konknaijaboy | On 29, Aug 2013

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.”

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