Wedding dress worn by 5 sisters, daughter

While contemporary brides generally prefer to choose a new wedding dress for their nuptials, there is something special about wearing a gown that has a family significance.

The wedding dress chosen by Merele Dukes of Flint, Michigan ended up being worn by six different women in her family, the Davison Flagstaff reports.

In 1948, 18-year-old Merele saved up to purchase a white wedding gown with a sweetheart neckline, long, pointed sleeves and circular train. It cost $52 - what seemed like a fortune at the time.

After Merele's nuptials, her sister Kathleen wore the very same dress for her own marriage just a month later.

Then their sister Phyllis wore it in 1954, and then another sister, Marlene, took the dress out of storage again in 1955. And more than a decade later, Linda became the fifth sister to walk down the aisle wearing the same wedding dress in 1971.

"It cost me $12 to clean it - that was the price I paid for my wedding dress," Linda told the Davison Flagstaff.

In 1978, Merele's daughter Julie became the last woman to wear the wedding gown on her big day - after that, it was repurposed into a christening gown.

Brides who want to preserve their wedding dress for future generations should contact a specialized cleaning and preservation company as soon as possible after their wedding day, experts advise.