Indeed, it’s not the usual June bride season where we would see latex wedding gowns flying out of our studio. The pandemic has either significantly curtailed the big nuptial parties we usually see this time of year or, in some cases, have had couples postpone their ceremony altogether. But in a sure positive sign-of-the-times, Spanx CEO and Founder Sara Blakely may have begun a whole new wedding dress tradition.
In 2008, Sara Blakely married Jesse Itzler. At her ceremony, she wore a strapless, lacy wedding dress, which she later ‘loaned’ to a childhood friend, as well as a lady she met on a hiking trip. Most notably (and recently), the Spanx founder and CEO loaned her dress to media strategy manager, LeJeanne Capers Thomas, who was married Sunday. Thomas had planned her wedding for April 25th, of this year, though COVID -19 had other plans, and the bridal shop supplying her dress for that date had to close for the pandemic temporarily.
Although the Thomas’ did marry on April 11th in a smaller wedding that only included LeJeanna’s mother, a minister, who officiated, this past Sunday, the bride and groom held a bigger ceremony where the bride wore Blakely’s dress. LeJeanna had seen Blakely speak in Atlanta (Dawnamatrix’s current home base), where she first became aware of the self-made undergarment mogul. Just recently, Blakely offered her dress on an Instagram post where she said: “Calling all brides to be … do you want to borrow my wedding dress from me? I have already loaned it out twice… once to a good friend, and once to a girl I just met.”
LeJeanna took the Spanx creator up on her offer.
Since posting her offer, nearly thirty brides have contacted Balkey about borrowing her dress. She’s presently thinking about writing a book or video about the this unique sharing experience.
