weddings

Natalie's husband accidentally donated her $1300 wedding dress to charity.

A newlywed in the US has had her wedding dress returned after her husband accidentally donated it to charity and it was sold for US$25 (roughly $32 in Australian dollars).

“Y’all. My husband accidentally gave my wedding dress to Goodwill and it was sold last Saturday. I’m so so so upset and posting this in hopes whomever bought it might see this,” Natalie Gelbert posted to Facebook last Tuesday.

“I would really like to buy it back. I know to whoever bought it, it was a great deal and sold dirt cheap but to me it is priceless.”

She said the dress was in a bag in her car, ready to be cleaned and preserved. Her husband thought it was another bag for donation.

Her Facebook post went viral. The original post was shared more than 36,000 times and attracted the attention of news stations across the world.

“This is crazy! I’ve already interviewed with WRAL, ABC 11, CBS NEWS, a station in South Carolina is running the story, I’m interviewing with G105 and 96.1 tomorrow and News & Observer is also covering it,” she posted only a day later.

“Thank you all to everyone that’s shared and brought attention to my story. I’m amazed by everyone’s kindness, thank y’all all so so much!”

As well as the media attention, Gelbert also received offers from women who were prepared to donate their dresses to whoever was returning her bridal gown. She also received money from friends and strangers to act as an incentive for its return.

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Most remarkably, a “beautiful soul” offered to buy the same exact dress (around AU$1300) for the person who brought Gelbert’s, so long as they returned her wedding dress to her.

“This is an amazing incentive and honestly I’m mind blown that someone would do that for me and the bride. It’s incredible!” Gelbert posted to Facebook.

Listen: Studio 10 co-host Sarah Harris on being papped in her wedding dress. (Post continues below.)

Finally, the dress has been returned.

Gelbert has posted a huge thank you for all the support. She has also tried on the wedding dress one last time before it is preserved and packed away.

“THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,” she said.

“Glad I got it back and I get to continue to pass it down in my family!”

Most importantly, Gelbert says she plans to pass the dress onto her children. She wants her “fairy-tale” wedding dress to become a family tradition.

#OperationGetNattysDressBack… complete.

Have you ever had a wedding dress mishap?