Shop Gives Away Wedding Dresses To Newly Jobless

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Published October 14, 2009 5:25 PM

Whether it's contemporary or modern or Victorian, if a wedding dress is free, then the likely response is, "I'll take it!"
- especially if the bride and groom are a bit down on their luck.

At The Bride's Choice in Plantation, Fla., owner Patricia South has been sponsoring wedding gown giveaways for brides who
have recently lost their jobs.

Last week, South gave away more than 100 gowns, and she was handing out more Wednesday.

"People
are really struggling," South tells NPR's Michele Norris. "Girls are
out of work, and they're having a hard time affording their wedding.
Here I was with an inventory of beautiful designer wedding gowns, and
our space was becoming limited. And I thought to myself, 'What a shame.
What can we do with these dresses that would benefit someone?' And the
thought came to me if we could find girls in need and just give them
away."

On Wednesday afternoon, South said women were
lined up outside her shop. She gave them each a sheet to fill out to
"validate that they really are unemployed, and they really are engaged
to be married." South and her employees called them in six at a time,
and the brides had 15 minutes to pick out a dress.

"All of the girls here are so excited talking to these new brides," South says. "Last week, I think we cried all week long
just listening to the girls that came in and how appreciative they were."