyrus wants his daughter Miley to focus on her friendship with fiancé Liam Hemsworth.

The country music singer is a big fan of his 20-year-old daughter's 23-year-old husband-to-be.

Although Billy Ray insists the pair are wise for their age, the Achy Breaky Heart crooner admits he's told his daughter not to rush down the aisle.

His fatherly advice to the young couple is to make sure their bond is unbreakable before they say "I do".

"She and Liam both are very smart, mature," Billy Ray told Extra.

"What I've always told them, 'You have a great friendship. Take care of that and be good to each other.' Good friends are hard to find."

Miley and Liam have had a bumpy start to their engagement according to recent reports.

Liam proposed in June of last year but rumours of a split surfaced only a few months later. Earlier this year Miley was seen without her engagement ring and Liam was accused of kissing Mad Men actress January Jones at an industry party in Los Angeles.

Several outlets reported the nuptials were initially planned for this summer.

Miley and Liam are believed to have postponed the ceremony as they work through their issues.

The Can't Be Tamed singer is meanwhile focused on her work.

Miley is preparing to launch her fourth studio album later this year. It will be her first release without the backing of Disney, which produced her hit kids' show Hannah Montana.

She promised last September it would be "the biggest record I've ever had" in an interview with MTV News.

Billy Ray has also heaped praise on his daughter for taking risk with her music.

"It would have been easy to for Miley to sit back and be Hannah Montana forever. Miley had courage to reinvent herself," he said.