Most people go to Goodwill looking for vintage clothes, home decor, or maybe a quirky treasure. But 21-year-old Emmali Osterhoudt? She walked out with a $6,000 wedding dress—for just $25.
The best part? She’s not even engaged yet.
A Picture Frame Hunt Turned into a Dream Find
Emmali, a student from Birmingham, Alabama, had no plans to shop for wedding dresses that day. She and her roommate were on a simple mission: to find picture frames for a gallery wall. But as they were about to leave, her friend pointed out a rack they hadn’t checked yet.
And that’s when she saw it.
@emmalifaith Im so freaking excited about this find, i may not even use it when it comes to the day because im not getting engaged or married for awhile but maybe its fate lol also jlo has worn this brand as well #galialahav #galialahavbride #goodwill #weddingdress @Galia Lahav ♬ original sound – Emmali
Among the usual thrift store dresses sat a stunning, bejeweled gown. At first, she assumed it was one of those poofy ’80s wedding dresses—the kind you’d wear for a fun Friends-style photoshoot. But when she pulled it off the rack, she realized this was something special.
“It looked like it was my size,” Emmali told Insider. So, she tried it on.
And it fit like a glove. No alterations needed. No second thoughts. Just an absolute wedding dress jackpot.
The $25 Galia Lahav Surprise
Emmali immediately bought the dress, still unaware of its true worth. It wasn’t until she got home and checked the label that she discovered she had just scored a designer Galia Lahav gown from the Gala collection.
For context: these dresses typically cost thousands of dollars. She got hers for less than the price of a takeout dinner.
And yes, even though she’s not engaged, she already has plans to wear it when the time comes.
Viral Fame & More Cinderella Moments to Come
Emmali shared her unbelievable find on TikTok, where her video blew up with over 4.1 million views. People were in awe of her luck—and many wanted to know if she’d sell it for a massive profit.
@emmalifaith Answer some of the Galia Lahav dress questions with me!!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼 #goodwill #goodwillfinds #galialahav #weddingdress ♬ original sound – Emmali
Her answer? No way. Even if she doesn’t end up wearing it on her wedding day, she plans to keep it.
As for any superstitions about wearing a second-hand wedding dress? Emmali isn’t fazed. She has zero plans to “cleanse” the dress with sage—just pure excitement for her once-in-a-lifetime thrift store win.
And here’s the kicker—Galia Lahav heard about her story and decided to donate more dresses to Goodwill to give others a chance at their own fairy-tale finds.
While they haven’t revealed where or when these dresses will show up, one thing’s for sure: thrift shoppers everywhere just got a whole new reason to check the wedding dress rack.
