Why 50-Year-Old Woman's Trip to Bridal Shop Left Stylist in Tears

One woman's unique quest to find love in the heart of Atlanta has captured the imaginations of many across the world.

The woman, who is in her 50s, had turned to trying on wedding dresses in her local bridal store as an unconventional method of manifesting her future partner.

Rebecca Botter, the bridal consultant who supported her on the day, had documented the unexpected drop-in appointment and shared it online (@botterrebecca) soon after. The video has been watched by more than 1.2 million people in just five days.

While the story may read like a Nora Ephron script, its blending of the lines between hope, tradition, and the modern pursuit of love has struck a chord with people worldwide.

"Last week, I came into work feeling very emotional about some things in my personal life and then I met a woman who was so incredibly kind and brave and lovely. She told me that she doesn't have a wedding date, which is something that I'd heard plenty of times. And then she said, 'I don't have a man either,'" Botter, who also produces a podcast, told Newsweek.

"My smile faltered, and I knew in that moment that I had the choice of either making this a healing experience for her or that I had to do the appointment half-heartedly," she said. "I decided to treat it like any other bridal appointment and took her comments and opinions just as seriously as I would for someone who was buying a dress that day for a planned wedding."

"I would refer to her coming back next year when she had found her person and made sure that all the dresses were being photographed so she could look back to decide," she added.

The more Botter learned about the challenges the woman had to overcome in her personal life and the hopes she had for her future, the more she felt that she'd made the right choice in providing her with as much support as a "real" bride.

Botter said: "It was just such a vulnerable and brave thing for her to do and I felt honored that I got to be the person to witness it and help her."

The bridal consultant cried after the woman left her store, moved by her "act of bravery" and her "holding onto dreams."

"I care a lot about my brides, and my client's manifestation journey was inspiring to me," she said.

"I was pretty drained and sad after. I posted this video with little thought that it would go farther than my sweet little following but it reached another side of the internet within a few hours."

"A lot of people have found comfort and a feeling of solidarity from hearing about this future bride's story and I think that's really cool," she added.

The bridal consultant had attended drama school in London but made her way to Georgia fueled by hopes of joining the film industry. She began posting bridal content online in 2023 after working a few odd jobs in the wedding industry and eventually landing her consulting position.

Her passion for filmmaking and cinema prompted her to begin filming snippets of her workdays on her phone. She'd edit these into short vlogs after getting home.

Botter is confident in her ability to support brides before their big day and enjoys sharing insight into her role online.

"Confidence and self-assurance put the brides at ease. They're excited but also feeling very self-conscious and nervous. Someone who can say, 'I've got you, and you have nothing to worry about,' makes all the difference," she said.

What Is Manifestation?

Manifestation is the mental practice of thinking up aspirational thoughts and fantasies with the purpose of experiencing them in the real world.

"Manifestation is grounded in neuroscience," neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius told Newsweek.

"The brain does not distinguish much between your imagination and reality. That's why you can program your brain for what you want to achieve by visualizing. I actually manifested my dream spouse, and a few months later, I met him. We've been married for over a decade and share five kids," the scientist, who's also a bestselling author, said.

But Can You Manifest Your Partner?

According to manifestation coaches, absolutely. The practice of manifestation is cemented in the idea that anything can be made possible, even if what you want pertains to love and relationships.

Kari Sayers is a mindset and manifestation blogger. She's also created a manifestation journal with the purpose of supporting people on their journeys to becoming their best selves.

"Manifesting a dream partner is possible," Sayers told Newsweek.

"It begins with setting intentions for who it is you want to attract into your life, visualizing your life with this person as if it is already happening, keeping your vibrational energy high (because vibrational energy acts as a magnet for manifestation), and taking inspired action in the form of small steps that bring you closer to your goal."

"In my experience, when it comes to manifestation, people have a hard time with the inspired action part. I'd encourage people to take any additional action steps necessary, like joining a social club to meet new people if you're manifesting love, to help attract who they want," she added.

Author, relationship coach, and law of attraction expert Jeanne Sullivan Billeci seconds Sayer.

"I have helped clients all over the world attract their dream partner. You must release resistance, clarify what you want, and become a vibrational match for it," she told Newsweek.

She added, "Take inspired action so they can receive a person who aligns with their vision and vibration."

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