Today’s post by Rachel Hauck | @RachelHauck
Rachel Hauck
Update: congrats to Susan G. who was randomly chosen as our winner! Susan has been notified via email.
Six months before The Wedding Dress release date, I sat behind a one-way glass and watched as my publisher and marketing director surveyed readers about the stories they read.
They held up book covers and asked which ones they liked or disliked and why.
I leaned forward in my chair when my publisher held up my book cover.
“What do you think of this cover?”
The women nodded in this particular group nodded. They liked it. Then one of them flicked her hand toward the image and said, “Ah, it’s about some dress passed down through the years, probably mother to daughter.”
She shrugged as if to say, “Boring, I’ve read that story a 101 times.”
I sat back. Thinking. Instead of walk around the glass and tell her she was wrong. Was her point valid? Was it a same-ole, same-ole story?
No.
The story is about a gown passed down through time, but not mother to daughter, not even friend to friend.
It’s about the journey of a wedding gown, but it’s also about the women who wear the gown and what the gown represents.
It’s about each woman’s discovery about herself, finding the gown, trying it on to find it perfectly fit. It’s about a hundred year old gown that never wore out. And always looked classy and in style.
The women who seem disconnected and ages apart discover they have a common bond as the story unfolds. I called them “The Sisterhood of the Dress.”
The idea for this story came to me while on a girl’s weekend in Nashville. Our hosting friend had recently married off her daughter and we started talking about finding the perfect wedding dress, how a woman “just knows” when she tries it on.
We also talked about how some women don’t get to have the perfect gown. Or how some wear their mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress.
Suddenly in the midst of the conversation, I took a right turn and got lost in story world.
I’m not exactly sure what snagged my imagination, but looking back I think it was a divine moment.
I left that weekend with a shell of an idea. I shared it with my family, who loved it. Of course.
But I thought it was a book for another time. I’d already contracted a new idea with my publisher and thought I’d forge ahead with that one.
But after a few days, The Wedding Dress wouldn’t leave me alone. I called my editor and pitched it to her. She loved it. Of course.
Stories to me are about making sense of life. About trying to understand the incomprehensible. About taking what little knowledge I have of a vast God and showing how He might break in and help a weak soul trying to find her way.
The Wedding Dress is really about four women being impacted by the Divine and three of them not really knowing it until one woman discovers the hundred year old gown in a battered trunk.
It’s about resolving issues, finding closure and discovering personal history.
As an author, I like to think readers can take away their own personal message from the book’s they read, but the message that resonated with me as I wrote The Wedding Dress is we are all connected in more ways than we could possibly imagine.
And that a little piece of Heaven might just be standing on the street corner wearing a purple ascot.
I hope this book is an entertaining and inspiring read. I’m so grateful to She Reads for letting me stop by and have a few minutes of their grand cyber space.
Want to read The Wedding Dress? Rachel is giving away a copy to one lucky winner today. Just leave a comment on this post!
About Ariel Lawhon
Ariel Lawhon is the co-founder of She Reads, novelist, blogger, storyteller, and life-long reader. She lives in Texas with her husband and four young sons (aka The Wild Rumpus). Ariel believes that Story is the shortest distance to the human heart.
This book sounds so wonderful. I would love a chance to win and read this. Thank you.
I posted earlier and it’s not there. Would love to win this book. Have it on my wish list.
Would love to win this book. Thank you.
I would love to read this book I never wore a wedding dress when I got married. I would love to know the journey of this dress
This book sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to read it.
I have been excited to read this one since Marybeth Whalen first mentioned it. I kept my wedding gown, thinking my daughters might like it. They didn’t. But after 20 years of marriage, and 4 kids I was able to fit back into it. So I had it updated and renewed my vows in it! Now my girls love it. Thanks foe the opportunity to win this book.
I planned two weddings two months apart for two daughters…now that it’s over…I think I need to read “The Wedding Dress”!
Thank you Rachel! Thank you She Reads!
Susan G
I just left a comment…then went on to my other email, Women of Faith, and lo and behold! there it was in the subject line “The Wedding Dress”! And sure enough, it was about your book! Just had to share that with you Rachel! Love it when God does that!
Your book will be flying off the shelves… 
Blessings!
Susan G
PS…I forgot to tell you I got married at 46 for the first time! I knew the wedding dress for me the minute I saw it! I can’t wait to read your book.
I knew the moment I tried on my dress – it was the first dress – that it was the one. My aunt and mother insisted that I try on others, I did, but knew the first one was it! Excited to read “The Wedding Dress”!
Sounds like a great story to me!
Hey all, wow, such great comments. I went out to a worship conference last night and came back to read all of these!
Thanks for sharing and stopping by. I am now off to teach a writing class for an ACFW chapter. Then back to the conference. But I did want to let y’all know I am reading! Even if I can’t respond to each one.
Blessings!
Rachel
I love reading and sharing with my daughters, the books, then spending girly time talking about how we feel. This sounds like a wonderful book to share,read and discuss! thanks for the opportunity to read new books right off the shelf!!
I just read this post and The Wedding Dress is definitely going to be added to my TBR pile. This is the sort of story I love! Thank you for sharing!
I posted my comment yesterday but for some reason it didn’t come up so here I am again.
I put my wedding dress on layaway & two week later when I went to pick it up it had been sold. With a crushed heart & many tears I went to another store and found a dress that look almost like the first one. I bought it on the spot & proudly wore it at my wedding two days later!! That was 41 yrs. ago and being blessed with three daughters & their three weddings later I’m glad I married that sweet guy who once told me he use to wear different color ascot’s to junior high school just because he knew he looked cool!! What a guy… and what a wedding.. and the best is yet to be!!
Blessings to you too!
Thank you for Answering the Call to write The Wedding Dress. Thank you for allowing the Lord to work through your writing to show others who and what He is. I look forward to reading your book!
Bobbe, OH no! How could they sell it if you had it on lay away? So glad you found the perfect gown though.
Thank for all who commented. I read them all. This is the “really fun” part of writing a book. Hearing from readers!
Love,
Rachel
Love it!! I love stories about life and wedding dresses -
Would love to read this!
Wow, that is a long list of comments!
Sounds like a wonderful book! And the cover is gorgeous!
I’m definitely adding this to my wish list!
Sounds great. Looking forward to reading another She Reads selection
Looks like another good read. It would be exciting to win. Can’t remember the last time I won something:-)
Sounds like a great book!
I love to read Christian fiction and I am sure this one will not disappoint.
Love the concept of the story line…sounds like a fascinating read! Would love to win it…bit if not I’m sure I will be purchasing it soon!
This book sounds amazing!
I am 49 years old and have been happily married for 22 years and I am still intrigued with wedding stories, anything bridal and the love and vows that are the main part of each wedding. Thank you for writing this for those of us who are never tired of this kind of story. I would be excited to win!
May God continue to bless you as He inspires your stories. ~ Kim
Sounds like a great summer read…..son is getting married next year and this would be great for his bride-to-be!
Sounds like a beautiful book and I am looking forward to reading it!
I have to admit, when I first started reading this article, my first thought mirrored those of the focus group. It’s been done before in books and movies. However, it will be interesting to see how you make this a different type of story.
It sounds like a great book!
I would love love love to win this book!!
This book sounds FANTASTIC! I would love a copy! Either way I’m adding it to my goodreads list! Thank you for the great giveaway!
Sounds like a great book!