3rd Graders Design Wedding Dress for Taylor Swift in “Cinderella”-Inspired STEM Project — Complete with the Cutest Accessory
- - 3rd Graders Design Wedding Dress for Taylor Swift in “Cinderella”-Inspired STEM Project — Complete with the Cutest Accessory
Erin ClackDecember 16, 2025 at 6:11 AM
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St. Mary’s Episcopal School
St. Mary's Episcopal School students with their wedding dress creation; Taylor Swift -
A group of third-grade students at a Tennessee all-girls school worked together to create a wedding dress for Taylor Swift as part of a STEM project
They also designed a series of whimsical accessories to match, including a veil and a custom carrier for the pop superstar's cats
"Once we began, the energy was electric," the girls' teacher said of the project
A group of third-graders in Tennessee played fairy godmother to bride-to-be Taylor Swift.
In a Cinderella-inspired project, students at St. Mary's Episcopal, an all-girls school in Memphis, created a custom wedding dress for the pop superstar, who is engaged to NFL star Travis Kelce. And the kids finished their design just in time for Swift's 36th birthday on Dec. 13, per a news release from the school.
The unique project first took root back in August, when Swift and Kelce announced their engagement. Third-grade teacher Kristen Hehn had the honor of sharing the big news with St. Mary's Lower School pupils. The "cafeteria erupted with excited screams and cheers" as the girls learned their music idol was getting married.
St. Mary’s Episcopal School
Taylor Swift wedding dress, created by St. Mary's Episcopal School students
“At an all-girls school, moments like this allow us to step into the girls' lives, tapping into what interests them,” Hehn noted.
The Lower School's STEM teacher, Carrie Ruhland, saw the students' excitement and had the idea to craft a curriculum around the internet-breaking pop-culture moment.
St. Mary's has two special learning environments, called Makerspaces, designed to cultivate STEM skills and inspire students to "think like scientists and makers."
St. Mary’s Episcopal School
St. Mary's Episcopal School students work on their dress
Ruhland recently added a sewing unit to her Makerspace class, "Merry Makers." Drawing inspiration from a scene from the classic Cinderella tale — in which birds and mice make a dress for the titular character — the teacher imagined Swift's cats inviting the girls to create a dream wedding gown for the Grammy winner.
Not surprisingly, the students were "enchanted" by the project and jumped right in, the school said.
St. Mary’s Episcopal School
St. Mary's Episcopal School students craft a bridal accessory
“I have never seen anything like it in my entire life,” Ruhland recalled. “Once we began, the energy in the Makerspace was electric.”
The third-graders began by brainstorming details for the dress, looking to various designers and styles for ideas.
St. Mary’s Episcopal School
St. Mary's Episcopal School students work on Taylor Swift's veil
“We discussed what colors in other cultures are considered beautiful and ceremonial,” Ruhland explained. “The girls voted on whether they wanted the dress to be white.”
Then, as the weeks went on, each of St. Mary's three third-grade classes tackled a different part of the project. One created the dress' sweetheart-neckline bodice, using fabric and resin and modeled after a Victoria Beckham design.
St. Mary’s Episcopal School Taylor Swift bridal accessories created by St. Mary's Episcopal School students
St. Mary’s Episcopal School Taylor Swift cat-inspired wedding ring designed by St. Mary's Episcopal School students
The second class made a tulle skirt inspired by a Vera Wang wedding dress that was a favorite of the girls' during the brainstorming session.
To complete Swift's custom bridal look, the third class designed a series of whimsical accessories, including a veil with laser-cut cat details made from wallpaper, a laser-cut wedding ring, golden tinsel cat ears, and heels with embossed cat motifs.
St. Mary’s Episcopal School
Carrier for Taylor Swift's cats
Last but not least, the girls added one adorable final detail: a hand-sewn white BabyBjörn carrier so Swift's cats can join her for her walk down the aisle.
Ruhland said she was impressed by the girls' collaborative spirit and openness to embrace each other's ideas during the project.
"No one was worried about a different group picking up where they left off,” she said. “They embraced the opportunity to make a really great dress together, supporting and respecting one another’s ideas.”
While St. Mary's gave the girls a fun and memorable way to take part in Swift's wedding festivities, the school also provided valuable, hands-on learning that St. Mary's said will give them the confidence to pursue science-related interests.
St. Mary’s Episcopal School
St. Mary's Episcopal School third-graders with their wedding dress
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“Approaching learning this way allows us to meet the girls where they are and teach them that STEM doesn’t have to be big and scary,” Hehn noted. “When they learn engineering can be used for anything, even clothing, they realize STEM is something they can pursue all the time.”
Added Ruhland: "I hope they remember this for years to come and carry the skills they learned into new challenges with confidence.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
