A woman offered to buy an LA bride their wedding gown amid fires — then 200 people agreed to donate theirs
A kind-hearted woman on TikTok has inspired a movement to help brides impacted by the deadly and ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.
Since the fires first sparked on January 7, more than 12,000 structures have been scorched and at least 153,000 people have been displaced, forced to leave their homes, memories, and possessions behind.
For Kelly Mosser, a marketing founder based in New York City, the devastating natural disaster left her with thoughts of how she would handle being suddenly placed under an evacuation order.
Between picture books, souvenirs, and boxes full of memorabilia, many people online have revealed the necessities and small valuables they gathered before they were forced out the door.
But with the exception of Miles Teller’s wife Keleigh revealing she wasn’t able to salvage her wedding gown, Mosser noticed not many affected brides have spoken out to confirm whether they took their dresses with them.
Speaking to People, Mosser said: “It just made me think, ‘You know what? There are probably women in the next few months who have weddings coming up and don’t have a dress right now. And if you’ve ever ordered a wedding dress, you know how long it can take to get it delivered, plus the alterations and everything else.”
Wanting to take action, the media worker took to TikTok with a video message for a Los Angeles bride who lost their wedding dress, offering to buy them a new one. What she didn’t realize was just how many people would respond not in need of a gown, but looking to donate their own.
“I’m thinking so much about everyone in Los Angeles, and I would imagine that there are some brides-to-be who have lost your wedding dresses,” she said in the video posted on January 12.
“I’m looking for someone who does not have the financial means right now to replace your wedding dress,” she continued. “I would like to buy you a new one.”
“You deserve to look beautiful,” Mosser added, encouraging anyone in need to reach out to her before selecting a gown from the Anthropologie website for her to purchase.
Her caption read: “If you’d like to contribute in case we get more than one bride, we can help even more people.”
To Mosser’s surprise, her video and inbox was bombarded with eager commenters wanting to help out however they could.
“I would love to make a custom dress for a bride to be that lost theirs,” one sweet TikTok viewer wrote, while another said: “I’m willing to help replace the shoes if they lost the shoes and or purse for their dress.”
A third offered: “I will donate my wedding dress to someone.”
“I have a white gown, never worn, that could be a wedding dress. I am in LA and would be happy to donate. It’s just been in storage. Smoke-free/pet-free,” another kind individual commented.
“Hi! I’m a seamstress!@kelly_mosser I would love to donate my services to alter the dress for this bride! Please dm me so we can organize this,” a generous woman added.
Despite all the interest in her post, Mosser hasn’t heard back from too many brides.
“We’ve reached a few people, probably like a dozen brides that are saying, ‘Can I get back to you in a couple of weeks? I don’t even know the state of my dress right now because I can’t get in touch with my tailor,’or, ‘My dresses at my aunt’s house, and we’re not able to get back there yet,’” she explained to People.
Regardless, Mosser is ready with the supply for when more gowns are in demand.
According to Mosser, she’s received over 200 offers from women with dresses to donate. Mosser asked each and every one of them for a picture and description of the dress including the size.
“Looking at all the support and offers, I started to think about it more. Then I got the idea of hosting a live in-person event in Los Angeles sometime in the spring, where brides affected by these fires can come and find a dress for free,” she said.
