Instead, she opted for her favorite hobby: thrift shopping. Every bride dreams of finding the perfect wedding dress, but Jillian Lynch decided to start her search at a traditional thrift store.

“I always buy secondhand stuff, so it was just an option,” Jillian told Insider. “I didn’t even think about going to the bridal store.”

Jillian’s love story is unique. She and her boyfriend had been together for 13 years, always considering each other life companions, but marriage wasn’t initially on their minds.

However, fate intervened. “I don’t know what changed, but about a year ago, we decided, ‘let’s be a couple,'” she recalls.

After planning an intimate celebration, the couple arranged a small 30-person wedding at a local pub in Tempe, Arizona, surrounded by close friends and family.

But what about the dress? Jillian decided to do something she wasn’t keen on.

“I was just starting to look for a simple white dress, not a wedding dress. I didn’t want anything too formal,” she explains. True to her thrifty spirit, Jillian began scouring secondhand shops.

After only four days, she stumbled upon an unexpected find: a pristine dress from Camila Coelho, still with the tag attached.

The elegant white dress, adorned with bold slits and an asymmetrical neckline, was stunning. And the price? Surprisingly low, at just $33.75.

To put it in perspective, the same dress is sold at Revolve for 220 euros. Delighted with her find, Jillian shared her discovery on TikTok.

And the cherry on top? She also found a pair of wedding shoes from the Visanze collection for a mere $8.

Initially, viewers didn’t know she wore these items for her big day, but the overwhelmingly positive comments convinced her otherwise.

“When brides shop for a wedding dress, they often do so with their mother, a wedding party, or a group of people to get opinions,” she speculates.

By sharing her journey on TikTok, she felt embraced by a supportive community. To make the dress truly her own, Jillian opted for a few alterations.

She adjusted the hips, swapped adjustable straps for custom ones, and added lace to the neckline.

After these tweaks, the total cost of her dress came to $113.75, with alterations costing $110. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt better,” Gillian exclaims.

“That’s exactly how a bride should feel on her wedding day, as if she’s at the peak of beauty. That’s how I felt when I wore it.”

In true DIY fashion, Jillian took care of her hair and makeup to ensure every detail reflected her personality.

She didn’t spend her whole life dreaming of that day, but Jillian embraced and cherished every moment, even the most traditional ones.

She fondly recalls asking her father to walk her down the aisle. “I saw how much it meant to him, and ultimately, it made a big difference to me too,” she says.

The wedding day was a testament to their love and journey together. It wasn’t about perfection, but about love, unity, and celebrating the start of a new chapter.

“We took everything in stride,” Jillian says with a smile. “We were together, and we had a fun day instead of trying to orchestrate a perfectly planned event.”