DALLAS — Vera Wang, Priscilla of Boston and Rivini are just a few examples of high-end designer wedding gowns that have been left behind at one Dallas cleaners.

So many wedding gowns have been forgotten at Dee & Hattie Specialty Cleaners that storage has become a problem.

"Most of the time they're $5,000 or more," said Carol Upchurch, an employee at the cleaners, of the types of gowns left behind.

Some dresses have been stored for five or more years as they wait for their rightful owners to come along. Despite persistent phone calls as reminders, the gowns still sit.

"Sometimes, I wonder if they are still married," Upchurch said. "Maybe they don't want the dress."

Lisa Rudner, a customer at the cleaners, said the left gowns boggle her mind.

"Even if you hate your husband or you're getting divorced, it's worth a lot of money," she said.

Rudner bought a Priscilla of Boston gown from the cleaners because she couldn't pass it up.

"It just hangs in the closet for a niece or my daughter someday," she said.

After years go by, selling becomes the only choice for Dee & Hattie. But they said selling the gowns is more of a chore since they don't make money. In fact, they only charge the cleaning cost.

"One hundred dollars, I just can't believe it's $100," Rudner said of her purchase.

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Lisa Miller sees her bargain gown as an investment.

Lisa Miller also got a bargain deal at the Dee & Hattie.

"Something old, something new, something borrowed [and] something blue, it's certainly old, but it's new to me," she said.

Miller will either wear the dress when she gets married one day, or she said she will dye it for a ballroom dress.

"I'm in finance, so it's a good return on investment regardless with what I do with it," she said.

And regardless, she loves that there's a story to tell.

"It is sort of fun to think who was the princess for that day?" she said.

Behind each classic gown there was a glowing bride, who for whatever reason, forgot about her dream dress.

By law, the cleaners don't have to wait years to sell the dresses.

But Dee & Hattie want the owners to get their dress back, and that's why they wait for at least one year before even considering selling.

E-mail sslater@wfaa.com