Call it the sisterhood of the travelling wedding dress. Dawnetta Heinz, a 22-year-old fitness trainer from Omaha, Neb., is passing her wedding gown to 12 different brides because she wants all women to feel as good on their big day as she did.
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“We’re in the process of moving, and as I was packing one day, I saw my wedding dress hanging in the closet,” Heinz said to Global News. “I know some women want to pass their dress to their daughter, but a lot of people can’t afford to buy a wedding dress. And I thought if I can help someone else feel good on their wedding day, why not?”
Heinz posted her dress on an Omaha buy/sell/trade Facebook group about three weeks ago, and the response was overwhelming. She has since created a chain of 12 brides who will get married in her dress.
One such bride is Arianna Pro, an Omaha mother of four, who renewed her wedding vows with her husband on Wednesday in San Francisco.
Although Pro said a big wedding complete with a fairytale dress was never a necessity for her, when she came across Heinz’s post on Facebook, something clicked.
As a a mom to four kids, Pro says she never would have felt right shelling out a lot of money for a dress, so this was the perfect solution. What she didn’t realize is that this was Heinz’s inspiration all along.
“My husband and I have been homeless; we lived out of a car,” Heinz said. “I know how hard it can be.”
There has been interest from numerous women, among them some who have battled cancer and have astronomical medical bills to pay. Heinz is glad to lend them her dress, which she purchased on sale at David’s Bridal for $550 (it was originally priced at $1,200).
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“Right now I have a lineup of 12 women, but I may open up the post again,” she said.
The dress is currently in Pro’s possession, and she’ll have it dry cleaned before sending it off to the next bride who’s scheduled to get married on Aug. 27.
Heinz’s post states that the dress fits a size two to five, and credits the corset as allowing it to fit a number of women.
“It fit Arianna perfectly, which I was so happy about. Hopefully, it will fit everyone, but the corset can be tightened or loosened as needed,” she said.
Needless to say, Heinz’s decision to create a travelling wedding dress will make a huge difference to a lot of women.
“She gave me my dream,” Pro said. “She’ll be forever in my heart. And as we pass on this dress, I hope we form more friendships and a sisterhood.”
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