With around 250 guests in attendance, nearly 40% of them wore bridesmaid dresses.
Image: YouTube
When Jack McGowan, and his bride Kathryn exchanged vows at Larchfield Estate in Northern Ireland, it wasn’t just the romantic setting that had everyone talking — it was the record-breaking bridal party.
While most weddings typically include around three to five bridesmaids, Kathryn and Jack decided early on that they would need far more to properly celebrate their big day. What started as a discussion about having seven or eight bridesmaids quickly snowballed.
Kathryn recalled thinking over the numbers and wondering, “what’s the biggest number of bridesmaids I could have?” Eventually, the couple settled on a staggering 95.
With around 250 guests in attendance, nearly 40% of them wore bridesmaid dresses. The bridesmaids weren’t just friends — many were pupils from Kathryn’s dance school, spanning ages from 6 to 40. The bridal party became a reflection of Kathryn’s community and her life’s work in dance.
“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,” Kathryn shared with BBC Radio in Ultster, noting that in the end, the decision to include them all felt natural.
Jack, who is involved in organising dance events, said he wasn’t particularly surprised by the final count. Being familiar with the dancers and the scale of events Kathryn runs, he admitted, “I strangely expected nothing less.”
Despite the towering number of bridesmaids, the day ran without a hitch. Kathryn praised how effortlessly the girls organised themselves, lining up along the aisle in two neat rows before she even arrived. “They had it all organised before I got there, so I didn’t have to do very much,” she said with a laugh, adding, “I definitely made the right decision.”
During the photo session, the older bridesmaids even took charge of guiding the younger ones, ensuring everyone was perfectly positioned for the pictures — a testament to their dance training and team spirit.
Rather than dictating a specific style, Kathryn offered a colour scheme and let each bridesmaid choose her own dress. The result was a diverse display of styles and personalities that made the event feel even more personal. “It was really interesting to see all their different styles and personalities showing through,” she said.
While Jack had just eight groomsmen — a stark contrast to the 95 bridesmaids — he embraced the imbalance. Traditional group dances took place, and in an interview on BBC Radio Ulster’s The Nolan Show, he joked, “the best man is still dancing today.”
The couple described the day as better than anything they’d hoped for. “It was absolutely brilliant,” said Jack. “There was dancing and piping all day long.”
.IOL Lifestyle