Mom shows daughter growing up with annual wedding dress pics

Like mother, like daughter?

A proud mama is documenting her little girl’s growth through the years in an unorthodox way — by taking photos of her wearing her mother’s wedding dress on her birthday every year.

Aneta Zeppettella, 51, claims she was inspired to begin the annual tradition after reading about the idea in a parenting magazine.

While she isn’t sentimental about the wedding dress itself, Aneta thought the photos would be a sweet way to record her daughter Carla’s life and capture memories of her childhood — from the ages 1 to 17.

“It definitely makes me feel sentimental. It sounds cliché — but really, years are short,” she told Caters News. “I think this is a great memory for her to keep.”

Aneta, who lives with her family in Ohio, has been together with her husband, David Zeppettella, 57, for 24 years.

The couple got married on May 5, 2000, after Aneta moved from Szczecin, Poland, to the US in 1999. Aneta was living in the country on a student visa when she fell in love with David.


Carla Zeppetella, age 1,
AT AGE 1: The mother was inspired to begin the annual tradition after reading about the idea in a parenting magazine. Her daughter, Carla, just turned 17.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

Carla Zeppetella, age 4,
AT AGE 4: Aneta thought the photos would be a sweet way to record her daughter Carla’s life and capture memories of her childhood.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

 Carla Zeppetella, age 5,
AGE AGE 5: “It definitely makes me feel sentimental. It sounds cliché, but really, years are short,” she told Caters News.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

She had to plan the wedding quickly to get everything in order before her visa expired and bought the wedding dress on clearance a couple of days before her wedding.

While the garment itself doesn’t mean much to her, the photos and memories it has created do.


Carla Zeppetella, age 6,
AGE AGE 6: The Polish immigrant had to plan the wedding quickly to get everything in order before her visa expired and bought the wedding dress on clearance a couple of days before her wedding.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

Carla Zeppetella, age 9,
AT AGE 9: Carla loved having her photo taken in her mother’s wedding dress every year and would remind Aneta every time her birthday came around.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

Carla Zeppetella, age 11,
AT AGE 11: The young girl cherished the annual tradition smiling brightly in nearly identical photos every year.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

Carla loved having her photo taken in her mother’s wedding dress every year and would remind Aneta every time her birthday came around.

After celebrating Carla’s 17th birthday, the family decided to complete the series but cherish the memories.

“Her dad, David, cannot believe how fast the time has gone when he looks back at the pictures,” Aneta shared.

The photo series, which Aneta posted on her Instagram, has received some hate from strangers who don’t understand the photos.

“I got a share of negative comments. Some people — without knowing my story or my daughter’s story — accused me of forcing her to wear this dress to her wedding, to stay thin, or to get married,” Aneta said.

“My daughter would not wear this to her wedding — the dress doesn’t really have any sentimental value to me.”


Carla Zeppetella, age 12,
AT AGE 12: “Her dad, David, cannot believe how fast the time has gone when he looks back at the pictures,” Aneta shared.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

Carla Zeppetella, age 13,
AT AGE 13: The photo series has received some hate online from strangers who don’t understand the photos but overall has been flooded with “sweet” and “positive” comments.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

Carla Zeppetella, age 16,
AT AGE 17: After celebrating Carla’s 17th birthday, the family decided to complete the series but cherish the memories.
@mamma2one / CATERS NEWS

However, overall the reactions have been very “sweet” and “positive.”

“I cannot believe that my daughter is almost an adult and that we are now done with the wedding dress picture series. She is an incredible person and my best friend. Time really goes so fast,” Aneta said.

The Post has contacted the Zeppettella family for comment.