Samantha Burns has decided to really get the most out of her wedding dress by wearing the floor length gown every year on her wedding anniversary.
When you buy an expensive clothing item, like say a leather jacket, it's possible to justify the cost by figuring out the cost per wear. If you wear it a lot it's totally worth it right?
With a wedding dress, it's generally not possible to do that. You spend a ridiculous amount of money on a dress, you're going to wear once.
Well, this bride wants her money's worth.
In a piece for Brides, Licensed Counselor and Dating Coach Samantha Burns of lovesuccessfully.com explains that when her wedding ended she didn't want to take off her dress.
"I had looked forward to the day for so long and couldn't believe in a matter of hours it was over," she says. "It was in that moment that I turned to my husband and told him that I intended to wear my wedding dress for every anniversary as long as I could fit in it!"
For the couple’s first anniversary, Burns’ husband surprised her with a week-long trip. "I threw the dress in our car and told him that whatever he had in mind to make sure I could do it sporting my gown," she explains.
Burns ended up playing golf in her wedding gown, making "quite the impression at the driving range".
Followed by an afternoon spent sampling fudge in a candy shop:
And eating chocolate chip pancakes at a casual brunch restaurant all while rocking her expensive wedding gown.
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For their second anniversary, a gowned up Burns and her husband headed out into the rain for a sunset dinner cruise around the Boston harbor. "No way was I letting the weather stop my fun," says Burns.
The weather cleared up and she and her husband danced the night away. "We twirled, laughed and reminisced. It was magical," she explains.
The relationship expert thinks other brides should start similar traditions because beyond helping you to get your money's worth and create fun, silly, romantic memories, having to fit into that dress is a big fitness motivator.
"You busted your butt to look and feel great on your big day, so why not use this goal as an annual inspiration to stay fit?" she writes. "Think of it as a yearly challenge to keep you on track."
Burns told Spring St that as a marriage therapist, couples often ask her how to grow together and keep the passion alive. She says, "It’s a balance of novelty and tradition. New experiences and surprise help with mystery, desire, and intimacy, whereas traditions and daily rituals keep couples bonded and connected. Herein lies the magic of the wedding dress tradition! Though putting on my gown is a fun and extravagant annual celebration, my husband and I also prioritize each other every day and practice gratitude. This is certainly a formula for success in the long run."
Burns also says that wear and tear on the dress is completely worth it.
"It's collected some stains on the bottom, but I much prefer this than keeping it in a pristine box that will never see the light of day, or my husband's adoring eyes," she explains. "I smile when I walk past it, the light catching the sparkles, as if it's winking at me, saying, 'I'll see you next year!'"
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