11TH GENERATION BRIDE TO BE WEARING 120-YEAR-OLD HEIRLOOM WEDDING DRESS
Pennsylvania native Abigail Kingston didn't have to look beyond her family tree when looking for "something old" to wear to her wedding. The 30-year-old bride-to-be knew she wanted to marry in a special family heirloom. This 'something old' and special featured a 120-year-old wedding dress which was worn by 10 women in her family, including her own mother.
The two-piece Victorian dress was first worn by Kingston's great-grandmother back in 1895. Since then the gorgeous piece has been passed down from family member to family member for decades after. Kingston tracked down the last dress she wore in 1991, but found that it had turned brown and torn after more than 100 years of use.
She decided to seek help from experienced bridal designer Deborah LoPresti. After 200 hours of painstaking work, including adding new sleeves, lightening the brown to champagne, and altering the silk and satin outfit to fit Kingston's tall, slender physique, the dress was finally restored to perfect condition.
Kingston will be the 11th woman in her family to wear the dress when she weds fiancé Jason Curtis on October 17, a special day that also coincides with her late grandfather's birthday. Because her dress is so fragile, the bride has to wait until after her ceremony to change into an old family heirloom for her cocktail reception. After her wedding, the vintage dress can be sent to the twelfth bride, the daughter of Kingston's maternal uncle, who has already shown interest in the dress.