Brides can say yes to a dress deal during Gowns for Good charity pop-up sale in Elgin
Brides-to-be can find bargains on more than 1,200 dresses while helping local women-focused charities during the Gowns for Good pop-up sale at The Haight in Elgin next week.
Kari Goodmay, who along with her family owns the downtown wedding venue, started the charity with the goal of helping brides keep their wedding budget in check.
According to The Knot, the average wedding dress will cost a bride about $2,000.
Dresses easily can cost two to three times that much and Goodmay said new gown orders could see big price increases depending on tariffs.
“For brides, we’ve got something that will reflect everyone’s personality while keeping their budget from going out of control,” Goodmay said. “Also, within the wedding industry there’s quite a bit of waste, and this is an opportunity to minimize that.”
The sale, which takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday by reservation, will offer bridal gowns priced from $99 up to $1,500. Bridesmaid dresses are $50 and available in sets for a bridal party.
Women in the military or who are marrying someone in the military get their dresses for free, Goodmay said.
Almost all of the more than 1,200 bridal gowns, bridesmaids dresses and mother/grandmother-of-the-bride dresses are new. Goodmay said, in some cases, they were donated from stores going out of business.
Other shops, such as Bridal Boys in East Dundee, donated samples of dresses no longer in production.
Goodmay said as the charity gains traction and visibility, she hopes to start taking donations of used dresses from brides.
“We’re hoping this is the first of many and we can start doing this a few times a year,” she said.
Proceeds from the sale will benefit three local women-focused charities — the YWCA Elgin, PADS of Elgin women’s services programs and Go With the Flow.
Reservations can be made at Eventbrite, with a few spots still open Thursday and more available on Friday and Saturday, Goodmay said.
Goodmay said they enjoy seeing the “happy tears” on wedding days at their venue, and now they’ll get to see the joy of a bride saying yes to her dream dress.
“Every wedding we’re celebrating family milestones and family moments,” she said. “It will be fun to be part of these moments now too.”