FOUND: $6,000 wedding dress donor of epic Birmingham Goodwill find

CONTINUING STORY: On September 12, we filled you in on a local’s viral TikTok that revealed an epic thrift store find on Green Springs Highway—a stunning $6,000 Galia Lahav wedding gown bought for just $25. In an amazing update, we now know who donated incredible gown. Read on to find out.

The wedding dress story

It all started when Emmali and a friend randomly visited the Goodwill on Greensprings Highway in Birmingham to look for picture frames for a gallery wall. Little did she know she’d find the wedding gown of her dreams. In the video, Emmali states: “It fits me like a glove and doesn’t need any sort of alterations…” Talk about meant to be!

If you don’t know much about Galia Lahav, it’s an Internationally Acclaimed Bridal Fashion House by fashion designer Galia Lahav and established in Tel Aviv. The brand is primarily known for its bridal and evening wear and has been worn by big celebrity names like Beyonce and Paris Hilton. 

Not knowing who donated the dress, Emmali’s video included a sweet thank you, stating:

“I’d like to say thank you to the girl who donated it to Goodwill b/c it made my whole entire year. And little Emmali who has loved weddings since she was five is kicking and screaming b/c she’s so excited. Maybe in a few years, I’ll make a video actually wearing the dress.”

Well, big news! We have discovered the donor of this remarkable gown. 

Wedding dress donor revealed

If you followed the thousands of commenters on Emmali’s videos, no, the donor of the dress was not a devastated bride who didn’t get the wedding of her dreams.

It turns out, it was Bustle, a beloved sample wedding dress shop in Birmingham and I Do Bridal Couture, a renowned bridal boutique in Louisiana. 

According to Bustle, the exquisite gown—after making its way through six sample states—still graced the racks of I Do Bridal Couture. Recognizing the gown’s exceptional beauty, I Do Bridal Couture owner Ramsey Sims reached out to Bustle owner Meredith Carter with one goal, to find the perfect bride for the dress.

The gown was shipped to Bustle and after spending some time on the racks, Meredith and Ramsey realized it deserved to find a bride who would cherish its beauty as a hidden gem. 

After the gown arrived at Bustle, it spent some time on the racks at Meredith’s sample gown shop. Meredith and Ramsey realized that it deserved to find a bride who would cherish its beauty as a hidden gem. So, they decided to donate the gown to Goodwill on Green Springs Highway. 

“The gown was perfect. In fact, it’s one that stands out in both Bustle and I Do Bridal Couture as a truly incredible gown. We just knew there was something special in store for this Galia Lahav.”

Bustle

Bustle in Birmingham offers a fairytale ending

As the story continues to unfold, the teams from both bridal shops have announced their plans to provide Emmali, the fortunate recipient of the extraordinary gown, with the full bridal experience she deserves. Congrats to you, Emali! We can’t wait to learn more about this evolving story.

What do you think of this amazing continuing story? Let us know on social @bhamnow.