Most wedding dresses are stored in a box on the top cupboard and left to collect dust after the big day – but one vintage dress is making its way around the world.
Twenty-five brides signed up to receive a gorgeous $1,500 gown free of charge that they’ll wear, wash, and then pass on to the next destination.
From Sydney to New York, Bali, Spain, Chicago and more, the vintage dress is set to travel far and wide.
Tara Rowe, a vintage dress collector from South Australia, is the mastermind behind the project and told Yahoo Lifestyle she came up with the idea last year.
“I thought, what if I send one dress to be worn by as many brides as possible in the space of a year and document it?” she said.
RELATED:
“Everybody loves a love story and this is about bringing together a mix of women from different walks of life.”
Considering Tara has a whole store’s worth of dresses that have already been worn once, the idea felt like a no-brainer.
The 1990s bias-cut slip dress with 3D floral appliqué and beading was chosen because the style will likely fit a range of sizes.
Plus, it is sturdy enough to be hand-washed by each bride in between weddings.
Since it’s a vintage dress from a 90s designer, it’s difficult to determine the correct retail price, but Tara estimates it’s worth between $1,000 and $1,500.
The 90s vintage dress features 3D florals.
(Supplied/Instagram @callmethebreeze)
“So far we’ve had a St Kilda rainy pub wedding with a pregnancy reveal, an intimate Centennial Park wedding with their dog walking them down the aisle, a country town hall wedding in rural Victoria, an elopement in Iceland with a backdrop of icebergs and a rehearsal dinner in Chicago,” Tara said.
The next few stops are Michigan, Bali and Ontario, New York, Whistler and Spain.
How does it work?
Late last year, Tara opened applications to be part of the series with the disclaimer that the dress would likely only arrive a few days before the wedding.
Some women may shudder at the thought and stress, since there is the risk that the dress might miss the wedding.
Not to mention, it might not fit either.
Nonetheless, it didn’t stop more than 200 women from applying, as the borrowed dress doesn’t cost them a cent to wear.
“I think the brides who have signed up for this are prepared for a colourful journey,” Tara said.
Two different brides wearing the dress at their wedding.
(Supplied/Instagram @callmethebreeze)
With 25 weddings in a year, the dress will be part of a wedding every two weeks, which Tara admitted doesn’t leave a lot of room for error.
“The only obligation for the brides is to share their wedding photos and video content plus answer a post-wedding interview,” Tara said.
Lost in transit for six weeks
While the wholesome series is a great idea, especially for women on a budget, the project almost came to an end when the dress went missing in transit from Sydney to America.
The incident occurred quite early in the journey, as the dress had been worn in only three weddings.
“The series nearly went off the rails after the dress got lost in the US postal system and was bouncing between the post offices in Texas for six weeks,” Tara said.
“Brianna, the bride, was such an angel and chased it down, but sadly, she had to pull out her backup dress for her wedding day as it didn’t arrive in time,” she continued.
“She was able to squeeze in a post-wedding photoshoot before she shipped it off to the next bride, though.”
Tara said “some hiccups” were expected and every bride was aware of the “potential risks”.
“Hopefully, we are in for a smooth ride for the rest of the series,” she said.
For this reason, it’s wise for the brides involved to have a backup wedding dress.
Those wanting to stay up to date with the series can view Tara’s free Substack here.
Want the latest lifestyle and entertainment news? Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.