Brittany Dalena, a bride from Fresno, California, decided to repurpose her grandmother’s third-generation wedding dress into a two-piece set. The vintage ivory gown, covered in paisley prints, had been originally worn by her grandmother and then passed down to her mother before Dalena transformed it into her rehearsal dress. The dress, which is about 50 years old, contained pieces where Dalena’s grandmother and her mother-in-law had stitched beading into it, adding to its sentimental value.
In a TikTok video that has gone viral with over 13.4 million views, the bride surprised her grandmother by walking into the church wearing the transformed vintage dress. Her grandmother was amazed and screamed, “Oh my god!” as she saw her granddaughter wearing the garment. The emotional moment captured on camera showed the grandmother breaking down in tears of joy, touched by the gesture of using the family heirloom for such a special occasion.
Dalena had always planned to use the dress and keep it as one piece but decided to create a shorter version for her rehearsal. Due to her smaller size compared to her mother and grandmother, significant alterations were necessary to make the dress fit perfectly. The seamstress had to take the dress apart into two pieces to adjust the bodice to Dalena’s waist. Despite the alterations, the bride immediately fell in love with the redesigned dress.
The wedding dress had undergone alterations over generations to suit each bride’s style. While Dalena’s grandmother purchased it as a long-sleeve gown with a high neckline, her mother tailored it to have a sweetheart neckline and poofy short sleeves with beaded embellishments. When it was Dalena’s turn to add her own touch, she decided to keep the main elements of the dress but make it into a two-piece set, following the tradition of making alterations to the family heirloom.
Despite some negative comments online, with people calling the redesign “Shein-ified” and expressing dismay over cutting up a priceless heirloom, Dalena remains unfazed. She knew that her family would appreciate her efforts regardless of the style. Some online commenters expressed understanding and support for the bride’s decision to reimagine the vintage gown as a way of preserving its sentimental value and allowing it to be used again rather than being left to rot.
Dalena’s family, who are extremely sentimental, appreciated the redesign of the wedding dress. While some may have criticized her decision to alter the family heirloom, her loved ones were touched by the gesture and admired her creativity in repurposing the dress for her rehearsal. Despite the backlash from some online viewers, Dalena’s family’s approval and appreciation for the gesture mattered most to her. Ultimately, the transformation of the vintage wedding dress from an old gown into a new two-piece set symbolized the continuation of a cherished family tradition.
