This past fall I had the opportunity to on a west coast road trip to photograph weddings in Santa Barbara, Portland, and Seattle. While in Portland, I learned about Brides for a Cause Portland. I immediately connected with their vision, and reached out to see what we could do together.

For those of you who haven’t heard of them, Brides for a Cause is more than just a bridal store – they’re bridal store to raise funds for charity!

With locations in Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle, Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to collecting and reselling wedding dresses to raise funds for charity! They raise funds by collecting and reselling wedding dresses (at a super reasonable rate, by the way). Those dresses are then dispersed among a variety of women-focused charities. They support over 20 different charities every year. And, since 2012, Brides for a Cause has collected over 15,000 wedding dresses and have given away over $1,000,000 to charity! That’s WILD, and super inspirational for my company (J.J. Au’Clair donates 15% of its profits to charity as well— for more information click HERE and scroll down to “Giving Back”).

I believe there is somewhat of a stigma surrounding a used wedding dress. The wedding industry is trendy, and always changing— because of this, many brides want a new dress. They forget that the “new” price tag doesn’t always reflect the quality of the dress.  A classic gown designed by a quality designer will stand the test of time! More so, the price tag for a gently used (seriously, wedding dresses are usually worn once) is often 50% less than MSRP.

Just to prove that, I connected with a few incredible vendors and Brides for a Cause Portland.

We put together a gorgeous bridal session, inspired by movement, soft fabrics, and whimsy.

Of course, though small, this vendor team is comprised of ROCK STARS. Selva’s floral designs are beyond incredible. She took our vision for whimsey and exceeded our expectations on short notice. She grows some of her own flowers, and brought a MASSIVE dahlia from her backyard. We also have to give a beyond honorable mention to Karen Cordell. Our makeup artist gone rouge, Karen slays on both hair as well as makeup. These ladies are incredible. If you want to get married in the Pacific Northwest, do yourself a favor and hire these ladies. You won’t regret it.

CHECK OUT THESE STUNNING BRIDAL PORTRAITS FEATURING SARAH SEVEN AND BHLDN DRESSES

These dresses are provided by Brides for a Cause Portland. ** Scroll down and access links to the vendor team.

PORTLAND WEDDING VENDORS THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN

• Photo Venue | The Portland Studio (LINK)
• Florist | Selva Floral Design (LINK)
• Portland Wedding Photographer | Janelle Rivera of J.J. Au’Clair
• Photo and Styling Assistant | Jordan Alexander of J.J. Au’Clair
• Makeup and Hair | Karen Cordell Artistry (LINK)
• Silk Ribbons | Nettle and Silk (LINK)

Now that you’ve seen all these gorgeous wedding photo inspirations featuring dresses from Brides for a Cause, maybe you want to work with them too. Do it and buy an awesome wedding dress at a fraction of the cost, and simultaneously help fuel charities that empower women every day! Or maybe you are already married?! YAY! Don’t worry, you can still help! Consider donating your wedding dress to a good cause. If you want to donate your wedding dress, just click HERE to fill out a form and get started.