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Earlier this month, Martha Mae Ophelia Moon Tucker’s dream of seeing herself in a wedding dress finally came true.
Since July 3, Erica Tucker’s Facebook post featuring photos and videos of Martha Mae at their local David’s Bridal have now gone viral. With over 24,000 shares currently, it explained, “My 94-year young granny never had a traditional wedding so she told my cousin that she wanted to try on wedding dresses….. well my cousin made it happen! It was absolutely beautiful! She was a beautiful ‘bride’! Y’all better create moments and memories with your people. I’m so glad that I was there to witness this! 
“
According to AL, Martha Mae expressed her desire to wear a wedding dress one day as she watched “Coming to America” — “her favorite movie” — with her granddaughters. Apparently, she’d never shared the “life-long dream” with anyone before.
It was only two days later that her family had the chance to make that wish a reality.
Angela Strozier, one of her granddaughters, said Black women weren’t allowed into bridal shops when Martha Mae had wed her love Lehman Tucker Sr. back in 1952, because of Jim Crow laws and attitudes. Strozier told the outlet that the family Martha Mae had been working for all those decades ago had been the ones to provide the now 94-year-old with a navy blue “mermaid dress” in the style of what was known back then as a “Carmen Jones dress” so that she and Lehman could tie the knot.
Unfortunately, Lehman passed away in 1975. While the 94-year-old hasn’t had the desire to remarry, she’d never let go of her dream to wear a traditional, white wedding dress.
Related: “The Bride Wore Red: 11 Women Who Didn’t Wear White To Say ‘I Do'”
“I’m getting married!” she’d said excitedly and jokingly as she stood wearing one of the two wedding dresses she tried on at the bridal shop in one of the clips that were shared.
AL shared that Martha Mae emphasized the way she felt by telling them:
“I felt like I was getting married,” before adding, “I didn’t want to take it off, but I knew I had to. I looked good in it though.”
“I wondered what I would look like walking down the aisle,” she added. “I was like ‘Coming to America.’ It was exciting to me.”
One of the ensembles she radiantly rocked included a stunning crown and veil along with a wedding dress that had lacey floral detailing, a v-cut neckline, and slightly sheer long-sleeves. The bottom of the bell-shaped dress included a train fit for a fairytale wedding.
The other dress, which was similar, was paired with a white beaded face mask. In one photo where she has it on, she’s seen seemingly laughing as the loved ones around her asses the garter belt fitted just above one of her knees.
The 94-year old is a resident of Birmingham, Alabama, and in the 1960s, she’d worked alongside leaders of the Civil Rights Movement to promote voting rights. After 57 years of service as a poll worker, she retired in November 2020.
AL reported that Tucker was celebrated by The Birmingham City Council and Mayor Randall Woodfin for all her work.
To see the videos and clips of Martha Mae’s special moment, view the now-viral Facebook post here.
