Something borrowed! Woman, 23, wears 88-year-old grandmother’s wedding dress from 1961

Something borrowed! Woman, 23, wears her 88-year-old grandmother’s wedding dress from 1961 after discovering gown in the basement

  • Allie Livingwater, 23, from Massachusetts, discovered white lace gown in 2016  
  • Tied the knot with Timothy, 27, in September wearing 60-year-old wedding dress
  • Gown had been stored in basement since 1961 and didn’t need any alterations 
  • Allie added a hoop skirt underneath after cleaning the dress


A woman who walked down the aisle in her 88-year-old grandmother’s wedding dress says she will ‘treasure the incredible moment forever’  

Allie Livingwater, 23, from  tied the knot with partner Timothy, 27, on September 25th at Turners Falls, Massachusetts wearing her grandma, Anne Cooke’s dress.

The pharmacy student discovered the 60-year-old white lace gown in a black trash bag in her grandmother’s basement in 2016 and immediately knew she wanted to wear it as her ‘something borrowed’.

While the stunning dress required no alterations, it required a clean after being stored in the basement since 1961, and Allie added a hoop skirt underneath the gown. 

Anne Cooke, 88, was delighted that her 23-year-old granddaughter wore her wedding dress on her big day in September. She is pictured on her wedding day in 1961 

Allie Livingwater tied the knot with partner Timothy, 27, on September 25th at Turners Falls, Massachusetts. She is pictured with her grandmother on her wedding day

Allie Livingwater tied the knot with partner Timothy, 27, on September 25th at Turners Falls, Massachusetts. She is pictured with her grandmother on her wedding day 

Anne is pictured holding her granddaughter's hands ahead of walking down the aisle in her 60-year-old wedding dress

Anne is pictured holding her granddaughter’s hands ahead of walking down the aisle in her 60-year-old wedding dress 

‘My grandma couldn’t believe I decided to wear her dress’, said Allie. ‘She stored it in an old trash bag because she didn’t think it was anything special. But to me it was.

‘She was tearing up when she saw me for the first time on my big day. It was an incredible moment that I will treasure forever.’ 

Allie grew up with her grandma Anne after the family moved into her home when her husband passed away after 38 years of marriage.

‘The dress is obviously sentimental to me as she wore it to my marry my granddad’, said Allie. 

Allie, pictured with her husband Timmy and grandmother, she will 'treasure the incredible moment forever'

Allie, pictured with her husband Timmy and grandmother, she will ‘treasure the incredible moment forever’

Allie grew up with her grandma Anne after the family moved into her home when her husband passed away after 38 years of marriage. She is pictured with her second husband and granddaughter

Allie grew up with her grandma Anne after the family moved into her home when her husband passed away after 38 years of marriage. She is pictured with her second husband and granddaughter 

While the stunning dress required no alterations, it required a clean after being stored in the basement since 1961 and Allie added a hoop skirt underneath the gown and wore a new veil

While the stunning dress required no alterations, it required a clean after being stored in the basement since 1961 and Allie added a hoop skirt underneath the gown and wore a new veil 

‘I had never met him but I know they had a successful, long and happy marriage. So it felt like the dress paved the way for my marriage.’

By wearing the gown, Allie saved $2,000 because she didn’t have to buy a new one. All she needed was her hoop skirt and a veil.

She said: ‘I fell in love with how the dress looked from the moment I had seen it. So it was a no brainer for me to wear it.

‘But if I was going to buy my own, it would have been $2,000 so it’s great to have saved some money whilst creating special memories.

Allie, pictured with her grandmother and Anne's husband on her wedding day,  said she 'fell in love with the dress' from the moment she saw it in 2016

Allie, pictured with her grandmother and Anne’s husband on her wedding day,  said she ‘fell in love with the dress’ from the moment she saw it in 2016 

'My grandma couldn't believe I decided to wear her dress', said Allie, who is pictured wearing the white laced gown on her wedding day

‘My grandma couldn’t believe I decided to wear her dress’, said Allie, who is pictured wearing the white laced gown on her wedding day 

Anne is pictured seeing her granddaughter in her wedding dress for the first time as she prepared to walk down the aisle

Anne is pictured seeing her granddaughter in her wedding dress for the first time as she prepared to walk down the aisle 

‘My grandma couldn’t believe she was the same size as me as it fitted perfectly. I definitely think the dress has brought us even closer together.’

It wasn’t just Anne tearing up but all the guests too, especially Allie’s father 57-year-old George Cooke. 

‘My dad was over the moon as his mum had worn the dress to marry his dad’, said Allie. 

‘Everyone was complimenting me and thought it was a lovely gesture.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk