MILITARY WEDDINGS: Brides Found Free Dresses

Things got emotional Thursday at the Bridal Connection in Ankeny as several brides got to pick out a free wedding gown.

But these weren’t just any brides.  These ladies are all marrying military men.

Becca Kinkley told us, “It’s hard for me to find a dress because I’m really, really tall and really, really skinny.  But we found one, it had everything.”

Becca is from Oregon, but is in Iowa visiting her fiancé.

She and the other ladies at the Ankeny shop got to select from 100 dresses.  It’s part of a program called “Brides Across America.”

The store owner, Lara Bunkers, says she decided to participate to give back to those who serve.  Bunker said, “Some of them are able to move wedding date up.  They’re going to have the wedding before the fiancé is deployed in some cases, and one of them the fiancé just got back, so they’re going to be able to have their wedding before they even expected, so, it’s a blessing for me.”

Bunker says her husband also inspired her to help the brides.  He served in the Navy for 26-years before retiring.