Dance
teacher Katie Dalby was going through agonies trying to choose which of
her pupils to be bridesmaids at her wedding. So she picked them all.
The 26-year-old ended up with 80 attendants at her marriage to fireman Norman Gooch, 37, in Harwich, Essex.
The
bridesmaids and page boys – 76 of whom are pictured here – included all
pupils from Katie’s Boogie Shoes Dance Academy, three sisters-in-law, a
niece, a cousin and her best friend.
Love:
The 80 bridesmaids (and a couple of page boys) form the shape of a
heart for the wedding of Katie Dalby and Norman Gooch Katie Dalby
married fireman Norman Gooch with 80 bridesmaids in tow
The line of bridesmaids make their way into the church
Backing group: Katie Dalby married Norman Gooch with 80 bridesmaids helping her out on her big day
In
front of the delighted rows of bridesmaids dressed in identical pink
dresses, Miss Dalby, 26, and her new husband, 37-year-old Gooch, took
their vows.
Miss
Dalby said: “The children were all very excited when I told them I was
getting married – some of them had been asking me for more than a year.
It
just couldn’t have been fair to choose two or three of them so the only
solution was to invite 74 of them – I didn’t want to exclude anyone.
I
also invited my three sisters-in-law, a niece, a cousin and my best
friend to be bridesmaids and it made my special day even more special.
‘We chose the colour of their dresses and the mums did a brilliant job
of dressing the children.”
Uniform: The brides students at her dance academy were told what colour to wear
All
together: Katie Dalby, pictured centre with her new husband Norman
Gooch, didn’t want any of her class to miss out on her special day
One mother said: “My daughter was thrilled that she got to be one of Katie’s bridesmaids – it was such a typically kind thing for her to do to involve the youngsters in her special day.”
One mother said: “My daughter was thrilled that she got to be one of Katie’s bridesmaids – it was such a typically kind thing for her to do to involve the youngsters in her special day.”
The
bridesmaids – aged two to 17 – were mostly pupils at her Boogie Shoes
dance academy in Harwich, Essex which holds classes in ballroom, disco
and rock and roll dancing.
There
were so many that the road outside St Nicholas Church in the town had
to be closed off on Saturday so the procession could line-up before
filing into the church.
Rector
the Revd Canon Peter Mann said: “There were a very large number of
bridesmaids but there was room for them in the pews nearest to the aisle
and they formed a guard of honour as the bride and groom left the
church.
Delight: Members of Kate Dalby’s dance class, young and old, were invited to be a key part of her special day
Flower shower: The bridesmaids show their delight to be invited to the wedding
After
the ceremony, the guests including the bridesmaids and many of their
parents went to a local seafront hotel for the reception – after a day
to remember and a wedding for the record books.
Back
in March this year, a class of primary school pupils watched their Miss
become Mrs after they all turned up for their teacher’s wedding as part
of a school project.
Lynette
O’Callaghan, 29, married Greg Stevenson, 25, at St Botolph’s Church in
Saxilby, Lincolnshire, on her birthday last Friday.
As
well as being cheered on by family and friends, Mrs Stevenson tied the
knot with her 24 pupils from years one and two at Saxilby Primary School
children looking on.
The
pupils, all of whom had permission to take time off school, turned up
in their uniforms to sing hymns in the church and shower the bride with
confetti.
Catch: Some of the bridesmaids might have had a few years to wait yet if they managed to grab the bouquet
