Oxford resident Lacey DeFauw is changing the game and proving that no place is off-limits for a (former) bride dressed in white.

In celebration of her first-year wedding anniversary to Scott DeFauw, a 1999 Oxford graduate and lifelong Oxford resident, she dusted off her wedding gown to wear around downtown Oxford Monday, Dec. 5.

For DeFauw, the idea was first inspired by her grandmother, who lives in upstate New York.

“She didn’t have a traditional dress but she wore it every year. It was navy blue and buttoned up in the front, so even if she was pregnant, she would just leave those buttons opened and put an apron over it. I always thought that was so sweet and I wanted to do it too,” DeFauw said.

Like her grandmother, DeFauw said she plans to break out her wedding dress every year on the anniversary of their wedding, as part of an annual tradition.

“I will wear this every year until I die…. It’s just going to sit in a box for the rest of its life, otherwise, and this dress is important. It was part of a really special day and I want it to be enjoyed more than just one time,” DeFauw said.

DeFauw purchased the Vera Wang dress from David’s Bridal last year in Novi. With fluffy layers of tulle and delicate pearl sequins in the skirt, DeFauw proudly calls the gown her “cupcake dress.”

“It’s very fun. It’s almost traditional but then it’s got a little bit of an edge to it,” she added.

In the name of comfort, she wore a hoodie over the dress to keep warm from the cold December air as she went through her daily activities and to a meeting at Valor Salon in downtown Oxford, where she works as a stylist and manager.

Though DeFauw said she was given a few funny looks, she said she felt beautiful as ever in her wedding dress and hoped it would also bring a little light to those around her.

“I ran into a friend of mine earlier this morning and she said ‘I am so happy I ran into you. I was having a terrible day and you made me laugh.’ I figured it was going to make a couple people smile, and I feel fantastic! I look great in it,” said DeFauw.

Lacey and Scott have been together for four years, since meeting through mutual friends in Oxford. The pair married on December 5, 2015 at Paint Creek Country Club in Lake Orion. They now reside in Oxford with Scott’s children, Emma, 11, and Lia, 7.

“It was an awesome first year of marriage. I don’t know if we got lucky or what, but you always get the good-natured advice like ‘Oh, the first year is the worst,’ and ‘I remember throwing a hair dryer at my husband,’ and we didn’t have any of that. We make a really good team, so any disagreements that we had, we work them out together, so it’s been awesome,” said DeFauw.

According to DeFauw, she and her husband planned to continue the celebration of their anniversary Monday evening with dinner and a very special dessert.

“We have a little cake topper (from our wedding cake) that Scott is promising me will be disgusting, but I’m optimistic that it’s going to be delicious. It’s been in our freezer for a year,” DeFauw added with a laugh.