The wedding with almost 100 bridesmaids

There are traditional weddings and then there are people who like to add their own twist to their big day.

Jack McGowan, originally from Aberdeen in Scotland, and his wife Kathryn from Hillsborough, Northern Ireland, decided two or three bridesmaids would not meet the mark for the special occasion.

The newly-wed couple who tied the knot last week with 95 bridesmaids said it was “an absolutely unforgettable day”.

The average number of bridesmaids for a wedding in the UK is about three to five.

Ms McGowan said as soon as the couple got engaged they were debating how many bridesmaids was too many.

“I was thinking and thinking about how it was going to work and I thought in my head, what’s the biggest number of bridesmaids I could have?”

She said the couple discussed having seven or eight, which then raised to nine or 10, but they eventually landed on 95.

The wedding took place in Larchfield estate near Annahilt, County Down, in Northern Ireland.

They had about 250 guests altogether, meaning 38% of the guests donned a bridesmaid dress.

The women and girls shared more than a colour scheme – with many being pupils of Kathryn’s dance school.

“All my dancers and my friends that have been in my life for a long time, they’re still very much a massive part of my life.

“It was just a very, very easy decision in the end,” she said.

Their ages ranged from six to 40 years of age.

Jack McGowan said he was “weirdly not shocked” by the numbers.

He said he helps out with the organisation of some dance events and was familiar with all the girls.

“I’m used to these big events with lots and lots of our dancers, so I strangely expected, nothing less,” he said.

Women dominated the day as Jack had only eight groomsmen.

Traditionally, the groomsmen will share a dance with the bridesmaids.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s, The Nolan Show programme, Jack said, “the best man is still dancing today.”

The couple said the day ran smoothly despite the large numbers.

“The girls all know how to get in formation and organise themselves very quickly,” Kathryn said.

She said the girls separated into two lines along the aisle.

“They had it all organised before I got there, so I didn’t have to do very much.

“I definitely made the right decision,” she said.

“It was really good when we were getting the photos, the older girls organised the younger ones and they were all standing perfectly arranged ready for me to bounce into the middle.”

Kathryn said the bridesmaids chose their own dresses once she planned a colour scheme.

“It was really interesting to see all their different styles and personalities showing through.”

The pair said they were very happy with how the day went.

“It was absolutely brilliant,” Jack added.

“It was better than we ever imagined, there was dancing and piping all day long.”