The wedding dress that an American artist painted on has gone viral on social media.
Emily Plank, from Florida, is known for her intricate designs but captured the interest of more internet users after sharing what she created for bride Catrina Mairose last year.
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The artist posted Mairose's unveiling of the gown to a room full of astonished guests to TikTok on June 21. The video has since been viewed more than 1.6 million times.
"There's a special bond that you create [with clients] because this is a very 'you just have to trust me' type of process," Plank, known online as @watchemilypaint, told Newsweek.
"Catrina, who got married in June 2023, had shipped part of her dress across the country to me, without even meeting me."
By the time Plank was finished, the garment featured an intricate floral pastel-colored design. Viewers were able to see the customized gown with a focus on its train, where much of the added detail had been concentrated. The video captures the room's reaction, with guests exclaiming "oh my God" and "who did that" in delight as Mairose made her entrance, surprising them with the design.
An overlaid text on the video read: "When you don't tell anyone you had your dress hand-painted. Sound on."
"I have loved making art from the start," Plank said. "I went to the University of Florida and studied drawing and painting, but photography is the skill that I fell in love with during college and it's what I have been doing full-time for the last eight years."
Plank's foray into painting wedding dresses began in 2019 when a local bridal shop owner, Olivia Jacoby of the Southern Swan, discovered Plank's painting talent and proposed the idea of her painting on wedding dresses.
The idea gained traction when a bride named Molly Harvey requested a painted gown, and a short video of her dress went viral, setting the stage for Plank's burgeoning new venture. Since then, Plank has created custom hand-painted dresses for brides across the country.
Despite her success, the viral status of Mairose's dress has been both exhilarating and challenging for Plank.
"The inquiries about getting it done are 10 times the amount I got last time, which has been overwhelming," she said. "I am somewhat shy and the fact that I have an online presence like this makes me giggle a little bit."
Although she is not a fan of the spotlight, the clip has amassed over 1,500 comments, many of which support the finished look.
"Bet the artist was sweating. It looks amazing," one user, @jessicabaileymarston, wrote.
Another, @ginger7702, added: "I've never seen this done before and it is absolutely stunning."
"I would never love flowers on a wedding dress or think a painted dress could work, BUT THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS," a third user, @thrackley, shared.
Do you have any funny or adorable wedding videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to [email protected] and they could appear on our site.
About the writer
Melissa Fleur Afshar is a Newsweek reporter based in London, United Kingdom.
Her current focus is on trending life stories and ... Read more
