With as much attention as the wedding dress gets in today’s media, it is no wonder it has been dubbed the day’s most iconic element. But for Katie Oliver, the “War Eagle Wedding” bride, she will be placing wedding dress decisions into the hands of voters.

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Sound risky? Yes, except for one major factor: the dress will be custom-made by Sieu Tang Wood. And that, folks, is the game changer.

Wood, 69, is reaching celebrity status not far behind her client list. She has designed clothing for the former Alabama First Lady Patsy Riley, a lieutenant governor and a former Miss America.

To further her popularity, she was named the featured speaker at the Women’s Philanthropy Board 2012 Winter Workshop held Jan. 31at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.

“I feel honored and very humbled that I can be a part of the Auburn program,” Wood said. “I’m happy to help, but I have a responsibility. This dress will be a representation of Auburn, so I’ve got to do it right.”

Three designs have been created by Auburn students in the College of Human Sciences, and one will be chosen by voters. Wood’s position will be to oversee fabric choices, dress structure and to hand-make the dress.

“I feel like the wedding dress has to match the personality of the girl. Different personalities require different types of dresses,” Wood explained. “When clothes fit the right person, that makes [a dress] beautiful.”

Her talent expands from not only being a gifted designer, but also a successful business woman as she has expanded her company, Tang Alterations, to six locations throughout the Southeast. Both of these accomplishments, along with a powerful testimony, contribute to her rising demand in Auburn.

After leaving Vietnam, her country of birth, Wood, then 30, found herself in a new country, speaking a new language and starting a new company. But this single parent of three with little money had a determination for success that outweighed her obstacles.

Now looking back on 39 years of hard work Wood says, “I feel that my dream has come true. My family and I have come to this country, we all became citizens and we’ve been able to make a good living. Now it’s my job to help someone else’s dream come true.”

And so her passion has become charity work, a path motivated by the passing of her son to lung cancer. Meals on Wheels, the American Cancer Society and Kid One Transport are organizations she has been involved in.

“When you do charity work you can’t wait. You can’t say, ‘I’ll do it later,’ because we don’t know how long we are going to live,” Wood said. “We learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow.”

And she continues to make an impact with everyone she comes in contact with. For client John Toney who recently faced unemployment, she told him, “If nobody hires you, then hire yourself.” Her words led to the startup of his business.

“She has a wonderful story, and she continues to be an inspiration to me,” Toney said.

Wood is no stranger to the Loveliest Village. Her husband of 21 years, Bill Wood, daughter and stepson all graduated from Auburn University or its affiliate.

“We are the War Eagle family,” Wood said. “Anything Auburn does, if I can be a part of that, I feel honored. I should be retiring, but it looks like I’m just starting.”

One thing is certain: Katie Oliver can rest easy in good hands.