Woman Buys 'Dream Wedding Dress' in Thrift Store, But There Is One Problem

Many women will search far-and-wide for the perfect wedding dress, but one woman has gone viral on TikTok after discovering her dream gown in a thrift store, despite one small detail: she doesn't have a ring on her finger (yet).

Hardly a day goes by when Lilly Abington-Russell, 23, doesn't go thrifting as she just loves hunting for bargains and finding vintage treasures. And though she's bought countless memorable items in the past, April 9 delivered her best discovery yet, as she found a stunning wedding dress and it was even in her size.

As soon as she spotted the floral embroidery poking out from the rack, Abington-Russell of Florida told Newsweek she "had a good feeling" about what she might find and she instantly fell in love with the dress upon closer inspection.

"I don't normally browse the wedding dress section, but for some reason, on this day I chose to. The fun thing about thrifting is you never know what you're going to find, so if you see a fun pattern or material, you always have to grab it to see if it's a gem," she said. "It's the most beautiful cream colored wedding gown with a full corset lace up back, floral and bead detailing all over, and a strapless bustier. It has a long flowy train attached, and it was exactly my size."

Abington-Russell started to wonder how her day could get any better, but it certainly did when she looked at the tag and saw that it was $124.99 and was half-off, so she only paid $62 for her "dream wedding dress." But following some research on the dress, she estimates that it's a Maggie Sottero Bridal Rhianna Royale dress, which usually retails for around $1,500.

Compare that to the average cost of a wedding gown, which is around $2,000, according to wedding website The Knot. So, she's certainly saved herself plenty of dollars.

You might assume she's engaged and planning her wedding, but think again, because Abington-Russell added that she's not getting married anytime soon, and she and her boyfriend are just "taking everything day by day."

The content creator, who is now based in Los Angeles, regularly shares videos of her thrifting finds on social media (@lillyybearrr on TikTok and Instagram). The wedding gown discovery has astonished many, with the video already gaining more than 1.4 million views and 200,500 likes on TikTok.

She almost didn't go to the thrift store that day, but looking back, she couldn't be happier that she did.

"I was so not in the mood to thrift or even leave my house that day, but I decided to just get up and go because I had nothing better to do, and I guess it was worth it," she told Newsweek. "This was totally spontaneous, and I never pictured myself in a traditional wedding dress, but it fits like a glove. It's like it was made for me."

She added: "I've thrifted hundreds of designer bags, shoes, dresses before, but this dress is probably one of my best because of the sentiment it holds. You don't find many wedding dresses like this donated. My boyfriend and I aren't in any rush, but what's the harm in having a dress ready to go just in case the day comes?"

TikTok Users React

When she posted the video of the thrifted wedding dress, Abington-Russell wasn't expecting it to gain so much attention, but social media users can't get enough. People of all ages and backgrounds have lauded her unbelievable find, and many expressed their sheer excitement for her.

Among the 400 comments on the post, one TikTok user wrote: "Not the Maggie Sottero at the thrift!"

Another user responded: "That wedding dress is INCREDIBLE, even without half off it would have been a steal. Would love to see it on."

While another comment reads: "Why can't I find a beautiful wedding dress when I thrift, I'm actually planning a wedding."

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