Caringbah woman Jennifer Kearns believes it was divine intervention that saw her reunited with her going away outfit almost 50 years after her wedding.
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It is an almost unimaginable story that saw the dress stolen, passed through numerous hands before landing at The Vintage Drawer in Newtown where it was found by Mrs Kearns.
The story started in 1967 when Mrs Kearns had the outfit stolen, along with all her other possessions, while living in Enmore with her new husband Terry.
It was particularly special since her wedding dress was hired and the outfit was the only thing she kept from the wedding.
It was also fitted by her grandmother who used to be a seamstress at Grace Brothers.
Mrs Kearns said she never gave up hope that she would find the dress.
‘’It was a very sad time for us. The going away outfit was very special and it was one of the only items I kept,’’ she said.
‘’As a religious person I said a little prayer for it to be brought back to us.’’
In a twist of fate the couple happened to be in Newtown with their daughter last week looking for an antique shop.
Since it was closed the group decided to visit the nearby Vintage Drawer to look for a 1940s dress to wear to a themed wedding in April that Mrs Kearns would be a marriage celebrant for.
Sifting through the racks she found a familiar blue dress.
‘’I saw this pretty blue ensemble and pulled it out and thought it looked familiar,’’ she said.
‘I tried it on and wondered if it was mine.
‘’I went home and put my glasses on and looked back at our black and white wedding pictures. I remembered the buttons and the seam which was been taken up specially by my grandmother.
‘’The penny dropped and I realised it was mine.’’
She rushed back to the store the next day, thrilled to be reunited with her outfit. The label, size and the altered hem all matched.
‘’I started crying and Deborah from The Vintage Drawer starting crying,’’ she said.
‘’I refuse to put it away.’’
It came at a perfect time with the couple celebrating with 50th wedding anniversary on December 15.
She plans on wearing the outfit for the celebrating where the couple will also renew their vows.
Being a wedding celebrant she said she loves love.
She thinks the return of the dress was a honour after honouring numerous couples she has married.
And it’s a story she can’t wait to share.
‘’There’s too many coincidences for this to be random,’’ she said.
‘’I can’t believe I found it after 50 years.’’