Grandmother, 94, Who Couldn’t Buy Wedding Dress Because She Was Black Gets To Don Gowns Almost 70 Years Later

Mar 31, 2023 by apost team

Weddings are an incredibly special day in one's life, which is why so much planning and effort goes into them. But for one 94-year-old woman from Alabama named Martha Mae Ophelia Moon Tucker, her dream of having a wedding was never realized. That's because when Tucker got married back in 1952, Black women weren't allowed inside bridal shops in Alabama. In fact, this reason is why Tucker has dedicated 50 years of her life to being a poll worker so that she can do everything she can to progress Black voting rights.

Sixty-nine years after getting married, Tucker was watching one of her favorite movies — "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy — with one of her granddaughters, Angela. When the big wedding scene from the film came on, she told her granddaughter that she always dreamed of trying on a wedding dress but she never got the chance to do so.

Tucker didn't think anything of the comment she made to Angela that day. Her granddaughter, however, got the idea to make her beloved grandma's dream come true and she hatched a plan with other family members. So on July 3, 2021, Tucker's family took her to a bridal shop in Birmingham, Alabama, so that she could try on wedding gowns and have the special moment that she missed out on nearly seven decades earlier.

Tucker's family filmed the moment when she tried on her first-ever wedding dress, as well as a few other dresses, and needless to say, the video of her has since gone viral. 

In one video clip from the day, the 94-year-old said "I'm getting married," as she donned a gorgeous lace gown with a V-neckline and long sleeves. Her family, who can be seen in the bridal shop's mirrors, erupted in laughter as Tucker herself broke into a cheeky grin. 

In another shot, a family member said, "You look so pretty," which was absolutely true. Tucker looked gorgeous in the various gowns, especially considering she was 94! In fact, that was one recurring topic on YouTube — commenters thought Tucker looked amazing, so much so that she was making much younger people look bad. 

Tucker had eloped with her late husband back in 1952, which is another reason she didn't have a wedding ceremony. Good Morning America reported her as having said, "I've always wanted a wedding but I wasn't able to have one." But after trying on her first wedding dress, Tucker revealed to GMA:

"I felt wonderful," before adding, "I felt like I was having a wedding."

Seeing Tucker's face full of joy as she dressed up as a bride for the first time is truly heartwarming. When interviewed by AL.com, Tucker stated:

“You know, I can’t even express how special it was. It was too special. I’ve been wanting to do that a long time, just put one on.”

Knowing that her family, who clearly love her very much, organized for her to feel special and have her dream come true after nearly seven decades shows just how much they love Tucker, the matriarch of the family. It's also a good reminder that it's never too late to do the things you dream of!

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Did Martha Tucker's story strike a chord with you? Is there something you've dreamt of that you haven't done yet? If you found this story inspiring then pass it on so others can be inspired too!