TikTok Influencer Found Her Dream Wedding Dress for $50 in Thrift Store and is Offering to Give it Away for Free

Anyone who has shopped for a wedding dress knows about the sticker shock. Many come with a hefty price tag, and according to Zola, the cost varies widely, but in 2023, the average price most people spend is $1,800 to $2,500. But a well-tailored and customized gown can run much higher and TikToker Ophelia Nichols wants one to give one of her 11.2 million followers a designer wedding dress. The Alabama native posted a three minute clip that excitedly showed how she scored an expensive gown by Romona Keveža for $50 at a thrift store. In the TikTok that's been viewed over 5.3 million times, Nichols said, "I'm going to have this cleaned and I'm going to give it to you!" Read on to learn. more about the dress and why the social media star is giving it away. 

About the Romona Keveža Gown

"This dress is beautiful," Nichols, who goes by the nickname Mama Tot, enthusiastically said. "I don't know if it's used, it probably is." The dress was originally priced for $4819, but the store was only selling the item for $50. "I felt so bad buying it for $50, I had to tell that lady what she had in her store," Nichols shared. "She didn't care. She said, 'honey, you take it!' She added, "It is a size 10 and wedding dresses run small."

Why Nichols is Giving Away the Dress

Getting a free designer wedding dress would be a dream for many and Nichols, who calls her followers "tater tots," wants to make that dream happen for someone. She said, "I'm going to find one of my tater tots that needs a wedding dress and maybe can't afford it, but would like a designer one."

The Special Connection Nichols has to the Designer

When shopping for her own wedding dress, Nichols revealed that she looked at different designers, but always favored Romona Keveža. "This was the designer that I would look for in the magazines when I was getting married to Papa Tot [and] wished I could have gotten," She added, "She is my girl, but I could never afford her. The fact that I found this for $50…you can look up the prices of these gowns yourself. They're thousands of dollars."

Why Nichols "Cried" After Buying the Dress

One of the reasons Nichols is such a fan of the designer is because "she's known for her classic timeless gowns." She said, "You can wear one that's 30 years old and it would be the most beautiful thing you've seen walking down the aisle. That is why I loved her, and I've loved her for years. I cried when I put this dress in my truck because I would have given anything to have this years ago when I got married, and I know that it would mean something to one of you," she said. "Sure, I could get it cleaned and sell it on eBay for whatever, but no, I want somebody else to have this experience that I didn't get a chance to have."

Nichols is Emotional Trying on the Dress

The 41-year-old literally couldn't speak for a few seconds when she first tried on the dress. "This is stunning. This would have been the dress I would have gotten married in. I'm speechless," she said as she twirled around in the gown on camera. She said she could tell the dress has been altered, so she would "prefer a local tater tot so they can come and try it on."

Fans Want Nichols to Keep the Dress

More than 42,000 people commented on the viral video and many wrote how Nichols should keep the dress because she loved it so much. One person wrote, "You could always renew your vows and wear it," and she responded, "No, no, I want someone else to enjoy this beautiful gown that may be wouldn't have the opportunity to," There were several comments suggesting Nichols keep the dress and she told another commenter, "No, no I want someone else to get to experience this for sure😌" There's been no word yet on when she plans to give the dress away and no further videos about the gown.