This past weekend, dozens of women dusted off their long-forgotten wedding dresses and gave them one final outing at a special event in Kerry.
Sisters Mags and Liz Horgan, co-owners of Finesse Bridal Wear in Listowel, organized the event as part of their business’s 25th anniversary celebration. They invited past brides back to the store for a nostalgic reunion, offering them a chance to wear their wedding gowns once again.
For many of the women attending, the event marked a surprise return to their gowns, which they had packed away years ago, believing they would never wear them again. But this fundraiser, supporting the Adapt Kerry Women’s Refuge, gave them the opportunity to relive those memories.
Many of the women who participated had bought their dresses from Mags and Liz when the store first opened its doors. The event, though lighthearted, was filled with sentimental moments as former brides shared the stories behind their dresses.
Mags and Liz have built strong, lasting relationships with many of their customers over the years and consider many of them close friends. One noticeable absence was Mary Melvin (née Connolly), who passed away from illness five years ago. Mary, a mother of two, had been a close friend of Mags and often helped the sisters during busy times at the shop.
Liz shared that Mags was honored when Mary’s sister, Claire, asked her to wear Mary’s wedding dress at the event.
“Claire was still a good friend of ours,” Liz said. “She was trying on her own dress when she mentioned that Mary’s dress was still at home. She told us, ‘If it fits one of you, we would love to have you wear it on the day.’”
When Claire brought the dress to the store, Mags tried it on, and it fit perfectly. “Mary and Claire were like best friends, so it was so special that Mags got to wear the dress,” Liz explained. “There were definitely tears shed, and Mary’s parents were thrilled that Mags wore it.”
Liz reflected on how much Mary would have loved the event. “If she were here, she would have been right in the middle of everything. Mary was full of life, always positive and energetic. She had two beautiful boys and was always enthusiastic about life. She was a giver, helping the elderly at a nursing home in Listowel. She was a loving, caring person and a great deal of fun to be around.”
For many, including Ursula Aherne, the event was a family celebration. “I attended with a large group, and three of us are married to brothers,” Ursula shared. “Trying on my wedding dress brought back so many memories. I can still hear Mags and Liz playing the wedding march while I walked up and down the shop, just like it was my real wedding day.”
Ursula was thrilled to find that she could still fit into her dress. “This time, my husband helped me get back into it. My little girl was amazed when she saw it and even tried it on herself.”
Former bride Elaine Walsh also embraced the challenge of revisiting her wedding dress. “I immediately said yes because we all need some fun,” Elaine said. “It seemed like a challenge I couldn’t resist. Once I saw that the dress still fit, the challenge became much easier.”
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