NYC woman runs Brooklyn Half Marathon in a wedding dress every year for one optimistic reason

On May 17, as thousands of runners made their way through the Brooklyn Half Marathon, one participant stood out, not for her pace, but for her outfit. Tess Tregellas, 28, showed up in a full wedding gown, complete with a sign pinned to her back that read "Just hopeful." Unlike a runaway bride, Tregellas wasn’t fleeing the altar but was headed straight toward the finish line, joking that it might be where she finally meets her future husband. "I'm unmarried but I am hopeful that my husband might be at the finish line," she said in a video shared on her Instagram page @tesstreg, where she documented the whole journey.

After completing the race in 2 hours, 33 minutes and 44 seconds, she admitted with a laugh, "No proposals from any man. Honestly, I think I scare men away." Despite the absence of romantic leads, Tregellas, who is a comedian based in Brooklyn, said the stunt was a hit with women and fellow runners. "Women love it and that’s really what it’s for — to encourage women that you can be a bride any day of your life!" she told the New York Post. This year wasn’t the first time she had pulled this move. Tregellas had previously run the Brooklyn Half in the same gown. She explained that the running bit started two years ago on Manhattan’s West Side Highway.

"I’m a comedian and I started doing this wedding dress bit about two years ago when I ran down West Side Highway in a wedding dress chasing the shirtless hot men running," she said. "No dates, but I got a lot of laughs — and as a comedian that’s the goal." Tregellas said the dress and the humor that comes with it spark conversations on race day. "A lot of people asked to take my picture, which I loved because I felt like a celebrity. It also opens up a lot of conversation and you get to know the people who are running alongside you," she said. While her approach is unusual, it’s not entirely out of step. A 2006 study on speed dating found that women tend to be more selective than men and often try creative ways to stand out.

Although she did it for fun, Tregellas has a boyfriend in real life, who was actually waiting for her at the finish line holding a board that read, "Looking for the bride." Still, the idea behind the joke runs deeper than just laughs. Tregellas is preparing to take her dating experiences to the stage next month in a solo show titled "EPIC." She explained, "Dating can be so tough in New York, especially as a comedian. I was trying to be whatever I thought my dates wanted me to be. A lot of people were just looking for 'something casual' but what I really wanted was something EPIC." She added, "What is more epic than running a half marathon in a wedding dress?"

And though her finish line didn’t come with a diamond ring, the internet certainly showed its admiration. @jillianteta wrote, "Beyond impressed on so many levels." @michelleeschwartz added, "And hair down I couldn’t be more impressed." @allegrahutton said, "This took commitment. The kind of commitment anyone should hope to find in a woman for marriage #wifeymaterial." @itss_claraa joked, "'Maybe I can find my husband at the finish line.' Halfway there — 'oh but I do have a boyfriend.'"

You can follow Tess Tregellas (@tesstreg) on Instagram for more comedy content.