IT WAS like history repeating itself for the Vitale family as a dozen family members shared the aisle on Sarah Vitale-Hanratty’s special day.

The 11 Vitale sisters hit the headlines 12 years ago when youngest sibling Sandra was the last to tie the knot, and all 10 of her sisters accompanied her as her bridesmaids.

On Saturday, the next generation continued the tradition as bride Sarah got married to fiance Matthew Bulman with six of the sisters’ descendants as her bridesmaids.

Sarah, 25, of Cheney Manor, said: “I knew who I was going to have as my bridesmaids straight away. I picked all my female cousins on my mum’s side. Six of my bridesmaids are my cousins, two are my sisters, one is my daughter and one is a family friend. I have a page boy too.

“We are really close as a family, they are like my sisters not my cousins. My mum and her sisters all look identical. It is like 11 of the same woman.

“As a family I can definitely see similarities. We are all very family orientated and everyone loves a get together.”

The wedding ceremony took place at St Mary’s Church in Tovey Road and the reception was held at The Marriott.

Sarah, who is the daughter of Pasqualina, will be honeymooning with Matthew in Cape Verde.

Sarah’s late grandfather, Nick Vitale, gave away each of his 11 daughters from the 1970s until 12 years ago when Sandra was the last to tie the knot.

He was also in the paper with his daughter Julie when she got married in 1988, making her the 10th daughter he had given away in marriage.

One of Sarah’s bridemaids, Maria Bretti, daughter of Vincenza, said: “Our grandparents are from Calabria in Italy and our mums are one of 11 sisters. They are all here as well. They were all in the paper when my youngest auntie, Sandra, got married. It went national as well – they called it ‘Father of the Bride, part 11’.

“Now it is 12 years on and it is the next generation.

“We don’t really get together very often so weddings are a nice time for us.”