One county is spreading the love by giving away free wedding dresses to veterans and first responders. Camden County was donated hundreds of dresses by Alfred Angelo, a New Jersey bridal boutique that went out of business in 2017.
The dresses were donated on terms that they be given to military and first responder families. In 2019, according to Camden County Commissioner Melinda Kane, they held their first bridal dress giveaway. The following year, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted their "Salute the Dress" event, but in 2024, they were finally able to start it back up.
"I was nervous and excited," said Amala Sanders, a retired Army motor sergeant who attended the event. "I didn't know what to expect and I thought it was just gonna be one of those 'hurry up and grab-and-run' things, and so when I got there, it was a really amazing experience. "I had a wonderful person that helped me throughout the whole process and she did a really amazing job."
After trying on several dresses, the 50-year-old eventually found the one. "It's a beautiful dress," she said, going on to share her gratitude for the event. "It's amazing and they made me feel absolutely gorgeous. So thumbs up all the way and I salute them."
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Melinda shared that the event was "the least we could do to show our gratitude for those that give back to our country and our community." She added, "Many women serve in the military. It's not just a man that puts on the uniform and goes to defend our country. We wanted to just say thank you, and we wanted to help them for their special day."
