Wang Jia looks radiant and happy as walks down the aisle ahead of the bride - as all bridesmaids do. She is even given the bridal bouquet to hold when the couple exchanges rings.

But unlike most bridesmaids, Wang isn't the bride's best friend. In fact, she met the couple only six months previously when they came to her company, Rosa Bride, a wedding planning firm in Beijing. For Wang is a professional bridesmaid, a role that's becoming increasingly in demand as more women are finding they don't have single women friends who can play the role.

Wang said she did it at the request of a newly registered couple in their 20s, who graduated from overseas universities, who came to Rosa Bride in April last year.

"The bride had few single female friends in the capital. She asked if our company could get one and she would pay for it," Wang said.

Wang agreed to be the bridesmaid and in October played her part at the wedding ceremony, themed "Love in the Ocean".

"It's not difficult once you're acquainted with every step in a wedding ceremony," she said.

But the wedding was a bit different. Wang, as bridesmaid, had to hold a fish bowl with two fish swimming inside - symbolizing the love between the couple.

And the couple had to pick up rings buried in colorful sand at the bottom of a bowl to place them on each other's fingers.

"I had to hold the tank all the time," she said. "If I was unlucky to be knocked by some guest, or if the tank broke because of an accident, the ceremony would have been totally ruined.

"So I had to be very cautious with the tank and to protect it at all times."

The role earned Wang 500 yuan and she soon became more adept at playing the bridesmaid through more opportunities.

Wang, whose eloquence and quick response came from her pervious experience as a trainer in business etiquette and brand knowledge, joined the wedding industry two years ago.

She said part of the bridesmaid's duty is to keep an eye on the bride's dress, makeup, gestures and other things to make the day a success.

Wang turned up her nose at the superstition that a woman should not be a bridesmaid more than three times, otherwise she will not be able to marry.

"Some have predicted that 2010 would be 'widow year', but just see how many people got married this year," said Wang, who is single.

Moreover, Wang said being a professional bridesmaid is safer than being a professional groomsman.

"A groomsman has to drink the bottles and glasses pushed to the groom from teasing guests, but normally, it would be comparatively easy for a bridesmaid," she said.

Jia Boxiang, Wang's boss, said the demand for professional bridesmaids comes from high-end and large Western-style weddings.

"Ordinary people generally ask their friends, relatives or colleagues to be the bridesmaid," Jia said. "It's only when more than one bridesmaid is needed that they come to us for professional help." The company charges between 200 and 800 yuan for each bridesmaid, depending on experience and looks.

"A bridesmaid must be pretty, but not too pretty so as to steal the bride's spotlight," Jia said.

At the peak wedding period from May to October, a woman can be booked as many as six times a week. He said most professional bridesmaids do the job part-time and some are college students.

"The market is just not big enough for a full-time profession," Jia said. "Wang Jia's title is still wedding planner and emcee."

Wang said what she loved the most about this job is that joyful sense when the music started, and the attention on her as she walks down the aisle.