Brides for a Cause

every bride chooses them to help continue their mission and find the perfect dress all at the same time!

o find cute accessories for my wedding. I bought a cape here and took it to a seamstress to repurpose it into a veil. I also bought several cute tops to wear during my wedding week. The first time I went into the store I was helped by Nancy. She did an amazing job making me feel comfortable and allowed me to relax and have fun during a very stressful dress shopping day. Each time I have come to the store I have been greeted by a different sales associate who has been kind and very helpful. This store is such a fun place to go shopping with all the different items they have. Each time their selection changes which is what makes the multiple trips worth it.

t sure what I would want to wear on my wedding day but found many dresses to try on that I felt comfortable in. I read reviews beforehand and saw that there wouldn’t be an assigned stylist and that the hour long appointment could feel rushed according to other brides’ reviews. With these expectations in mind, I felt like my party and I knew what to expect and made good use of our time. We also went on a Monday afternoon so we were the only ones there for the majority of the time. The shop is very pretty - with beautiful tall ceilings, lots of natural light and a nice try-on area with seating - all of which positively added to the experience. The dress I ultimately picked retails for over $2000 and I got it for a fraction of the cost! I’m so grateful to get a dress I feel so much like a beautiful bride in (and also like myself!) for a great deal with proceeds going to a great cause. All around, it was a wonderful experience with my loved ones and I’m happy to say I said YES to the dress!

nthusiastic and annoyed “Hi” from the staff. Since I was wearing a mask due to having cold symptoms and wanting to be considerate, the staff member rudely insisted that I use sanitizer. This set a negative tone for the rest of my visit. She showed me to the area with dresses in my size, but that was the extent of her help. There was no offer to assist, check in, or even offer a simple gesture like offering water. My family and I were on our own, but thankfully, they were there to support me. What was even more confusing was that once another group arrived, the staff member’s demeanor completely changed. She became warm, helpful, and even assisted with adjusting dresses and checking if they needed anything. It felt like a completely different experience for them compared to what we received. It was disheartening to feel like we were treated differently, and it left me questioning whether it was because of how we looked. The only positive part of my visit was that I did find my dress. Unfortunately, the poor customer service overshadowed the experience. I hope the store takes the time to review their customer service training, as it could greatly improve the overall atmosphere and customer satisfaction.

d by very friendly staff. They give you the run down and then you’re free to shop around and try on dresses. The staff checked in a few times to see how it was going. They made it easy by putting the dresses I was done with away for me. They answered all questions I had. I left with a dress in mind and as soon as I got home regretted leaving the dress behind. I called the next day and the girl found the dress for me and set it aside. I scheduled myself another appointment so I could go try it on again and sure enough it was the one! This was the only store I went to and the only one I needed! Prices are also amazing. I had looked at other dresses online and was shocked at how good of a deal I got! Plus, my absolute favorite part of it all, 90% of your purchase goes to a charity! So I could feel good about spending money on a dress.

at attracted me to the shop in the first place when trying to decide where to buy my wedding dress. I bought my first dress months before my wedding which was a great experience, however after finding out I was pregnant prior to the wedding, I no longer fit in my dress and was scrambling to find a new one. I went in only a week and a half before the wedding day and was greeted again with nothing but kindness and support from the staff who were so encouraging about my situation. The woman working the front desk gave me a lot of ideas for simple alterations to make the new dress work in such a short time which I am so grateful for! A stressful situation was made much easier with their support and guidance. I highly recommend them to all looking for a wedding dress (even if just to check them out as a first stop)! Keep in mind, their inventory changes all the time, so if you don’t find something right away, give it a week or two and try again. Some dresses do have snags, stains, rips, etc. from natural wear of donations. With that said, my new dress is a gorgeous sample dress from a local boutique, A-Line Essence of Australia, never worn, for only $750! They are definitely worth checking out!

e than any of the ones I looked at elsewhere. I absolutely recommend them to any brides looking for a beautiful, but budget-friendly wedding dress!!

t they were helpful in so many ways and made me feel at ease. I was so happy that I could find my dress there and there was no stress.

t they would bring me dresses they thought I would like. At one point a lady working came up to me and told me they had to stay right next to me and if I was actually approving the dresses they were bringing or if they were just playing in the store. I and my family found this very uncomfortable and rude. The place was not the cleanest and was very little but I was very happy that I found my dress and the money goes towards a great cause. Also important to note their prices are a little high for what they are offering. The dress I got was marked at $850 and had a couple rips, some lace needs to be repaired and other things need fixed. I did receive a 10% discount for having an appointment.

been following them on Instagram for years and couldn’t wait for my turn to shop. I found my dream dress and some accessories and came out significantly under my budget!

me up and trying to get me to buy a dress I didn’t want. This was the opposite and it was lovely. My group was left alone and the staff were near by when we had a question and talked me through how a seamstress could alter my dress. They were SO friendly and it was the absolute best experience for me.

ariety of styles was excellent!

as wonderful, attentive, and really made my experience special by offering great feedback and helping me shop accessories. My experience was excellent and I couldn't recommend this location more highly for future brides!

ng and just pop in to check to make sure you're ok! I loved every bit of my experience and I will be recommending it to every bride I know 😍

things on without a ton of external feedback and opinions. This place gave me that space to exercise freedom while still providing great customer service and assistance. All of the associates were attentive, walked me through the gallery and offered advice when called on. The dress selections had so much more variety than the Boutiques I'd been too, and that made it so easy to find my dress, as I was not restricted to the designer trends of the season. I found something vintage-esque with modern touches perfect for our bid day, and the prices are SO affordable!

everal times before finding the right dress and never had an issue getting an appointment or feeling like I was being rushed to make a decision. It is definitely more of a low key, hands-off kind of shopping experience, but that was perfect for me. I ended up finding an amazing Badgley Mischka designer dress that retails for $3700. It has a couple of small defects that won't be noticeable in pictures and was just $200! There were a ton of dresses there that were in perfect shape, if you are willing to spend a little more. Would definitely recommend Brides for a Cause if you are shopping on a budget or if you just want to support a good cause.

rities? Yes please!) , but was no longer living in Portland when it came time to start shopping for my wedding dress. I wound up shopping in boutiques across LA (Beverly Hills & Venice) and Honolulu. When I finally made it to Brides for a Cause in Portland, it was hands down my best bridal shopping experience and I found the dress of my dreams (and it even fit me!). I was shopping solo this time and both of the shop attendants were so warm, friendly and helpful (which unfortunately is not the case in all bridal shops). Kelly stayed around to help me while I tried on over 10 dresses and she was so attentive and truly interested in my story. I didn't expect that kind of attention from a discount bridal shop, but they treated my shopping experience like the special occasion it should be. Truly astonished I found a dress so quickly here (I only shopped for an hour!) and it fit me so well. They even had it in both of my close sizes, so I was able to select the one that fit me best. It'll need a couple minor alterations, but nothing like the usual cost of altering a brand new dress. The cost of the whole dress was less than the projected alterations from a different brand new one I'd been considering. Overall, I'm completely thrilled with my dress, the staff and the beautiful ambiance of this shop. Would recommend to anyone shopping for a wedding or bridesmaid dress.

mend!!

found my dream dress, a beautiful ballgown with a long train, for $300!

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nd and helpful. I’ve gone and looked everywhere for that ONE dress. And I couldn’t settle on one that was going to break the bank. And not only did I support a smaller business. But I recommend my FSMIL who is getting married 6 months before me. She bought hers here as well! They recommend alternating from best rated areas, they also have try on rooms that are more smaller and it feels so much better that way because other brides also comment and support each other!

) was so helpful and encouraging. I also loved being able to support amazing charities with the purchase of my dress.

lly friendly while also giving my group space to do our thing. I found a dress I loved at a great price, and it feels extra right to know I'm helping women in Portland with my purchase and doing a little bit to preserve the environment by buying secondhand. Highly recommend to anyone and everyone!

ess they pulled for me (I’m very picky). The staff let’s you do your thing and assists when asked. I found my dress here, a couture dress that originally cost $6,200 and I got it for $1,200. The best part is that the proceeds go to helping women. I couldn’t ask for anything better!

was so stunning once I put it on that I actually cried! I really had one of those special “say yes to the dress” moments- and I only ended up paying half the price that it would have been brand new.

y wedding dress and it was wonderful to know that the money I spent went to charities that help women.

s with this purchase! The staff was wonderfully helpful without being too hover-y. I would absolutely recommend them to any bride!

postponed. I was back to shopping this spring and we have our date set for July 9th. Cutting it close for sure on finding a dress! First stop I made was to Brides for a Cause in Portland because I liked the idea of the money I spent on a dress going to a meaningful cause. I took two of my bridesmaids to shop and came into the store to an extremely welcoming environment. In addition to my bridesmaids and I picking a number of gorgeous (and great priced) dresses, there were a number of store associates who also helped us find other dresses to try on. After trying on and finding one that I was happy to settle with, one of the nicest workers at the store found me another dress from another fitting room that she thought would look good with my boots I wore in. It turned out that was THE ONE! I went into the store with a modest budget (staying under $1000) but nothing I tried on went over the budget. My dress did need to be altered (taken in as well as a bustle for the longer train) but the store even sent me out with a list of seamstresses who did alterations in the Portland area and even went above and beyond finding ones in the Albany area for me since that's closer to home. I can't begin to say enough wonderful things about this store and the people who work there, they truly make you feel special and supported throughout the entire dress buying experience. My only recommendation would be when planning to shop here or any other store off the rack, plan ahead and call some local seamstresses if you're close to your wedding date so you can go in with a plan. I was very fortunate to get an appointment immediately after taking my dress home but since I shopped on a Saturday, I was nervous about the alteration process. This store is amazing! Shop here before going anywhere else.

at once that I wanted to get my dress from one of their stores. I travelled to Portland with my mom and bridesmaids to go dress shopping at their boutique, and I was amazed at the selection of dresses they had available. I really appreciated the ability to take my time to go through the racks myself knowing that the sales people were available to help if needed, and I ended up finding my wedding dress for $200! Two of my three bridesmaids also got their dresses at Brides for a Cause, and we were all thrilled with the experience. I would highly recommend any bride to look at Brides for a Cause for their wedding dress. It's an amazing way to give back with your wedding and be sustainable in the process! Little tip: Since everything is off the rack and the appointment time is only an hour, I would recommend trying on wedding dresses at another place first so that you can get an idea of what your size is and what you're looking for. That way when you get to Brides for a Cause, you can be a little more focused in your wedding dress search.

could not be happier. the girls there are willing to answer any questions, supply you with a list of seamstresses in the area, as well as dry cleaners, and give assistance to figuring out how to put your dress on. Also, the prices are great, and it goes to a good cause!! Could not recommend this place more!!