When Megan Sullivan’s grandmother moved into a senior living facility last year, Megan and her family had to clean out her apartment, and among the fascinating items they found was her grandmother’s wedding gown and the bridal magazine in which her grandmother first saw a photo of that same dream dress. What a spectacular treasure, giving the family a glimpse into what was surely an exciting time for grandma about 65 years ago!

Megan says that they discovered “this old suitcase with the dress and the magazine inside. My grandmother’s wedding date was Jan. 22, 1949. The dress is satin with long sleeves,” and Megan knows from photos of her grandparents’ wedding that “she had this really ornate crown-like veil.”

Megan’s mum Donna reports that the magazine was the winter issue of 1948/1949, and the dress was described as “Joel’s Basic Wedding Dress in bur-mil rayon satin. From a hip defining yoke, a lavish skirt of unpressed pleats leads to a full formal train.” The dress cost $79.95. “Sounds crazy now, but I’m sure at the time that was a lot of money,” says Megan. “She also wore the Clarice Tuck Wile headdress, $25. They were both made by Franklin Simon.”

Amazing!

Look at those prices!

Now imagine your future generations seeing not just your perfectly preserved wedding dress, but also the bridal magazine or blog post printout of the gown you selected, with full details on the fabrics and embellishments, the designer name, and the price! You’ll tuck those future artifacts into an archival acid-free envelope or storage box, and store it with your gown and veil, to be ‘unearthed’ decades from now. And perhaps your preserved shoes as well.

Megan says, “My grandmother always wanted one of her granddaughters to wear her gown, but no luck so far!” Perhaps she or someone else in her family will choose this dress, or a new dress inspired by or custom-made from its style. They do have all of the details about it, after all!

So treat your gown research as something to be saved, preserved, protected, and eventually found by your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren someday. The story of your gown tells the story of you, and connects the ones who love you to you through your wedding keepsakes in a very special way.

Ms Gingham says: I have kept my gown but never thought to hang on to the sketches or the magazine that I saw my gown in. It would definitely have been a fantastic addition to my wedding keepsakes!

About Sharon: Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 wedding books, including her newest: “The Bride’s Guide to Freebies” and “Bridesmaid on a Budget.” Her two books for the mothers of the bride and groom are bestsellers, and she has appeared on such top shows as Good Morning America, ABC News, Lifetime, Inside Edition and more – sharing tips and insider secrets to help you plan your dream wedding on a budget, personalized to your love story. Visit her site Sharon Naylor for more on her books, free worksheets and appearances. She lives in Morristown, NJ with her husband Joe and is at work on her next two wedding books.