We get little to do for our grandparents, but their love for us is no less pure than parents’ love for their children. Katrine Kilroy was just 29 when she got to honour her grandma most beautifully on one of the most special days of her life: Katrine’s engagement. The photoshoot she did in her grandma’s wedding gown brought everyone to tears because it was magical.
Although Katrine was the family’s adopted child, all these years, the bond between her and Nana was true, and because of her, she had always felt like she truly belonged to the family. Years later, Katrine was all set to get into Grandma’s gown. To her surprise, the dress fit her perfectly, too! In her journey of growing and being shaped into the wonderful human that she is today, Katrine always credits her grandma for being such an influential personality, as she was the one who taught her all the essential life skills, from painting her nails to cooking; everything was taught with love.
Not only this, but despite her old age, Katrine had always found Nana beautiful. While she sat in front of her, the admiration she felt was never the same for others, and probably it was not just about the outer beauty but also about the strength and power her personality held. Not just Katrine, but Nana, too, was fond of spending time with Katrine, so all the holidays and special occasions were spent together as a family. As time passed, the bond kept becoming stronger and much more beautiful.
Katrine’s mother had adopted three children, including Katrine. The pain of infertility was something both courageous woman had to go through, but rather than giving up, they decided to grow their families in the most beautiful ways. Although Katrine had to move away from her grandma and her family at a young age, their connection never weakened despite the long distance between them, and the sense of belonging was always there.
Because of the unwavering connection Katrine knew, she had to do something to honour the bond. She was only 20 when she first saw Elaine, her grandma’s wedding gown. The dress had turned pale because of its age and had been locked for years. However, the best part was when Elaine allowed Katrine to try it out; surprisingly, it fit her perfectly! The idea of using the gown for her wedding popped up right at that moment, although, in the near future, there were no plans for Katrine to get married. Grandma promised her to keep it safe for her wedding day.
Katrine saw her surprise planning go in vain when Grandpa passed away. Because Elaine could no longer live alone, she sold the family home, and the wedding dress was donated to Goodwill. It was not done intentionally, but it was still hurtful as Katrine was all prepared to wear it on the most beautiful days of her life. How lucky she was to find the exact dress a few weeks later! It was lying on a rack, so without any thought, Katrine repurchased it, this time for eighteen dollars, as the only thing that mattered to her was that the dress belonged to her Nana.
Approximately nine years later, Katrine was all set to get engaged to Stephan. Until then, the dress looked worn out, and because of its delicate fabric and the detailing, Katrine was unsure if it could be cleaned to give it a newer look. The moment she tried on the dress, she knew it was the dress she wanted to wear on her engagement. She also stated that if it looked newer, it would have been the dress she would wear on the wedding day.
The photoshoot was not just special for Katrine and Elaine but also for Katrine’s mother, as at that time she was recovering from stage 3 breast cancer. Her Nana was also a warrior, and Katrine firmly believed her mother would be fine. Looking at Katrine dressed up in her mother’s wedding gown, her mother had teary eyes, showing how much the moment mattered to her. Elaine, the most graceful 84-year-old woman, was also in awe seeing how beautiful Katrine looked in the wedding dress.
It was unbelievable! Elaine stated that seeing Katrine in the wedding dress gave her flashbacks of her wedding day, which she cherishes the most. For Katrine, her engagement dress was not just an ordinary gown but a treasure of memories; a symbol of love!
