Heirlooms hold special meaning for loved ones, and their value grows over time. When a Chicago woman purchased a wedding gown in 1950, she had no idea how much it would mean to her family decades later. The best things in life are not always the most expensive or ostentatious. Even if they don’t come with a high price tag, the most valuable items can mean the world to someone.

A low-cost wedding gown quickly became a tradition for the women of one Chicago family. Read their touching story to find out why the department store dress means so much to them all. Adele Larson Stoneberg couldn’t wait to find the perfect dress for her wedding to Roy Stoneberg in 1950. In a Marshall Field’s department store, she fell in love with a stunning white satin gown!

There is a specific reason why women continue to favor the classic white piece. She bought the $100 item without hesitation, unaware of the legacy it would leave in her family. The gown was appropriate for the era she lived in, but it was also undeniably timeless. The first, second, and third women in Stoneberg’s family to wear the gown were her sisters. They walked down the aisle looking stunning and angelic.

Stoneberg’s daughter was the next in line to wear the gown on her wedding day. The woman’s three nieces couldn’t resist the stylish vintage piece, becoming the fifth, sixth, and seventh women in the family to do so. Serena Stoneberg Lipari, Stoneberg’s granddaughter, married in August 2022. She did not deviate from tradition, becoming the most recent woman to walk down the aisle in the gown. Eight family members, including Stoneberg, were married in the gown.

Lipari exchanged vows in the same Chicago church where her grandmother did more than seven decades before. There is a specific reason why women continue to favor the classic white piece. Aside from the obvious beautiful details, such as a high collar, long train, precious buttons, and elegant long sleeves, the relatives believed the garment brought good luck.

While Stoneberg has since died, the other brides are still alive and well. They are extremely proud that all of their marriages are still intact. “Everyone who has been married in the dress has had a long-lasting, healthy marriage, we like to think it brings good luck,” said Sue Stoneberg McCarthy, who married in 1982.

Wearing the gown had another significance for Lipari. She stated: “The emotion hit me as I started [walking] down the aisle and remembered my grandmother wearing the dress. I felt a special bond with her.” Eleanor Larson Milton, Stoneberg’s sister, added: “The gown was well-made and classic. When you touch that high-quality satin, you realize it’s far superior to the norm.”

Milton was grateful that her mother kept the wedding gown in pristine condition so that future generations of women could wear it. Milton mentioned that she had always wanted to wear the dress, adding: “My mother had taken great care of the dress, keeping it in an airtight box. It was flawless in every way.” The most recent woman in the family to wear the gown changed into a different gown for her reception.

While she would like her daughter to carry on the tradition one day, she was under no obligation to do so. Naturally, the dress had to be altered from time to time, but the changes were always minor and stayed true to the original bride’s style. McCarthy stated that the relatives chose their own “veils, bouquets, and jewelry” to reflect their various personalities.

All of the brides agreed that wearing the gown was an honor, a privilege, and something they were thrilled to do. The garment, despite being decades old, was extremely valuable to them. Julie Frank Mackey, the seventh bride to wear the gown, explained that the garment brought the women in their family closer together. It’s wonderful when family members can keep memories alive and cherish the loved ones around them.

It arrived in the form of a white satin gown for Stoneberg’s relatives. Many families have items that help them form unbreakable bonds. Do you have a sentimental tradition with family members, or do you wear a family member’s gown on your wedding day? Please share it with us! Grab your tissues and continue reading to learn about another beautiful bride who wore her late mother’s wedding gown. It was a perfect fit and the perfect way to honor her loved one.