Women who wear their wedding dresses once a year

KUSA - Women obsess over it. They study photographs in bridal magazines and they search dozens of Web sites looking for the perfect dress.

Tara McWhirter is no exception. She believes every woman feels like a princess in a wedding gown.

McWhirter says it is the most important dress a woman will ever buy and "whoever said you wear a wedding dress once is just wrong."

Four years ago, McWhirter decided to start a new tradition and encourage her girlfriends to put that gown on again. She hosted a "wedding party" with all of her friends. The party was such a hit she has been doing one every year since.

Women flock to this party for the appetizers, cake and wine and most of all, the conversation.

"We always talk about weddings, we talk about the day. Of course we all comment on everyone's dresses and how we all look and what went on during the wedding," said McWhirter.

The dresses do not necessary look the same as they did the first time they were worn. More than a few of the party guests have had to cover up the "unzipped" areas. One guest this year was eight months pregnant. As a new mom herself, McWhirter says it took three people to get her gown zipped up.

This party is for all girlfriends and no one is excluded. Single guests dress as bridesmaids or as wedding guests. One guest this year added a flowered lei, saying she imagined being at a lavish wedding in Hawaii.

You might think the full skirts and long veils are too cumbersome, but no one seems to mind. The only incident happened last year, when one of the party guests accidentally closed her car door on her train and arrived home with a blackened mess. The cleaners got it out and she was back this year.

No one likes to miss this party. Even if they admit they got a few stares on the way to McWhirter's house.

One guest said, "On the way here I prayed that every light would turn green. I didn't want anyone saying, 'Why is the girl next to me wearing a tiara and veil?'"

As the night goes on, the guests become a little less princess-like and break out the poker chips. No wonder this party gets bigger every year.