24 Dollar Wedding Dress

Part I: From Fairest Creatures We Desire Increase

The wedding dress is considered the most important dress in a woman's life. Steeped in tradition, religion and history, its delicate white lace and silk symbolize a woman's rite of passage.

This dress is about love, finding your perfect soul mate, and living happily ever after. Many women spend thousands of dollars for their wedding dress, and if it is custom made, the price can reach hundreds of thousands.

The fabric, construction, design, and style can tell you so much about the culture, social class, and historic context of the time.

For years, I've wanted to create books using worn wedding gowns. However, it was impossible to find a bride willing to sell, much less give me, her beloved wedding gown when I told her my plan. One of my friends even told me, "I'd rather it rot in my cedar chest."

So imagine my delight when I found a batch of used wedding gowns at a thrift store this past winter. This is my story of the 24 Dollar Wedding Dress - the beginning of my dream come true . . .

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