This is the exact number of bridesmaids you should have at your wedding

What’s the perfect number of bridesmaids? One expert has the answer (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto) You’re newly engaged, but you already know who you’re asking to be your bridesmaids. In the UK, the average number of bridesmaids is three, but deciding who makes the cut is down to so much more than numbers. You might feel obligated towards friends you’ve known since school, and your parents would go mad if you didn’t have your sister up there, too. There’s also such a thing as having too many bridesmaids. You don’t want your guests watching a parade of tulle-clad pals work ahead of you before you finally make your entrance. Well it turns out there is an ideal number of bridesmaids to accompany you on the big day. The magic number? Four. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Zoe Burke, a leading wedding expert and head of brand at Bridebook, says you need to pick four, mainly for ‘symmetry.’ This way, you can have two on each side for the features. And you can’t just pick at random, Zoe says you need each maid to fulfil a specific role. The type A Firstly, you need someone who remains calm under pressure, and who can take control if it’s needed, liaising with other guests on your behalf. They’ll also be excellent at sticking to a plan. ‘Bonus points if this person is also really tidy, and will tidy up the honeymoon suite for you before you return to it at the end of the night, as well as collecting all the cards and gifts on the way out, and can keep track of who is yet to sign the guest book,’ Zoe suggests. In other words, you need a type A — someone who is highly efficient, always organised, and plans for every eventuality. The mum type Next, you need a bridesmaid who has a mothering instinct. ‘They have plasters, tissues and paracetamol on them at all times. They know where the wet wipes are kept, and they’ve probably got an emotional support water bottle,’ Zoe says. ‘They come to you with hydration and nutrition when you need it most. ‘They’ll hover around you like a helicopter parent, and you’ll be grateful.’ Four is the perfect number, but you’ll want to consider personalities (Picture: Getty Images) The glam queen You know the friend who always notices everything? A hair out of place, a crinkle in your shirt? You need to recruit them ASAP. ‘You’ll need someone who notices when your lip gloss has worn off before the photos, and who’s clocked that your bouquet is looking a little peaky,’ Zoe shares. ‘They have blotting paper and your wedding lip colour tucked into their bra, and this is someone who knows how important it is for you to keep looking your very best.’ The forever friend Finally, you need someone you’ve known pretty much your whole life (or at least a very long time). Between the two of you, boundaries don’t exist. Zoe explains: ‘They’ll get under your dress to make sure it’s sitting right, and reach into your corset to help you adjust it. ‘They won’t bat an eye at the idea of helping you go to the toilet, and will come with you to help you quickly change into your evening outfit. ‘Being in a wedding dress looks incredible, but getting in and out of it isn’t always the most dignified, so having a friend who you’re comfortable being half naked around is always a plus.’ And if you need a fifth… If you really can’t bear to only have five, Zoe says if you are going to have a fifth bridesmaid, it should be a party starter. ‘They’ll break the ice when you merge different friendship groups together, and be just as comfortable chatting to Great Aunt Doris as they’ll be calming down a nervous flower girl before she sets off,’ Zoe says. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: Kate Garraway ‘devastated’ by reaction to boyfriend Liam Halligan after Derek Draper heartbreak Arrow MORE: Apparently, this is the nonsexual act that men find insanely attractive Arrow MORE: I earn £230,000 and want to retire at 47 — my younger girlfriend thinks that’s unfair