Bride-to-be thrilled to find a vintage wedding dress in the ‘secret attic’ of her new home – until her plans for the attire raised serious warnings

Excitement and uncertainty surrounded a bride-to-be after she made a surprising discovery inside her new home. Kaitlyn Ostolaza, an Illinois resident, uncovered a vintage wedding dress hidden in a "secret attic" of the house she recently bought with her fiancé. The moment, shared on TikTok on October 27, 2025, by @xkirimi, was later reported by the New York Post on Sunday, January 11, 2026. The carefully stored gown appeared untouched for years, and Ostolaza’s interest in possibly using it for her own wedding sparked strong reactions and warnings from viewers.

The discovery came around four months after the couple moved into their three-bedroom home the previous summer, in June, as per the Daily Mail. During a visit, Ostolaza’s father noticed what appeared to be a sealed attic door in the ceiling above the garage. The pull-down string for the stairs was missing, making the space difficult to access. Determined to check it out, he tied a rope to the door and climbed up. Inside, the attic contained a mix of leftover items from former owners, including pool floaties and broken tennis rackets. Among them was a wedding dress placed neatly in its original box, suggesting it had been stored with care.

At the time, Ostolaza was already searching for her own wedding dress, which made the find feel even more meaningful. The overlay text in the TikTok video read, "You bought a house with your fiancé and find a wedding dress in the attic." She opened the box and held up the long-sleeved lace gown, which featured floral detailing, a fitted bodice, and a flowing train. She shared that she admired the craftsmanship and imagined how special the dress once was to its original owner. Ostolaza said she considered using it as her “something borrowed” for her wedding day. She added, “I really like the idea of repurposing it into a reception dress or robe to use on the day of the wedding.” Before deciding, she attempted to contact the home’s previous owners to return it. But after receiving no response, she viewed the discovery as a positive sign. "This is not the previous owner's wedding dress." 

Since being posted, the video has received more than 2.7 million views and drawn mixed reactions. While many viewers praised the find and called it special, others warned against wearing the dress, with some even labeling it “cursed.” The comment section was filled with debates, personal experiences, and advice. @jwalker52007 wrote, "Am I the only one who is scared it was left there because it's cursed? Don't put it on!" @kikinz82 exclaimed, "You know this is how horror movies start, aye?" @soulstone_co commented, "Am I the only one screaming 'don't put it on you will be possessed' or do I need to lay off the horror movies?"

Meanwhile, @cat_mom0113 had a different opinion, "I bet you the person that belongs to didn’t have a daughter to give it to. It was left there for you. It was a gift from her to you. That’s how I would see it." @createtocondemn mentioned, "That’s a sign that your marriage/home will be successful." 

For more interesting content, follow @xkirimi on TikTok.

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