“Military spouses are just as brave as their significant others,” said Shirley Fraser. “Most girls dream of that big wedding sometime in their life, and we wanted to be a part of that experience for them.”
Fraser owns Bravura Bridal and Prom, and has three stores around Atlanta. On Nov. 15- 16, at the Avenues Forsyth location, Fraser and her staff welcomed military brides and brides-to-be with open arms in hopes to help them find a wedding dress for their special day.
Over 20 brides came to Bravura for makeovers and possibility for finding the dress, which were given for free.
Samantha Winnemore found her dress in the first try. “I learned about what Bravura was doing and how I would get a free wedding dress because of it, my first reaction was to cry. The fact that someone would go to such great lengths to give out hundreds of free wedding gowns all over the United States is unheard of,” she said.
The initiative is in partnership with Brides Across America, which started in 2007 in New Hampshire. The program has grown nationwide and to date has given over 5,000 wedding dresses to military brides.
In 2011, Samantha Winnemore, 20, had a courthouse wedding with her then-fiancé Justin, who is in the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia. “With his deployments, trainings, and life just always happening, we were never able to sit down and actually plan a wedding,” said Winnemore.
Although no date has been set for Winnemore’s wedding day, finding her dress lets her feel one step closer to sharing that special day with family and friends.
“We are in the fashion business and that is what we know. By taking our skills and helping these women find their wedding dresses and making them feel like princesses, even if for one day, we used what we know to make a difference in their lives,” shared Fraser. “If we all take what we know and find a small way to give back, we can really start to change the community.”
Brides Across American accepts donations of wedding gowns and bridal accessories.
To learn more about Brides Across America, visit www.bridesacrossamerica.com
In other news: 352 Media Group, based in Norcross, raised more than $24,000 for men's health during Movember, a men's movement that last during the month of November. Movember is a national initiative that encourages men to grow mustaches and beards to raise awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancer initiatives.
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