Wedding dresses made from toilet paper showcased in NY contest

The number of petals that were hand cut and traced for Ms Carol Touchstone's dress, which came in third.

These wedding dresses have it all - long trains, full layered skirts, floral appliques, ruffles and sparkling bodices.

Their detailing is the kind you see on designer gowns made of silk and lace.

But they're not - they are all made out of toilet paper.

The gowns were showcased at the finale of the annual Cheap Chic Weddings Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest in New York on Wednesday.

Ten designers vying for a $10,000 prize painstakingly put them together from the most basic materials.

The rules were simple, contest co-creator Laura Gawne told Reuters. "They have to use Charmin toilet paper, any kind of tape, any kind of glue and they can use needle and thread," she said.

"No closures, no Velcro, nothing. No attachment of fabric, nothing," said co-creator Susan Bain.

They began the competition to promote their wedding site.

The contest, now in its 11th edition, is held in conjunction with toilet paper brand Charmin. This year, it was held at bridal store Kleinfeld, which will turn the winning dress into a ready-to-wear gown.

Before the show began, designers applied the final touches as models held onto toilet rolls needed for the add-ons.

"We have 4,585 petals that were all hand-cut and traced," Ms Carol Touchstone, who came in third place, said of her floral dress.

TOP HAT, TOP DRESS

The winner, Ms Donna Pope Vincler, created a tuxedo-style halterneck dress with a removable jacket, accessorised with a top hat and bow tie.

She said it took her about three months, 22 rolls and lots of tape and glue to make.

"It's amazing how strong glue and toilet paper can be. After I made it, I was hitting on it like a drum... it's very sturdy," she said.

"I don't even know how many layers (there are) - I just did it until I thought it would stay together."

This article was first published on June 22, 2015.
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