Bride Honors Mom by Wearing Her Vintage 1982 Wedding Dress

In a heartwarming gesture, a bride recently surprised her mother by wearing her vintage 1982 wedding dress on her own big day. The bride, TV journalist Michelle Romano, decided to honor her mom, Deborah, by donning the classic '80s gown during the couple's church rehearsal, which kicked off their wedding weekend.

Romano's mom was "completely stunned" and filled with "happy tears" when she saw her daughter in the dress she had worn 43 years ago. "Her hands flew to her face. You can see how shocked she was and how happy and honored all at once," Romano recounts. The bride wanted to find a meaningful way to include her mom, her "best friend and biggest cheerleader," in the wedding celebrations.

After the emotional surprise, Romano and her husband, DJ Andrew Mendez, tied the knot on September 19th at St Lucy's Roman Catholic Church in Newark, New Jersey. The couple then celebrated with an extended cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing at Nanina's In the Park in New Jersey. Romano says every moment of her big day was a highlight, but surprising her mom will forever be one of her most cherished memories.