The Issue: Military Brides Forgoing Their Dream Weddings
For most couples, weddings mean months of preparation, planning, and excitement. However, military couples must often schedule their matrimonies around deployments, and they may find their budgets constrained by tight salaries. Many couples settle for civil ceremonies and put off their official celebrations until after their spouses come home.
The Campaign: Providing Designer Wedding Gowns for Military Brides
If 70 people donate $10 to this Grassroots campaign, then Brides Across America can purchase four wedding gowns in underrepresented dress sizes for military brides. Each additional $10 raised, matched by Impression Bridal, will help provide additional gowns, tiaras, and veils.
Brides-to-be will peruse the aisles of free gowns and accessories at one of the organization's nationwide giveaway events, each stocked with brand-new designer ensembles from the likes of Vera Wang and Allure. Because these gowns are often floor samples in sizes 8–10, smaller and larger sizes can be hard to come by. This campaign will help ensure that brides who have been deployed or had their partner deployed overseas will be able to celebrate their union in the lacy, beaded, or flowery gown of their dreams.
Donations matched up to $2,000 by Impression Bridal.
Brides Across America, Inc.
Moved by an article about deployed troops that felt forgotten by their country, Heidi Janson decided to show her support by doing what she does best: matching brides to their perfect wedding gown. Heidi staged a gown giveaway for 50 military brides in 2008 at her bridal boutique—a modest start for Brides Across America, Inc., which has since paired more than 12,000 brides with designer dresses. The organization garnered the attention of ABC's Nightly News in 2011 and 2012 and People magazine in 2013, though its highest honor came during a 2012 White House event hosted by Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.
