A woman bought her dream Vera Wang wedding dress for $280. She may not be engaged but she has zero regrets.
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- A woman bought her dream wedding dress – a vintage Vera Wang gown – on The RealReal for $280.
- But the buyer, Mary Rose Sossaman, isn't engaged yet.
- She has no regrets, and said others shouldn't have qualms if they feel secure in their relationship.
No ring? For a woman who bought her dream wedding dress without being engaged, that wasn't a problem.
And it wouldn't hold her back from a good deal.
Mary Rose Sossaman, 22, told Business Insider she'd always dreamed of getting married in a "timeless" gown — so when she came across a vintage Vera Wang dress on sale for $280 in her size on The RealReal, the California-based business student took a leap of faith.
Sossaman shared the experience on November 21 in a TikTok video that has over 6.1 million views as of Monday. The video, in which she noted that she's not engaged, led to some mixed reactions in the comments.
Some users asked Sossaman what she would do in the event of a breakup while others said they would've made the same decision as it's rare to find a Vera Wang gown that's so budget-friendly. Vera Wang dresses usually retail between $3,000 to $4,000, according to Kleinfeld Bridal.
@themaryrose i already know my sister is gonna be mad at me for this purchase AHSDKSMS
♬ original sound - mary rose ????????????
Then, on November 30, Sossaman shared a glimpse of her dress after it had arrived in a follow-up video, which has nearly half a million views.
The video shows her wearing the floor-length gown and includes a close-up look at its sheer, long sleeves, which are adorned with floral detailing and elegant buttons.
Besides needing to alter the gown to suit her height, Sossaman told BI it was "perfect as it is."
"Even if I had gotten a brand-new wedding dress, it would've needed alterations," she added. "So in my mind, I'll still be saving my dad some money buying this one."
Sossaman said the long sleeves, simple design, and intricate details were what drew her to the dress.
@themaryrose if u hate it or u think i look bad or u have something negative to say pls for the love of god dont!!!! and yall better not send this to cade or im suing bc he says he doesnt want to see it yet ????????????❤️
♬ original sound - mary rose ????????????
Just as they had on Sossaman's first TikTok about buying the gown, viewers left a range of comments on her second video, and some were skeptical about her decision to purchase the dress without a ring.
Despite the comments on TikTok, Sossaman said buying the dress before getting engaged wasn't an issue for her.
She and her partner, Cade Becker, recently celebrated their two-year anniversary. But she said talk about marriage began soon after they started dating.
"Our relationship was one of those where you meet the person and kind of just know that it's not something that's going to be short-lived," Sossaman said.
You don't need a ring to buy the wedding dress of your dreams
Sossaman said she's seen a lot of comments on both of her videos from people trying to "warn" her off making wedding plans before getting engaged.
"They would leave comments saying, 'I thought my boyfriend was going to propose and that was five years ago.' Or 'I planned a wedding and spent 13 years with him and nothing,'" she said. "Maybe I'm naive for saying this, but I don't feel like my situation is entirely the same."
Ultimately, Sossaman said she has zero regrets and that buying a wedding dress before an engagement comes down to how you feel about your relationship.
"If marriage is something you and your partner have talked about and you have a timeline or plan set in place, then go for it," she said.
If, however, you've been ready to get engaged for years and your partner isn't, then Sossaman's advice is simple: "Find someone who is."