Sep 14, 2022

Stunning Heirloom Wedding Gown
Sarah's Bridal Portraits

Heirloom Wedding Dress Bridal Portraits

Stunning Heirloom Wedding Gown

Boy, do I have such a cool story for you today. Sarah’s stunning heirloom wedding gown was such a lovely thing to capture as a Columbia, SC wedding photographer and I cannot wait to share this story with you all and show you her gorgeous bridal portraits. I’m so excited to share this story, so shall we get right into it?

Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits in Columbia, SC Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits in Columbia, SC with veil blowing in the wind Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits in Columbia, SC featuring bride holding veil

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The Heirloom Wedding Dress

Sarah’s wedding dress is truly a family heirloom. This stunning heirloom wedding dress was first crafted in the fall of 1948 by her seamstress great-grandmother, Ruby Hendrix Hook. Ruby crafted this gorgeous gown for her daughter, Janette, who married Fred Carter in December of 1948. Just a year and a half later and this dress would be altered by Ruby for her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, Sarah’s grandmother. Elizabeth married Raymond Caughman in June 1951.

Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits in black and white Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits

The Dress Up Gown

This stunning heirloom wedding gown was then often used by Sarah’s mother, Mandy Caughman, and her many young cousins to play dress up – often wearing the gown into the yard. Eventually when Ruby’s granddaughters outgrew the need for the dress up fun, the dress was cleaned and put into storage. More than three decades later, Mandy became engaged to John Derrick in the winter of 1983.

Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits with bride holding mother's bridal portraitHeirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits featuring bride holding photo of grandmother in the gown

Mandy’s hope was to wear this dress for its third wedding. This stunning heirloom wedding gown was taken out of storage, and it’s creator, Ruby Hook, at the age of 79 – again – custom altered the dress for her granddaughter, Mandy, to wear down the aisle in December 1984.

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Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits featuring details of the sleeve Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits featuring bride standing in front of yellow door. Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits featuring dog watching bride

Even Sarah’s pup, Winston, was excited about this heirloom gown!

Truly An Heirloom

After Mandy was married in this dress, it was cleaned and put back into storage where it remained until the Spring of 2022 when Sarah became engaged. Sarah received this heirloom wedding gown and thus began the process of uniquely altering the dress for a fourth time, this time altered by Fariba Bridal. She would walk the aisle in this dress on a September day in 2022 to marry Josh Menke.

Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits

Sarah is the fourth bride in 74 years to wear the wedding dress that her great-grandmother, Ruby, lovingly made. It is hoped that it will be able to adorn many more bride’s of Ruby’s descendants for decades to come.

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Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits with veil blowing in wind  Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits with bride posing with dog Heirloom Wedding gown bridal portraits on wedding day with groom

Stunning Heirloom Wedding Gown

It’s storied like these that make it so amazing to be a wedding photographer. Each wedding is so unique, and when I get to capture bridal portraits so special like this one, I know I chose the right career. Documenting this stunning heirloom wedding gown was an honor. It was even greater to capture Sarah get married to Josh in this heirloom gown. Thank you for reading this remarkable story and viewing her lovely bridal portraits.

Vendors:

Photographer: Jessica Hunt Photography

Hair: Sherri Lemacks

Alterations: Fariba Bridal

Jess

cheers

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