8 Brides from One Family Wore the Same ‘Lucky’ Wedding Dress for 72 Years – And It Still Looks Amazing

Heirlooms carry significant meaning for loved ones, and as years go by, their worth increases. When one Chicago woman bought a wedding dress in 1950, she never knew how much it would mean to her family decades later.

The best things in life aren’t always the most expensive or fanciest. Often, the most precious items mean the world to someone, even if they don’t come with an impressive price tag.

For the women in one family from Chicago, an affordable wedding dress quickly formed part of a tradition. Read their heartwarming story and discover why the department store dress is valuable to all of them.

The Timeless $100 Dress

When Adele Larson Stoneberg got engaged to Roy Stoneberg, she couldn’t wait to find the perfect dress for her big day in 1950. She fell in love with a stunning white satin gown in a Marshall Field’s department store.

There is a special reason why the women keep choosing the classic white piece.

She didn’t think twice about purchasing the $100 item, unaware of the legacy it would carry in her family. The gown matched the time she lived in, but it was also undeniably timeless.

Eight Women Wore the Garment

Stoneberg’s sisters were the first, second, and third women in her family to wear the gown. They looked gorgeous and angelic as they walked down the aisle. Stoneberg’s daughter was next in line to use the dress on her special day.

The woman’s three nieces also couldn’t resist the fashionably vintage piece, making them the fifth, sixth, and seventh women in the family to wear it. Stoneberg’s granddaughter, Serena Stoneberg Lipari, got married in August 2022.

She didn’t shy away from tradition and became the most recent woman to walk down the aisle in the garment. Including Stoneberg, eight family members were married in the gown.

It Carried Good Luck

Lipari said her vows more than seven decades after her grandmother in the same Chicago church. There is a special reason why the women keep choosing the classic white piece.

Apart from the obvious gorgeous details, which included a high collar, lengthy train, precious buttons, and elegant long sleeves, the relatives believed the garment carried good luck.

While Stoneberg has since passed away, the rest of the brides are alive and well. All of their marriages are still intact, which they are immensely proud of. Sue Stoneberg McCarthy, who tied the knot in 1982, said:

“Everyone who has been married in the dress has had a long-lasting, healthy marriage, we like to think it brings good luck.”

An Emotional Connection

For Lipari, wearing the gown had another significant element. She said: “When I started [walking] down the aisle and thought about my grandmother wearing the dress, the emotion hit me. I felt a special connection to her.”

Stoneberg’s sister, Eleanor Larson Milton, added:

“The dress was well made and timeless. When you touch that high-quality satin, you realize it’s way above average.”

No Pressure to Wear the Wedding Dress

Milton was grateful her mom kept the wedding dress in pristine condition because it enabled generations of women to wear it in the future. Milton noted that she always dreamed about wearing the dress, adding:

“My mother had taken excellent care of the dress and stored it in an airtight box. It was perfect in every way.”

The latest woman in the family to use the gown changed into another dress for her reception. While she would love her daughter to continue the tradition one day, there was no obligation.

It Was an Honor for the Women

Naturally, the dress had to be altered occasionally over time, but the changes were always minor and kept to the classic style, honoring the original bride. McCarthy said the relatives chose their unique “veils, bouquets, and jewelry,” which displayed their different personalities.

All the brides also shared a similar sentiment about the dress—wearing it was an honor, a privilege, and something they were delighted to do. The garment, albeit decades old, was immeasurably valuable to them.

Julie Frank Mackey, the seventh bride to wear the dress, explained that the garment deeply connected the women in their family.

It is lovely when family members have a way to hold onto memories and cherish the loved ones around them. For the relatives of Stoneberg, it came in the form of a white satin dress.

Many families have items that allow them to form an unbreakable bond. Do you share a sentimental tradition with relatives or perhaps wear a family member’s gown on your big day? Share it with us!

Grab your tissues and click here for another story about a beautiful bride who wore her late mom’s wedding gown. It fit perfectly and provided the perfect way to honor her loved one.

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