Free Wedding Dresses for Deserving Servicewomen
There are currently more than 200,000 women serving on active duty in the United States military. This accounts for nearly 15 percent of the troops. The branch that boasts the most women is the Army, with around 74,000. The branch with the smallest number of female recruits is the Marines, with 14,000.
One thing many of these women have in common is that they plan to marry after finishing their tour of duty. For some women overseas, the thought of coming home and starting a family with a loving fiance is one of the few things that sustains them when times get tough. The organization Brides Across America provides a valuable service for these brides to be in the form of free wedding dresses for all female veterans of the armed services.
What Is Brides Across America?
Brides Across America is an organization dedicated to matching the perfect gown to a deserving military bride. Many of the dresses the organization offers are designer pieces that might cost several thousand dollars if they were purchased new. This is out of the price range of many veterans, so Brides Across America allows them the experience of donning a luxurious designer wedding dress.
The organization puts on events twice a year in dress shops across the country, often favoring smaller towns or areas that are a little off the beaten path. Women attending the even do not have to be from the area in which it is being held, so Brides Across America often attracts women from across the country.
Where Do the Dresses Come From?
The wedding dresses the organization offers are donated by boutiques or purchased with funds from financial donors, so there is no cost to the women who want to take part in a Brides Across America event. Some of the financial sponsors boasted by the organization include Microsoft, Samuel Adams Breweries, and Allure Bridals which keeps Brides Across America supplied with a selection of gowns.
Who Is Eligible for a Dress?
Military veterans who served on active duty overseas in the last five years, and who are planning a wedding the next eighteen months can qualify for a gown. Navy veterans who were deployed in international waters also qualify. Brides to be are required to register in advance for the event that they want to attend. On the day of the event, they must present discharge papers or other proof of deployment.
Who Runs the Organization?
Brides Across America is the brainchild of Heidi Janson. Janson is the owner of Tulle Bridals, a massive wedding dress and formal gown shop in Massachusetts. She was inspired to start Brides Across America in 2008 as a way of giving back to military veterans. She furnished the 50 gowns that were given away at the first Brides Across America event from her own store's stock.
Hundreds of veterans have already received wedding dresses at Brides Across America events around the country. The huge selection of gowns in all sizes an styles ensures that women are all bu guaranteed to find the perfect dress. According to one coordinator for an event, only one woman ever walked away from a Brides Across America event without the perfect dress for her big day.
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