Gwendolyn Stulgis knew exactly what she wanted in a wedding dress: a long-sleeved lace gown with a beaded train. She also knew she would only wear it once — which bothered her given the high price of designer dresses.
–
She decided her top price would be $1,000. Starting dress shopping last October, Stulgis soon found the dress of her dreams, even though it was well over her budget at $3,000.
–
–
Staring at her reflection at a bridal shop in Warren, Ohio, Stulgis decided to treat herself.
–
“I fell in love with it,” said Stulgis, 37, a vice president of a staffing agency.
–
But she had some reservations.
–
“I didn’t want to spend so much money on a dress that I would put in a box and never wear again,” she said. “It’s just not me.”
–
So Stulgis had a plan. After her wedding on May 6, she gave the dress to a bride-to-be who otherwise couldn’t afford a dress.
–
“I knew I didn’t want to keep it,” said Stulgis, who paid for the dress in monthly installments until just before her wedding.
–
Knowing how extravagant dresses can be — the average price for a wedding dress last year was around $1,800 — she decided to give it away rather than sell it.
–
Brides wear black. I did it years ago and I have no regrets.
–
She took to social media to find a bride who would be just as excited to wear it as she was.
–
“I felt absolutely amazing in it and I want someone else to feel how I felt,” Stulgis wrote in a May 19 Facebook post that she shared to various groups.
–
She included several photos of the dress and explained the sizing in a comment. She also laid out some specifics: the recipient of the dress should have a wedding date within months of the post, and after it’s worn, the bride must dry-clean it and give it to another bride, creating an ongoing chain.
–
Her goal, she wrote, was to “continue as long as the dress can stand.”
–
She asked anyone interested to send her a private message explaining why they wanted the dress. The post was widely shared, and once the local news picked up the story, it spread even further. Submissions started pouring in, and by the June 2 application deadline, Stulgis had received 72 messages — all of which she read with her husband.
–
One submission stood out. It was from Margaret Hyde, who lives in Portage County, Ohio.
–
“Between Covid and life throwing rotten lemons at us, our wedding budget just keeps getting smaller,” Hyde, 32, wrote in a private Facebook message to Stulgis.
–
She went on to explain why she wanted the dress and shared a bit about herself.
–
“I’m a simple woman who doesn’t like to talk about herself,” wrote Hyde, who works at an auto parts store.
–
“I serve my community as much as I can,” she continued, adding that she stocks several small free pantries in her neighborhood and donates to her local pantry whenever she can.
–
While walking her dogs, she found an Olympic gold medal on the ground
–
Unbeknownst to Hyde, her future sister-in-law Alycia Ashley had also written to Stulgis on Hyde’s behalf a few days earlier.
–
“She is the most selfless person I know,” Ashley wrote. “I have never met a more deserving woman who would carry on your desire to pass this dress on to someone after her.”
–
Hyde said she was initially hesitant about entering the dress contest, but told Ashley she was interested in the dress. It was the style she wanted but couldn’t afford.
–
“I am a giver. I’m not usually a taker,” said Hyde, who decided at the last minute to send Stulgis a submission.
–
In a Facebook Live on June 4, Stulgis announced the lucky bride who would receive her dress. Hyde was in shock.
–
“I didn’t expect to win at all,” said Hyde, who had searched far and wide for a dress but couldn’t find one affordable. She considered making her own outfit as a last resort.
–
“I found several that I liked, but there was no way I could spend thousands of dollars on one night,” she said.
–
As a soldier, he escaped from the Nazi kidnappers. At 97 he finally got his medals.
–
Stulgis met Hyde in person to hand her the dress, which Hyde plans to give away – along with her shoes and some costume jewelry – once she’s worn it to her wedding in October.
–
“I met her and felt like it was meant to be,” Stulgis said.
–
“I absolutely love the fact that I can pass that on, too,” Hyde added.
–
Others were intrigued by the concept. While searching for the recipient of her dress, Stulgis received messages from many women who also wanted to give away their wedding dresses.
–
“There’s just so many clothes and so many nice people,” Stulgis said.
–
She decided to start a Facebook group called Shared Dream Dresses to encourage women around the world to also give their dresses away to someone who would like to wear them.
–
“All clothes are free and donated and cleaned and passed on by the previous owner,” the group’s description reads.
–
Women have the right to change the dresses as they please, Stulgis said, with the caveat that after wearing and washing them in the group, they will repost them for another bride.
–
Her father was drowning. They rescued him using CPR they saw in movie scenes.
–
In the four weeks since the group’s inception, more than 2,100 members have joined and around 100 brides have successfully secured a dress for their wedding day.
–
“It’s not about me anymore. It’s about other people wanting to gift their dress to someone else who needs one,” Stulgis said. “It really works and it’s so beautiful.”
–
Jennifer Francis, 58, was one of the first members to join the group and excitedly offered her formal ivory strapless dress, which she had bought for her upcoming wedding in August but ended up choosing a different dress. The dress has never been worn and all tags are still on.
–
“I really just wanted to bless someone with this dress,” said Francis, who lives in New York City.
–
Several women wanted it, Francis said, but there was one bride who was just days away from her wedding and still hadn’t gotten a dress due to financial hurdles. Francis paid to have the clothes express shipped to Cambridge, MD, where the woman lives.
–
“She was very grateful,” said Francis, who is one of five moderators in the Facebook group and also monitors the posts to make sure nobody is trying to sell anything.
–
In the end: “I didn’t buy this dress for myself. It was really for her,” Francis said.
–
Besides wedding dresses, women have also started sharing bridesmaid dresses, mother of the bride ensembles and other accessories.
–
Stulgis’ mother, Lisa Toner, gave away two of her own dresses in the Facebook group.
–
“I will never wear them again and I want someone to enjoy them,” she said. “They would hang in my closet forever. At least someone can now wear these clothes and not have to worry about the burden of spending thousands of dollars on something they’re going to wear for four to five hours.”
–
“When Gwendolyn went for it, I was just amazed,” she continued. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. I hope it spreads everywhere and makes every woman smile.”
–
That is exactly what your daughter wants.
–
“I want to help as many brides as possible,” Stulgis said. “Everyone deserves to feel beautiful on their wedding day.”
–
Do you have a story for Inspired Life? How to submit.
