Mandatory Good News: Non-Profit Thanks Healthcare Workers With Free Bridal Gowns

Love doesn’t stop just because there’s a pandemic going on. People still want to get married, COVID-19 outbreak notwithstanding. The problem for many brides-to-be, however, is finding the time to plan the festivities, especially if they’re healthcare workers. And one of the biggest time sucks is searching for the perfect wedding dress, which no betrothed woman wants to cut corners on. Thankfully the worst of times often brings out the best in some people, and they show up to lend a hand or, in this case, offer a handout.

For years, non-profit Brides Across America has gifted wedding dresses to women in the military and first responders, but now it’s expanding its reach by giving healthcare professionals free bridal gowns. It’s a huge help considering that weddings average $28K+ in the U.S., with much of that budget going toward the dress.

“We just wanted to do something to give back and at least say, ‘Hey, we’re thinking of you,’” Heidi Janson, the founder of Brides Across America, told TODAY Style. “They’re putting their lives on the line, just like the military or a first responder, so this was our way to give back to them. We just thought it lined up nicely with our mission.”

While the organization’s flagship location is in Andover, Massachusetts, because of the pandemic, its seven-person staff been shipping gowns from coast to coast, all over the U.S. It’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. While most brides right now won’t be able to have the big wedding blowout they wanted, at least the dress will be everything they dreamed of.

Cover Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc (Getty Images)

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