Sarah’s Wedding Gown Preservation in Connecticut
Bride Sarah decided to wear a precious family heirloom wedding gown that was worn by both of her aunts. Read more about her dress and wedding in our Q&A below!
When and where did your wedding take place?
We got married on June 7, 2014 in Fairfield, Connecticut. The ceremony was at St. Pius X Catholic Church and our reception was at Brooklawn Country Club.
Tell us the story behind your heirloom wedding dress!
I wore the same gown that two of my aunts wore at their own weddings over 10 years ago. I loved the gown but wanted a touch of lace on it, so my mother bought some lace at Sposabella in NYC and our family friend Kathy Roush (who is a wedding seamstress) did an amazing job of adding lace to the bottom of the dress. She also used the lace to make my veil!
When did you know that your wedding gown was “the one”?
I went on a few dress shopping trips and had finally narrowed it down to two dresses. I liked them both, but something was missing from each of them. My mom suggested that I try on her two sisters’ dress that she had preserved in 2002–it had actually been sitting under my childhood bed since then. I tried it on without any expectations of actually wearing it, but it turned out that I absolutely loved it.
It had everything I was looking for, which the other two gowns lacked. I loved the detailed beading on the top of the dress. I hadn’t seen anything as beautiful in my search. It was exactly my style and I immediately knew it was “the one“. My mom and mother-in-law had been shopping all day with me and they completely agreed that it was perfect. Once Kathy added the lace and made the veil, I loved it even more. It was the icing on the cake!
What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?
I have so many great memories from my wedding day! But my favorite part was having all of our friends and family together in one place. We live far away from both of our families, so it is very rare that everyone is in the same place. It meant the world to me and I couldn’t stop smiling all day 🙂
Why did you want to get your wedding gown cleaned and preserved?
I’m so thankful that my family had this gown preserved years ago. I never expected to wear it, but it meant so much to me that I could wear the same dress that my two aunts had worn. My mom and I wanted to get the dress preserved so that it can be an option for any future brides in our family. I would love to see someone else in my family wear it!
Why did you decide to get your gown cleaned and preserved by a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists?
We heard that Orange Restoration Labs in Orange, Connecticut did a beautiful job when it came to cleaning and preserving wedding gowns. Since the dress is becoming a family heirloom, we wanted nothing but the best service for it. They also use environmentally friendly products which is an added bonus!
Photographer Credit: Tony Spinelli