Simply keeping it in the family: Bride wears great great grandmother's dress

On June 11th this year graphic designer Allison married graduate student Chris Rinaldi in St Louis, wearing the same dress as three generations of her women in her family had worn before her.

 Allison Rinaldi was thrilled when her fiance popped the question and even more thrilled to reveal to her family that she knew exactly what her 'something old’ would be.... a wedding dress that had been in her family for 127 years bought by and worn by her great-great-grandmother. 

Not only had the 127 year old dress been word by this wonderful woman over a hundred years ago it had also been worn by Allison's grandmother, aunt and mother too.

'I always knew I wanted to wear the dress,' 23-year-old Alison said. 'I even tried it on when I was a little girl.'

'Not only did I think it was beautiful but I loved the sense of history which came along with it too and I am such a family kind of girl it meant a lot for me to carry on the tradition.

The dress, of tone-on-tone ecru silk brocade patterned with flowers, was made in 1884.

Allison's paternal great-great-grandmother, Nellie Campbell, first wore it when she married A.G. Shellito in 1884 in Iowa.

Considering its age the dress is in pristine condition thanks to it being lovingly stored in linen sheets for the past 127 years! So much so Allison revealed that she made barely any alterations to the dress on her big day. The only thing she had to do was go on a diet so she could fit in it!

We wish Allison and Chris all the very best for their life together ahead of them :)