Bride-to-be was casually strolling through Goodwill, then she found her dream wedding reception dress for $8

Wedding preparations get hectic pretty often. If the bride and groom are running short on time, they have to speed up the process of finding their ideal wedding venues and even their dream wedding attires. However, when the bride is looking forward to sticking to a budget, things might get tricky. A bride-to-be named Chiara Gallo, (@chiaramariegallo on TikTok), was out shopping for her perfect wedding reception dress. But Gallo did not expect to find her dreamy reception dress at a local Goodwill store, per Newsweek.

Gallo was at the popular thrift store in Nashville when a sheer white beaded Banjul dress caught her attention. Gallo told the news outlet that the dress would typically sell at a retail value of $100 to $300 in other stores. However, the dress hanging in front of her at the Goodwill store was selling out for only $7.99. "It felt like it was meant to be,” she told the outlet. Gallo remarked that she didn't visit the Goodwill store to buy a wedding dress that day.

"My initial reaction when I spotted the dress was pure excitement. I couldn't believe such a beautiful piece was just sitting there, waiting for me. I immediately pictured myself wearing it at the reception and I knew it would add a special touch to the day," Gallo continued. With her interesting discovery at a thrift store, Gallo shared a video of the dress on her TikTok page that amassed over 4 million views in a few days. “Went to Goodwill and just got my wedding reception dress $7.99," the caption on her video read.

Then she also shared a follow-up video in which Gallo tried on the beautiful dress. Though she revealed that a portion of that dress needed some tailoring, it was still her dream wedding reception gown. “Okay guys, so this is how the dress looks,” she said in the video's voiceover. “I’m bigger chested, so I’m getting it tailored to fit my chest but the beading is amazing. It fits like a glove on the bottom and I’m absolutely in love with it.” Fortunately, Gallo had no hurries to find her ideal wedding attire since she is about to get hitched in October 2025. But the video made its way into her TikTok series and she aptly titled it: "Wedding on a Budget Series."

Gallo told Newsweek that she did not expect her video to go viral but she hoped that her videos would help brides plan their wedding in a budget by cutting unnecessary costs. "Your dream day doesn't have to come with a hefty price tag,” she told the outlet. “So don't let a limited budget hold you back from creating something beautiful. Be creative, think outside the box and check out your local thrift shops. You can make your day as special as you imagine without breaking the bank.” The comment section praised Gallo for her affordable wedding plans and for giving out valuable advice to others on how to achieve them.

@mcknotmac revealed, "Not to flex on you but I got all my bridesmaid dresses brand new for $20 bucks. I don't know why people sleep on Goodwill." @elermas28 suggested, "Imagine a little drop sleeve on the sides. That would be amazing but even just like this and some Hollywood waves a glossy gold shadows, it's just filled with glamour." @f_off96 commented, "It’s so beautiful! New straps would make it even better but you are going to shine." @brileell added, "Yes! I feel like when you have a feeling to go to thrift stores you find exactly what you need or want."

You can follow Chiara Gallo (@chiaramariegallo) on TikTok for more videos on lifestyle.