Bridal Bonanza: Deep discounts for early risers
Above: Brides-to-be from across the bay area check over the wedding dresses available at the Goodwill store in Brandon this morning. At right, below: Rachel Whidden, 22, beams as she looks over at her mother after placing the veil on her head while trying on dresses. [KEN HELLE | Times]
BRANDON — About 100 people lined up before sunrise this morning for the Goodwill store’s Bridal Bonanza.
The booty? Two hundred handmade wedding dresses originally priced up to $2,000. This morning, though, most were selling for half price or less. The cheapest was on sale for $60.
Doors opened at 6 a.m., and the brides were ushered through an archway of purple and white balloons while the soundtrack from Father of the Bride played in the background.
Lidia Sanders, 28, of Brandon, was first in line at 3:40 a.m. She tried on about 20 dresses, eventually picking a layered, sequined white gown for $275.
"This is it," she said while trying it on.
At 7 a.m., the line continued to stretch out the door as anxious brides, their mothers and even a few grooms waited their chance for deep discounts.
Come noon, any leftover dresses will be packed and taken over to the Goodwill store in Lakeland, where a similar sale takes place tomorrow.
Jan Wesner, Times staff writer
Kayla Hamm, 21, looks at a dress on the rack while her mother, Kathy Hamm, scans the rack for more choices. [KEN HELLE | Times]