Photo Essay: She Tries on Her First Wedding Dress for Mom — and It’s Magic
We recently celebrated Purple Friday, a new holiday where we encouraged you to spend time — rather than money — on the day after Thanksgiving.
To help, we gave away 50 prizes to deserving readers around the country.
One such winner was Susan, who wanted to take her daughter to NYC for the “Kleinfeld experience.” (In case you’re not familiar, that’s the famous wedding dress store from TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress.”)
“I really WANT to be there when she tries that first dress on,” she wrote. “It would mean so much to me. I really miss her!”
We wanted to be there, too, so we asked Susan if we could help surprise Samantha with a trip to Kleinfeld Bridal on Purple Friday itself.
We were honored to capture this special moment between the mother and daughter — and we’re sure the photos will show you what a beautiful day it was.
Samantha and Susan anxiously await their Kleinfeld appointment. Since Samantha lives in Florida and Susan in New Jersey, they only get to see each other twice a year. They’re radiantly happy to be in each other’s company.
Samantha planned to cash in a $1,000 savings bond to pay for her wedding dress… just look at her reaction when we reveal Kleinfeld’s paying for the whole thing! She’s speechless.
Susan’s Purple Friday wish was to see her daughter try on her first wedding dress — a wish she didn’t think was possible because they live so far apart. “It’s just a dream come true,” she says. “Every minute with her is precious.”
The first dress of the appointment — and the first time Samantha ever tries on a wedding dress! Debbie, a veteran sales consultant at Kleinfeld, guides them through this magical experience.
While Samantha tries on her next dress, Debbie offers some excellent tips for finding a beautiful (and affordable!) gown.
Dress number two is swoon-worthy — with wows all across the room. Just look at Samantha; she’s glowing! “This is unbelievable,” she says.
Samantha surprises herself; she never thought she’d like a dress like this. Will it be the one?
Dress number three is also a stunner — especially after Debbie jazzes it up with a sparkly beaded belt.
Which dress do you think Samantha chose? We know, but we’ll never tell!
A huge thanks to Kleinfeld for covering the cost of Samantha’s dress, and also for hosting The Penny Hoarder. We had a blast!
“We can’t thank you and your team enough for giving us such a special day,” said Susan.
“It was a truly unforgettable day,” added Samantha.
Heather Comparetto (IG: heatheretto) is a photographer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s exhibited her photographs internationally, loves the ocean and enjoys coffee and tacos (but not together).
