Chicago woman Kandace Keys-Randell finds wrong wedding dress preserved in box by Perruso Cleaners in South Holland 20 years later

CHICAGO (WLS) — Many brides get their wedding dresses preserved so they can have it for decades to come. They’re often told not to open the box, because that could compromise the preservation process.

A woman on the South Side had her wedding dress preserved nearly 20 years ago, but when she finally opened the box, she discovered it was someone else’s dress. She called ABC7 Consumer Investigator Samantha Chatman to try to help locate the missing dress.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Kandace Keys-Randell was devastated when she opened the box and found someone else’s wedding dress inside.

She said she took the dress to Perruso Cleaners in South Holland nearly 20 years ago to have the dress preserved.

“She said, ‘Do not open the box,'” Keys-Randell said.

Opening the box could cause air to get in, ruining the preservation process, she was told.

“They said, ‘You’ll put it in the box and it’ll last forever,'” Keys-Randell recalled.

So, she left the box in the closet for 20 years. That’s until it was time for her daughter to wear the dress to her first cotillion as a debutant.

I would hope that anybody who went to that cleaners in August of 2005 will open up their box to see if maybe they have my dress, because I definitely has someone else’s dress.

Kandace Keys-Randell, searching for missing wedding dress

My best friend says, ‘You’re looking at all of these dresses. Why don’t you just let her wear your dress?'” Keys-Randell said. “To see her wear the dress I wore 20 years ago would be amazing.”

Hoping to give the dress new life, she and her daughter opened the box to have her try it on.

“Only to open the box and see that it’s not my dress,” Keys-Randell said. “The last time I wore that dress, my dad was alive, and now he’s not. He’s not here. I wanted to see her with her dad wear the same dress that I wore with my dad.”

She said the dress inside the box looks nothing like what she wore.

“I go to call the cleaners and it’s out of business, so now what?” Keys-Randell said.

The ABC7 I-Team tried to reach the previous owners of Perruso Cleaners in South Holland, but didn’t get a call back. The I-Team also contacted Prestige Preservation, which is listed on the box. The company works with cleaners across the country to preserve wedding gowns.

Prestige Preservation told the I-Team it’s likely the dry cleaner mistakenly gave the wrong dress to the client, perhaps due to having two gowns at the same time.

The company said, “We truly wish we could reunite your client with their dress, but without access to the necessary records, we’re unable to perform this type of search.”

“I would hope that anybody who went to that cleaners in August of 2005 will open up their box to see if maybe they have my dress, because I definitely has someone else’s dress,” Keys-Randell said.

Prestige Preservation told the I-Team their packaging has a viewing window that allows customers to see their dress without opening the box, but Keys-Randell said the box was wrapped in plastic, so when she was told not to open it, she did just that.

There was one potential clue in the box. On one of the tags, there’s the name “Taylor.”

ABC7 is hoping this story could help Kandace Keys-Randell find the person who has her dress, so she can give that person their dress.

Sam is on your side. If you have something you want Samantha Chatman to investigate, give her a call at 312-750-7-TIP or click here.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

You May Also Like
You can live in a firehouse but there's a catch. See the quirky three-bedroom home on the market for $100k

Unique Three-Bedroom Home Available for $100k – There’s a Twist if You Want to Live in a Firehouse

For anyone whose ever dreamed of living in a real firehouse, the…
Russia wants 'ironclad' guarantee that Ukraine will be barred from NATO: official

Russia demands rock-solid assurance that Ukraine will not join NATO: official

According to reports, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko expressed the Kremlin’s…
Rory McIlroy clinches his second Players Championship title outlasting JJ Spaun over a dramatic three-hole playoff - after the American found the water on the infamous 17th hole

Rory McIlroy wins his second Players Championship by outlasting JJ Spaun in a thrilling playoff that lasted three holes – following Spaun’s costly mistake on the challenging 17th hole.

Rory McIlroy outlasted JJ Spaun over a three-hole playoff to win his second…
NCAA Men's March Madness brackets have Auburn as the overall No. 1 followed by Duke, Houston, Florida

Auburn leads the way in NCAA Men’s March Madness brackets, with Duke, Houston, and Florida not far behind.

Johni Broome, who is the SEC player of the year, led the…
Chicago traffic: I-90/94 Kennedy Expressway lane closures for Phase 3 begin Monday, March 17 through Fall 2025, IDOT says

Kennedy Expressway Lane Closures in Chicago: Phase 3 to Start on March 17, lasting until Fall 2025 according to IDOT

CHICAGO (WLS) — Construction season has returned around Chicago, and that means…
Washington man accused of having enough fentanyl to kill 278,000 people after getting clemency from Dem gov

Washington man allegedly possessing a lethal amount of fentanyl following pardon from Democratic governor

A Washington man arrested on nearly a dozen drug and weapons charges…
Female Georgia dentist from wealthy coastal enclave accused of killing boyfriend

Wealthy female dentist from Georgia’s affluent coastal community accused of boyfriend’s murder

In Gainesville, a suburban town northeast of Atlanta, a dentist who practices…
US military shoots down Houthi drones as Trump's strikes against terrorist group continue

US Military Shoots Down Houthi Drones Amid Ongoing Strikes on Terrorist Group by Trump

U.S. warships have shot down roughly a dozen Houthi drones since President…
St. Patrick's Day 2025: Parades across Chicago area on Northwest Side, South Side and Aurora showcase Irish pride Sunday

Irish Pride on Display in Chicago Area Parades for St. Patrick’s Day 2025

CHICAGO (WLS) — Saint Patrick’s Day may be Monday, but the celebrations…
Elgin, Illinois storm damage: Severe weather rips off roof of First United Methodist Church, originally destroyed by 1920 tornado

Elgin, Illinois: Recent Severe Storm Causes Roof of First United Methodist Church to be Torn off, a Building Previously Damaged by Tornado in 1920

ELGIN, Ill. (WLS) — With a large part of the roof gone,…
Alaska Man Monday - Refreezing, Denali, and the Iditarod

Exciting events in Alaska: Iditarod champion, impressive children, a foolish criminal, and risks of volcanic activity

First: We have an Iditarod winner, and it’s his first win in…
Missing Connecticut girl found alive 25 years after kidnapping with help from DNA testing

DNA testing aids in locating a girl from Connecticut who was kidnapped 25 years ago as she is found safe.

Connecticut police have located a New Haven girl — now a woman…