Weddings are expensive... so are wedding dresses. So if you're going to spend money why not support a great cause while saving money.
Brides for a Cause is a great local chain of stores that takes donated special occasion dresses/accessories and sell them at a discount. However, they're an actual nonprofit organization that donated to charities that benefit women. The dresses themselves range from used from weddings or samples from designers. If you're a fan of BHLDN, they get A LOT of donations of sample and sometimes brand new dresses from them. It's a really great way to get a discounted BHLDN dress, as they're usually even cheaper than when BHLDN puts them on sale.
Since their inventory is based on donations, sizing and availability will vary greatly. The dresses may also have mixed condition - some may be brand new or others may have minor things that need to be fixed. I recommend inspecting your dress, but the sales team is really good about letting you know beforehand. All their dresses undergo dry cleaning after being donated, so at least they've been cleaned!
I've been to the Seattle location before, but I think the Tacoma location has more selection in terms of wedding dresses. The stores will also carry accessories like sashes and veils. They also carry bridesmaid dresses from different designers in addition to wedding dresses, though stock and colors may vary.
Due to COVID they are by appointment only and you can only bring one person with you. It's a bit of a bummer since you don't get the "full" dress shopping experience with your friends or family, but I'm glad they're taking the pandemic seriously. All employees are masked and they're pretty good about managing traffic in the store. The sales staff is also very friendly and helpful - I knew nothing about wedding dress sizing and styles, but they were really nice about answering my questions and helping me put something on if I had difficulty.
They don't do alterations, but they have recommended tailors in different areas of the PNW. If there's a dress you are interested in but want to think about it more, they can do holds for up to 3 days. You can always schedule a shorter 30 min appointment to re-try it, or just walk in to purchase (no appointment necessary). All purchases are final make sure you're confident!
All in all I had a great experience shopping here and said "yes" to my dress. Plus I only got it for $200 - it was a sample dress from Jenny Yoo / BHLDN that was originally $1k, and it was discounted an additional 50% off. If you keep an eye on their social media sites, they'll often post about any sales going on. So even though their dresses are already discounted, you can save even more during their sales.
I also would recommend following them on social media as they sometimes do virtual sales. They don't have an online store since their stock varies greatly on donations, but sometimes they do flash sales on Instagram or Facebook live sales where you can contact the to purchase an item and have it shipped. I've actually bought a few special occasion dresses from them at a great discount.
Can't wait to wear my wedding dress for my big day (can't post photos until afterwards). Hopefully when it's safe to have gatherings of course. Totally recommend checking this place out when shopping for any special occasion dress. read more