Donation leads to first bridal fair at St. Vincent de Paul
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
St. Vincent de Paul hopes to make planning a wedding for brides on a budget a little easier this weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday, the thrift store will open its social hall to brides-to-be to help them find their dream wedding gown for as low as $20.
A first-of-its-kind event hosted by the store, a bridal fair, was made possible thanks to a donation from a bridal shop that recently closed its doors.
St. Vincent de Paul volunteer Kathleen Moleskey said she received a phone call from a shop in Washington, Pa., about three weeks ago to ask if the organization accepts donations of wedding dresses.
When the worker from the bridal store traveled to Monessen to drop off the donation, she showed up with a surprising number of wedding gowns.
“They came with more than 100 gowns,” Moleskey said. “It was more than we were ever expecting. It was just bag after bag. We are truly so grateful.”
With such a large donation, Moleskey and other volunteers decided to turn the organization’s social hall, which is not being used because of the pandemic, into a bridal boutique equipped with dressing rooms, mirrors and accessories.
“We knew there were too many to display in our normal shop,” Moleskey said, “so we brainstormed and decided to put everything in our social hall downstairs.”
With help from fellow volunteer Marianne Petrowski, they transformed the social hall into a bridal boutique that now houses wedding gowns, accessories, cocktail dresses, mother-of-the-bride dresses and bridesmaids dresses as well as various decor and other items.
“We have been organizing, pricing, sizing items, the whole bit,” Moleskey said.
The dresses, some of which are designer, range in size from four to 18. They are valued up to $800, but will be available to Mon Valley brides this weekend for anywhere between $20 and $200.
Additionally, brides-to-be can purchase jewelry table centerpieces, ring-bearer pillows and champagne flutes.
A limited number of veils are also available.
The event will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the St. Vincent de Paul Social Hall, located at 1701 Grand Blvd. in Monessen. Free, handicap-accessible parking will be available.
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