A woman has launched a search for her long-lost wedding dress, 17 years after she wore it on her big day.

Ohio woman Susan Stephenson was spring cleaning her home when she noticed her wedding dress box was unsealed.  

When she opened it, she felt “shock, disbelief, and then sadness” as she discovered the dress in the box  wasn’t hers.

As she  told  Fox14, she has started looking for her original gown, as she hopes to find her dress and  return the dress in her  position to its original owner.

“I’ve had someone else’s dress for 17 years,” she adds.

She contacted the local business responsible for boxing up her dress,  but too much time had passed since her wedding.

Susan was married in 2004 and the business didn’t keep records before 2016.  

When she was unable to get any help  from the business, Susan took to Facebook to see if the social media world can help her.  

Susan included photos of the dress in her possession, and explained the  complicated situation in the caption.  

In the caption, she describes the dress she’s looking for and  said she would “love to have the sentimental dress back”, and said, “St Anthony saint of lost things and St Jude saint of lost causes help a gal out please.”

So far Susan hasn’t had any responses to her post, but is hopeful it is just a matter of time until she finds the other bride.

“Her dress is strapless, very form-fitting, all the way to the ankles, a small train. It’s entirely made up of lace and beading,” Susan describes on Fox14.

In her post, Susan assured the owner of the dress that it is in perfect  condition, and she hopes to return it to where it belongs.

“We’ve taken really good care of it. And with regard to my dress, I just hope someone treated it with the same respect.”

Image credit: Facebook / Shutterstock