Fantastic Finds donates wedding dresses to military brides

In the past four years, Fantastic Finds donated over 100 dresses to military brides. Many of the dresses retail for over $2,000. This year alone, Fantastic Finds aims to give out a whopping 100 wedding dresses to Michigan and a few out of state military brides, according to a press release. 

“Members of the armed forces and their partners not only sacrifice for our country, but they also sacrifice their wedding dreams,” Sue Rosenberger, owner and president of Fantastic Finds, said.

Military brides and spouses often have to plan around deployment, which makes planning long term for a wedding difficult. Sometimes the wedding date will have to be significantly pushed up, while other times it is pushed back. The challenge is doubled when both spouses are members of the military.

“We’d get a lot of military brides come in and ask, ‘What do you have and how fast can I get this? My husband is deploying,’” Rosenberger said. “We figured, why not make an event to help these brides out?’”

Fantastic Finds has serviced all the local military branches in the past four years. Brides are required to schedule an appointment, bring a valid military ID, proof of past or future deployment and a wedding date within the next 18 months. 

“They are getting something to try on and say ‘yes’ right then and there to take home at no charge,” Rosenberger said. “We’ve done the coast guard, marines and almost all the military branches.” 

Rosenberger has military ties herself. Her father served in the Navy during WW2.  She added that helping the military brides “makes it come home for me.”

Fantastic Finds’ marketing manager Holly Reed recalls a past military bride donning a donated wedding dress for the first time after being married for nearly 10 years.

“A lot of military personnel get married before they are on the base,” Reed said. “It is usually just a courtroom wedding without a ceremony. They are just getting married to get on with everything.”

In the meantime, they have kids and get busy with their new lives. Reed’s favorite part of the sale is working with military wives to prepare for their overdue, special day.

Rosenberger said the mission of the giveaway is simple. Every military bride deserves to feel beautiful on her wedding day, regardless of time constraints, budget, the size of the ceremony or any other planning obstacle.

“They may or may not plan for a big venue or secure a church they reserved. But none of it will happen without the dress," the bridal shop owner said. “There is always a story that tugs at your heart a little bit and we want to be the person that takes care of it.”

(For more information, www.fantasticfinds.com)

Military Brides Free Bridal Dress Giveaway

July 5 – July 7, Check website for times

Fantastic Finds

2925 Wood St., Lansing, MI

(517) 702-1200

Fantasticfinds.com/appointments