I Wore My Wedding Dress Three Times!

What? It is true…I wore my wedding dress three times. And yes, I was married only once, so what is the answer to the mystery?

As Paul Harvey would say, “Now for the rest of the story.”

It was 1955. I was a senior in high school, and we were planning for our Senior Prom. A friend and I were in Wichita Falls shopping in the best shops of the day along Indiana Ave. I was looking for a prom dress.

I found it!—a strapless, ballerina length dress covered with Chantilly lace. That was “MY dress!“ As I looked at the dress, I said, “This could be made into a beautiful wedding dress!” Neil and I were engaged to be married at the time, so looking ahead was strong on my mind. I bought the dress! (Note: In those days It was not unusual for girls to marry right out of high school. There were seven engaged girls in my senior class, and one actually married earlier that spring.)

I wore the dress as my prom dress, and later I took the dress to my cousin who was an excellent seamstress. She agreed to redesign the dress. I was able to actually match the Chantilly lace that was then added to the dress to make a floor length dress with a slight train. A jacket was made from the same lace fabric. And there it was: my wedding dress!

We had a beautiful church wedding—traditional 1950s style. (“Destination” weddings were unheard of in those days.) The reception included cake, punch and of course nuts and those little mints—a must for the serving table.

Sometime later, my friend was planning her wedding. I was asked to serve at her reception. I decided to resurrect my wedding dress and take it back to its original design. I then wore it again in its original glory.

Just as in life, time goes by. The dress served its purpose as a special prom dress. It became a beautiful wedding dress, and even served well at a friend’s wedding. It is now hidden away in the cedar chest where other keepsakes from the past are kept. It has turned yellow with age, but is still a reminder of those special days gone by. Memories.