A woman in the United States has shared the astonishing story of how she discovered a secret attic in her new home, containing a surprise that felt like fate for her upcoming wedding.
The Hidden Door Above the Garage
Kaitlyn Ostolaza, from Illinois, purchased a three-bedroom property with her fiancé in June for $283,000. It wasn't until four months later, during a visit from her father, that the mystery began to unravel. Her dad spotted what looked like a door on the ceiling above the garage, leading to a previously unknown space.
The access was blocked because the cord to pull down the attic stairs was missing. Undeterred, Ostolaza's father attached a rope to the panel and managed to open it. Inside the dusty, forgotten space, they found an assortment of items including old pool floats and broken tennis rackets. But one discovery stood out: a carefully stored vintage wedding dress.
A Discovery That Felt Like Fate
For Ostolaza, who was actively shopping for her own wedding dress at the time, the find seemed incredibly serendipitous. "I thought it was really exciting that there just happened to be a wedding dress in the home I just bought with my fiancé," she told the Daily Mail.
Acting with consideration, she did not open the box immediately. She first tried to contact the previous homeowners to see if they wanted the sentimental item returned. "I reached out to the wife of the couple that used to live here but unfortunately never heard back," she explained. After two weeks with no response, she took it as a sign. "I took it as a good omen and that we were meant to find the dress."
A Viral Moment and Online Debate
Ostolaza documented the unboxing of the gown on TikTok, where the video quickly went viral, amassing more than 2.7 million views. The footage showed her lifting out an intricate, lace-adorned dress with a tight bodice, floral details on the chest and sleeves, a flowing skirt, and a long train.
The online reaction was intense and divided. While many viewers felt the discovery was "meant to be," others argued it was wrong to use a dress that belonged to someone else. One supporter commented, "A dress saved is meant to be used," framing it as a "wedding dress distribution system." Another suggested the original owner may have had no daughter to pass it to, leaving it as a gift. Critics, however, felt she should have tried harder to return it, speculating that grandchildren of the previous owners might have cherished it.
Ostolaza has decided she probably will not wear the vintage gown as her main wedding dress, stating it isn't quite her style. However, she is determined to incorporate it into her big day, planned for the fall of 2027. "I really like the idea of repurposing it into a reception dress or robe to use on the day of the wedding," she said, though her final plans are still undecided.
