Wedding Dream All Sewn Up

Tuesday, The Early Show's Week of Wishes has a wedding theme – specifically, the wedding dresses that symbolize a lifetime of love and support.

It all began 14 years ago when Jeff Hanson proposed to Deborah Wirsta. He swallowed his pride, got down on his knees and sang.

He sang, "I will love you, and stay with you, and through it all." Jeff adds, "That's the lyrics. That's along that line. And we had that sung at our wedding, as well."

Since their wedding, Deborah says, Jeff's interest in matrimonial symbolism has taken on a life of its own.

She says, "He loves weddings so much, that he will drive out of his way, just to see one. Or he'll wait, if he sees a wedding at a church, he'll wait until they come out. We've sat for hours, waiting for them to come out."

Jeff just laughs.

"Well, not as much. Now you're embarrassing me," he says, laughing some more.

Of course, it's not just the symbols; it's what they stand for.

Jeff says they mean to him "a spiritual time. It's the connection of two people before God."

That connection, Jeff says is what marriage is about. "I would say it would be companionship, and working – teamwork, because it takes two people," he says.

So, Jeff, who was more of a woodworker, surprised Deborah by making a doll-sized replica of her wedding dress.

She says, "It was so beautiful. And so, I think that was the catalyst, because I said, 'You know, you should do this.'"

And he did. He made another. And then another. Then Jeff 's sister-in-law came to visit.

"And she was planned to get married at that time," he says. "And I said, 'Well, you know, I think I could sew your wedding dress,'" he says.

That's how it all started. Deborah spread the word and Jeff began making dresses for friends and family.

He says, "When the bride puts it on, and it fits them like a glove, you see that your finished product is quite rewarding. Especially when they're very pleased with it."

But as satisfied as the brides have been, Jeff was getting frustrated.

He says, "I'm limited. I know how to get from A to B, but I'd like to learn C and D. And I know there must be ways in which I can cut corners, and still have a nice product."

The Hansons and their sons Benjamin and Nathanial live in a fairly rural area, and Jeff couldn't find any good classes nearby.

So he was ready to thrown in the couture towel. Which is why Deborah wrote this in a letter to The Early Show:

"We are a normal married couple with all the ups and downs, but from our first year, I realized I married a man who sees the cup half empty. He has a hard time with wishes and dreaming. That is why I would like, if you could, for just one moment in his life make his wish come true.

One day, he sewed a replica of my wedding dress and put it on a porcelain doll. Since then, he has done others. He has evolved into making wedding dresses. The wedding dresses he has made were simple lines, and for friends' children who otherwise might not have afforded beautiful gowns. And they were wonderful.

He would never go beyond this though because he needs more input and info. So my wish is that he could come to New York and spend time with a designer, and learn from them some steps and techniques."

The Early Show got Jeff – and Deborah - to New York, with a stay courtesy of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Julie Chen met him and told him the show was bringing him for an interview. But with Deborah's help, there was a surprise waiting for him.

Instead, he spent time in the Amsale Aberra studio where some of the best-selling, high-end gowns in the country are produced. Known for her simple but elegant lines, Amsale agreed to give Jeff a chance to learn a thing or two.

And with a kiss Jeff said thank you to his wife.

Jeff says he was so blown away by this experience that he could hardly speak for a few days. But now that he can talk, he says he was tremendously inspired by Amsale and has all sorts of plans to improve upon his dresses.

And, he says, he owes it all to his wife.