Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest Winner to Become Part of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Collection

Van Tran’s winning wedding dress. Photo credit: Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com

NEW YORK CITY (June 16, 2016) – They were some of the most stunning (and soft, strong and absorbent) wedding dresses ever created. We’re talking about the finalists in the 2016 Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest presented by Cheap Chic Weddings and Charmin. Today in New York City, Van Tran, from Brooklyn, was named the winner and took home the top prize of $10,000.

Edward Meyer, Ripley’s VP of Exhibits and Archives, was one of the judges for the event. The winning dress will become part of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! collection and go on display in one of Ripley’s Odditoriums. Tran also gets a trip for two to any Ripley’s Believe It or Not! location in the U.S., including airfare and hotel.

“Ms. Tran’s dress is stunning as a wedding dress, but when you consider that it’s handmade entirely of toilet paper, it becomes a true believe it or not creation,” said Meyer. The rules were simple; use Charmin brand toilet paper, tape, glue or a needle and thread to create a dress that can be worn and taken on and off.

Tran calls her winning dress “Winter Lust.” She got her inspiration from seeing snow for the first time when she moved to New York City a couple years ago. Tran, who has been sewing since she was seven years old, has entered the contest once before, but this was her first trip to the finals. Cheap Chic Weddings holds the annual contest to inspire people to personalize their wedding and turn it into a low-cost, chic, joyous occasion.

Contest winner Van Tran (yellow dress) with her $10,000 check for first place.