Business & Tech

Zita Donates Free Gowns to Military Brides

New bridal business will give away designer wedding gowns July 27.

After taking over the reigns of Zita Bridal Salon in June, new business owners Marina Kuhn and Cynthia Apfelbach have already found a way to give back to the community.

is one of 27 bridal salons across the country that have teamed up with the charitable organization Brides Across America to donate couture wedding gowns to military brides. The store will be closed to the public on July 27, and gowns will be distributed that day on a first-come, first-served basis at the store at 205 E. Silver Spring Dr.

, Kuhn said she and Apfelbach were contacted by Brides Across America about the project, and they were inspired by the organization’s mission.

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“We feel that preparing for your wedding should be a joyous occasion, and many military brides do not have time to prepare for their dream wedding because they or their husbands may be deployed quickly,” Kuhn said. “This is our way of giving back and thanking them for all they do.”

Brides are encouraged to come early and secure their place in line, as there is a limited supply. Kuhn said she spoke to a bridal salon owner in Chicago that participated in the project last year, and they said they had people camping out overnight waiting to get one of 20 dresses. Kuhn said the brides will be fitted for their dresses, and they will receive the same full-service bridal experience that regular customers receive.

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“We feel very honored to be able to contribute,” Kuhn said. “We believe in giving back to the community, especially those that are serving our country.”

Zita has selected 35 to 40 designer gowns to give away. All of the gowns are either sample gowns or discontinued styles, so they are sold off the rack instead of through special orders. Kuhn said the gowns range in price from $1,000 to $4,000 and range from sizes 8-18.

Some of the designers donating gowns are from Amsale, Rivini, Vineyard, Simone Carvalli, Watters and Watters, Augusta Jones and Ann Barge.

In order to qualify, brides or their fiancé must be on active duty in the military, either currently deployed or deployed within the last five years to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Libya or Japan. Identification and deployment papers must be presented at the event to qualify.

As a veteran, a longtime Silver Spring business owner and the president of the Business Improvement District, owner John Stuhlmacher said he is proud of Zita's participation in the bridal gown program.

"It has been my experience that service members more times then not pay for most of — if not all — of their weddings on their own. And there are often costs in a military wedding that don't affect a civilian. Rather than rent a tux, we sometimes purchase 'mess dress' uniforms which can cost as much as a wedding dress because they are custom made," Stuhlmacher said. "To say the least, this is a great event, and I am proud to have them on the street."

Those that show up next week will also receive information about planning their wedding and a gift bag including donated items from local businesses, including , , and .

Since 2007, Brides Across America and its partners have given away more than 6,000 wedding gowns nationwide.

For military brides who are interested in more information, contact Zita Bridal Salon at (414) 332-9482 or visit www.zitabridal.com.


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