NAN KEPT THE WEDDING DRESS IN THE SHED!

amie CheLSea robertS, 30, works in public relations. She married Luke, 32, in 2013, in Florida. the couple live in Lincolnshire. amie says:

I hate being the centre of attention, and wedding-dress shopping was my idea of a nightmare. But I needed a dress so I took my nan, mum and sister with me for moral support.

every time I put on a dress, it didn’t feel right. I kept saying: ‘ I want something with less of this or more of that’, and my nan kept saying: ‘Ooh, my dress was like that’.

I thought she was exaggerating. But after three days of fruitless shopping, I went back to her house and she persuaded me to try hers on. It wasn’t in the best condition — she’d kept it in the loft and shed for 48 years. But when I tried it on, it simply felt right. When I walked into the room both Mum and Nan burst into tears. It was beautiful, fitted perfectly and, what’s more, it was free.

I wanted to make it a little more modern as it had a very puffy underskirt, which isn’t my style. With Nan’s blessing, I asked a seamstress to make it more column-like and alter the neckline into a sweetheart style.

Nan got married in October 1965 in church, whereas I was getting married on a beach, so it needed to look less formal and be cooler due to the hot sunshine.

What was really strange was that I didn’t need any alteration in the fit.

Nan had exactly the same size 10 figure as me when she married at 18. She was thrilled to see me wearing it on the day and it made it extra special for me, too. amie’S grandmother, ann Lovegrove, 73, is a retired school administrator. She married her husband brian, 76, in 1965. ann says:

WheN amie tried on my dress for the first time, I couldn’t believe I’d ever been that slim! We dry-cleaned it and even soaked it in the bath for two days to remove all the marks.

I shed a tear or two when I saw her on her wedding day, wearing the dress I’d worn 48 years previously. It was meant to be.