Unbox the Dress | A Wedding Keepsake for Today's Brides

If you know me well, then you know I’m a sucker for family heirlooms. I love it when something is passed down from generation to generation and cherished for several more decades.

So you can imagine my excitement when I first met Grace of Unbox the Dress almost a year ago!

Grace and her momma accidentally stumbled upon their business idea while at Grace’s grandmother’s house. She had always loved to sew, and while brainstorming, Grace and her mom were thinking of ways to honor the wedding gowns they had just uncovered. Grace took her passion for sewing and honored those dresses by redesigning them into robs, pursues, or baptism outfits!

Unbox the Dress transforms wedding dresses and makes them a keepsake for the younger generation! How incredible is that?!

I’m so excited for you to read more about Grace and Unbox the Dress’ story!

Getting to know Grace

Favorite Restaurant

Crush House at Gervasi Vineyard in North Canton

What’s your favorite weekend activity

Taking my two pups to the walking trail.

Favorite childhood memory

Spending lazy afternoons surrounded by nature boating on Lake Mohawk with my grandparents.

What’s the biggest life lesson you have learned in the last five years?

God’s timing is perfect. I thought that I could control my path in life, but as soon as I surrendered that notion and focused instead on my passions I became so much happier! That’s also about the time when I met my now-fiance and launched Unbox the Dress – since then life has been a happy yet unpredictable journey.

Getting down to business

What makes your business stand out from others?

Our business focuses on the complete wedding dress redesign. We take heirloom dresses and make them into totally re-imagined designs like robes, baptism outfits, and purses.

How did Unbox the Dress get its start?

For years I’ve loved to sew and design, and I’ve always wanted to start my own business. My mother and I found several family wedding gowns tucked away in giant boxes at my Grandma’s house and started to brainstorm ways to better appreciate all that beautiful fabric. Suddenly the idea just clicked!

Why is Unbox the Dress important to Brides?

A family wedding dress is a symbol of family history and the love between a mother and daughter. It’s totally understandable for a modern bride to want to pick out her own gorgeous wedding dress rather than wear her Mom’s – but by redesigning and including Mom’s dress on the big day it’s a way of honoring her and that special relationship.

Describe your favorite type of client

Our favorite clients think about their wedding as a chance to celebrate and honor their families as they set out to start their next chapter in life. Rather than setting out to create a day that’s flashy or trendy, they really focus on making their day personalized and memorable.

What questions should clients be asking that they may not think to ask?

Does your Mom still have her wedding dress?
How can you incorporate her dress on your day in a way that aligns with your vision – perhaps your robe, your veil or your bouquet wrap?
Does your mother-in-law, grandmother, or other special women in your life has her dress as well? Would you consider combining both dresses in the creation of your heirloom?
How do you want to feel on the morning of your wedding day? (The morning can set the tone of for the whole day ahead!) Does your photography package include enough hours for your photographer to capture those special moments as you get ready with your girls?

Best advice to Clients

As much as possible try to enjoy the planning process! Use it as an opportunity to connect to those who have helped you grow into the person you are today. The day itself will go so fast – so extend those “wedding feels” into the planning process to make the feeling last and reduce stress!

Most memorable client

Each dress we work with has such a unique story! Here are a few highlights:

For one bride, we lifted the soft ivory lace off her grandmother’s wedding dress skirt and created a finger-tip length veil with the lace as the trim. Since the bride’s dress was clean, simple and elegant the lace was the perfect accent.

One of our clients was fighting breast cancer and was unsure if she’d be able to attend her daughter’s wedding which was about a year away. She turned her wedding dress into a stunning Bridal Robe to give to her daughter as a surprise gift. That way, she said, on the morning of her daughter’s wedding day, her daughter would know that no matter what Mom was right beside her, wrapping her arms around her.

Cue the tears!!!

Did anyone else get teary-eyed reading that last story?! I know I can’t be alone!

If you’re looking to transform your mother or grandmother’s wedding dress, you need to reach out to Unbox the Dress! How special would it be to have Keepsakes from wedding dresses that were once worn by ladies that influence the woman you are today?!

Be sure to touch base with Grace, her momma, and the team over at Unbox the Dress for your own wedding day heirloom keepsake!