See the 2017 top 10 toilet paper wedding dress designers' amazing creations
/ 25 PHOTOS
Ashley Ulcini
Ashley Ulcini is a 32-year-old BMW Genius from Manchester, Missouri. She entered into the contest last year but only made it to the semi-finals, so this will be her first time traveling to New York for the finale.
—
Share
Ashley Ulcini
Ulcini created a floral lace high-low gown, completed with a belt with a bow. "I'm a big lover of lace, detailed gowns and cutting things out," Ulcini said, "which gave me the idea to cut out my entire dress and not have a base layer."
—
Share
Augusto Manzanares
Augusto Manzanares is a 33-year-old New York City fashion designer who's been among the top 10 toilet paper wedding dress designers twice. Manzanares said he found his passion for fashion when he moved from Peru to New York City.
—
Share
Augusto Manzanares
Manzanares's long-sleeved design is embellished with flowers and coils, creating a dramatic train and an intricate bodice. "I wanted to create and challenge myself in making the illusion of a lace fabric and making it more flexible to be more comfortable for a person to wear," Manzanares said. "The soft Quilted Northern toilet paper was a wonderful material to make my dress."
—
Share
Carol Touchstone
Carol Touchstone is a 65-year-old semi-retired designer and stylist based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has been in the top 10 three out of the five times she's entered this contest. She's no stranger to coming close to victory but has yet to walk away with the grand prize; she came in third in both 2013 and 2015.
— George Maznicki
Share
Carol Touchstone
Touchstone added tassels galore to her cold shoulder gown, managing to create what appears to be beadwork in swirls along the skirt.
— George Maznicki
Share
Carol Touchstone
To complete this look, Touchstone created a hat to match the dress, adorned with tassels tinged pink.
— George Maznicki
Share
Kari Curletto
Kari Curletto is a 36-year-old actress, model and mom who lives in Las Vegas, and this is her first time in this competition. "I've always sketched designs and dreamed of designing, but until I came across the Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest, I never went for it," she said.
—
Share
Kari Curletto
For her first design, she created an intricate sheath dress with a dramatic train overlaying, completely covered in nearly 1600 handmade butterflies, using a grand total of 21 rolls of Quilted Northern Ultra Soft and Strong.
—
Share
Kari Curletto
Curletto's best friend, Celeste Childs, will be modeling her design for the grand finale in New York City. Curletto has only been to NYC once before, when her husband proposed to her on top of the Empire State Building.
—
Share
Lindsay Hinz
Lindsay Hinz is a 27-year-old costume technician from Astoria, New York. She is a first-time entrant this year and went through 49 rolls of Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong by the time her design was complete.
—
Share
Lindsay Hinz
The devil is in the details - or accessories - for Hinz. She created a fascinator to go with her cap-sleeved ball gown creation. And of course, what toilet paper wedding dress is complete without a toilet paper bouquet?
—
Share
Mimoza Haska
Mimoza Haska is a 40-year-old hairdresser and mom from Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Haska took home the gold in 2013 and was runner-up in the 2015 contest. This is her fifth time entering. She ended up using 12 rolls of Quilted Northern Ultra Plush to complete her design.
—
Share
Mimoza Haska
Haska created a sun hat to go with her fishnet patterned gown, the perfect accessory for any summer wedding. Haska said that her creation is in memory of her mother, who died last year.
—
Share
Roy Cruz
Roy Cruz, age 50, is a Chesapeake, Virginia native and florist by trade. He's quite popular in this competition circuit; Cruz has been in the top 10 a total of three times and was voted "Fan Favorite" two years in a row.
—
Share
Roy Cruz
Cruz's off-the-shoulder ballgown design drapes down into a long train, adorned with intricate paper snowflake patterns.
—
Share
Susan Brennan
Susan Brennan is the most decorated competitor in the top 10 this year. A Detroit Pistons cheerleader, yoga instructor and clothing designer, Brennan has graced the top 10 seven times, taking home the grand prize in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
—
Share
Susan Brennan
Brennan managed to create texture on a skirt solely made of toilet paper, adding a simple yet refined skirt to a strapless floral bodice: "I took a weaving class in college and happened to find a loom on Craigslist. With a lot of Googling I got it working and wove the bottom portion of the dress as well as the belt."
—
Share
Susan Masarek Wilson
Susan Masarek Wilson, a 58-year-old nurse from Collingswood, New Jersey, has made it into the top 10 designers in the competition a whopping five times. She's loved designing gowns since she was a child.
—
Share
Susan Masarek Wilson
Wilson accented a simple silhouette with a high neckline and low back, drawing it together with a dramatic floor-length cape: "My inspiration was the sleek, mod styles of the 1960s."
—
Share
Van Tran
Van Tran, age 26, is the reigning champion of the toilet paper wedding dress competition, having taken the grand prize in 2016. Tran is both a fashion designer and competitive eater. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
—
Share
Van Tran
Tran created intricate floral lace to make up the skirt and long train draped over the simple pant silhouette.
—
Share
Van Tran
"My design this year was inspired by Wonder Woman," Tran said. "We live in a time where women can do anything a man can and be praised for it."
—
Share
Van Tran
With plenty of hot glue and painstaking rolling, Tran was able to create the lace that tiny flowers seem to float on.
—
Share
Van Tran
"The trick is using good tape for your dress base. Once you finish making your base, the details are endless. You can have unique cutouts, feathers, butterflies, strings, lots of different flower shapes," Tran said.