Wedding gowns go under the hammer

BLUSHING brides-to-be who wish to look stunning in their wedding gown, without being stunned by the price, are being offered an amazing opportunity to purchase a brand new wedding dress at a fraction of the usual cost.
The Good As New dress sale, an innovative fundraiser for Knockanean National School, is being held next week in Fahy Hall, Roslevan. The event will feature new and nearly new outfits for sale, accessories and even communion dresses for girls.
As well as offering a wide range of fashionable pieces in a variety of styles for every occasion, the event will also feature a wedding dress auction.
Caroline Purcell, one of the organisers of the Good As New dress sale, explained all of the wedding dresses up for auction are in pristine condition and have been designed by some of the top names in bridal wear, including Philip Collins and Ronald Joyce.
“A relative of some of our students, Dave Hickey from Limerick Self Storage, was given wedding dresses by a bridal shop that had gone out of business. He heard that we were having a dress sale and he generously gave us some of them for our fundraising event. They are all brand new dresses, they have never been worn and they have never been tried on. They are in perfect condition, they are even still in the plastic,” she explained.
Caroline said the dresses normally retail at around €1,500, so any successful auction bidders are sure of a bargain buy.
The auction of the unworn bridal gowns has already garnered plenty of interest from local brides looking for their dream dress. The wedding dresses display some of the key trends in bridal wear, with styles available to suit all tastes.
Local wedding and event co-ordinator Kate Deegan said, “The dresses have some nice embellishment and some little details. A little bit of bling but it’s not too much. That’s what brides are looking for these days. There are different styles to choose from and there is definitely something for every bride. In this current climate, it’s a great opportunity for brides, whether they are on a budget or not. They could use the money they save on the dress for another aspect of their wedding.”
Brides are even being given the opportunity to receive photographs of the dresses prior to the auction. The gowns were worn by models from the Catwalk model agency for the photographs, which were professionally taken by Gary Gaughan at Clique Photographic to ensure the gowns look their best. If brides are particularly interested in the dresses, arrangements can be made to try them on in private.
Caroline said, “We have some experts in the wedding field involved in organising this. Kate will be at the auction on the night and she can advise brides. Another lady involved works for one of the bridal shops in town and she is an expert in altering bridal wear. She will be on hand to give advice on any alterations to the dresses that could be made if necessary.”
Of course, the wedding dresses are not the only items that will be filling the racks at Fahy Hall on the night. A host of outfits will be on display at the sale, from casual clothes to glamorous glad rags and from office chic to laid-back looks.
“If ladies are looking for a special outfit at a bargain price then this is definitely the event to go to,” said Caroline.
“With the economy the way it is at the moment, people are always looking for a bargain. People have been doing this kind of thing in their own homes for a while and it has gone really well, so we decided why not make a bigger event for people? We’ve advertised within the school for parents to give us donations of good condition, quality clothes and accessories. We’ve only started going through what we have but there are plenty of finds and people have been very generous. There are some nearly-new outfits and plenty of new clothes with tags on them. And a few ladies have said they have some designer clothes for us,” she said.
While fashionable ladies will be able to pick up a bargain, there will also be plenty of children’s wear on sale. Sure to fly off the shelves will be communion dresses.
“Communion dresses are worn only once and if you can get one for €20 or €30 isn’t that great,” she said.
With families facing tighter and tighter budgets, more and more people are choosing to stretch their funds that little bit more and opt for ‘nearly new’.
“I don’t think there is any stigma attached to buying second-hand clothes, why not when you can get something you really like at a bargain price. And, of course, the whole point of this is that all of the proceeds raised on the night will go to the school’s building fund,” she said.
The money raised on the night will go to the school’s Building Project Fund, which is raising funds for a new extension. The aim is to replace four prefabs with a four-classroom extension and further upgrading works.
“This is the first time that Knockanean has gone out into the wider community to fundraise and we would appreciate any support. As well as this event, we will be doing major fundraising for the next year. It’s a great school and it deserves the fundraising and generosity that people are giving it. I think anybody who goes to Knockanean realises what a unique and special school it is,” said Caroline.
“The current school was built originally in 1949 and extended in 1997. Since 1997, the number of children enrolled in the school has more than doubled,” she said.
The Good as New dress sale will take place from 6.30pm to 9pm in Fahy’s Hall, Roslevan on Friday, November 19. Tickets for the event include a glass of wine and can be bought from the committee or on the door on the night.
“This will be a fun night for ladies with something for every body and every budget,” concluded Caroline.
For tickets, information or viewings of the wedding dresses, contact Caroline on 086 8078599, Breda on 086 2457739 or email knockanean.fundraising@gmail.com.