Oaklands Mansion announces 10th Anniversary of Wedding Dress Exhibit

Stories of our community will come to life through wedding gowns on display in Oaklands Mansion. Step back into time and experience the common threads that weave our lives together as we explore women’s history, fashion history, cultural history and the history of our community. The 10th Anniversary of the “Wedding Dresses Through the Decades” exhibit, will for the first time, take place inside Oaklands Mansion from January 16 through March 27, 2021.

Vintage gowns from the past 100 years will be on display inside the elegant Oaklands Mansion, along with brides’ photos and stories from their wedding day. During this exhibit, guests will have the rare opportunity to view items from, not only the museum’s collection, but also some of our favorites from the past exhibits. Also included are a selection from the Historic Clothing Collection in the Department of Human Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University. When this exhibit began in 2012, it was a way to collaborate with our community and share their stories and treasurers that are usually hidden under beds, in attics and the back of closets. Through the past nine years of the exhibit, we have had the honor to display over 500 gowns from across the country, all with ties to Middle Tennessee in different ways.

“In celebration of the 10th Anniversary, we are relocating the entire exhibit to the mansion and bringing some of our favorite dresses, photos and stories back from the years past,” said Mary Beth Nevills, Education Director of Oaklands, “Help us celebrate this milestone anniversary!”

Witness the changes in fashion from different areas, eras and cultures as we transcend time to the modern day bride. The exhibit will be open, Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and select Saturdays. Please check the website, oaklandsmansion.org, for updated available dates and times. Admission to the exhibit is adults $15.00, seniors (65+) and military are $12.00 and students ages 6 and up $10.00. Admission includes a self-guided tour of the mansion. In order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, all tickets must be purchased in advance at oaklandsmansion.org. There are a limited number of tickets available for each date/time. When purchasing your tickets you will also be required to reserve your time. Reservations can also be made by email to mb@oaklandsmansion.org or by calling Oaklands at 615-893-0022. All staff members and visitors will follow all state, local and federal guidelines regarding COVID-19.

This exhibit is sponsored in part by the Human Sciences Department of Middle Tennessee State University. For more information, contact Mary Beth Nevills at Oaklands (615) 893-0022 or email mb@oaklandsmansion.org.