Say yes to the 25-cent dress: Langley auction house has plenty of dresses for bargain-hunting brides When it comes to shopping for a wedding dress, brides and budgets are rarely a match made in heaven. But a Langley auction house is hoping to change that with an unusual Valentine’s Day offering: 300 new wedding dresses for sale, with bids starting at 25 cents. Able Auction’s warehouse won’t be like Kleinfeld in an episode of Say Yes to the Dress, but operations manager Linda Dodd promises a fun, high-energy shopping experience on Saturday with plenty of bargains. The auction “will bring out the bargain hunter, people working with a budget who have an eye on a fun wedding, and adventurous brides who are not afraid of a challenge,” said Dodd. queenie girls bridesmaid dresses “This will give an opportunity for brides who couldn’t get all the embellishments they wanted, or that statement piece with the long train.” The auction will also appeal to brides who don’t want to splurge on an expensive dress because they want to do a post-wedding trash the dress photo session, noted Dodd. Able Auctions acquired the dresses from two separate bridal stores that were liquidating their stock. The gowns are new with retail prices ranging from about $600 to $3,500, with no reserve price. On Wednesday, the dresses, already tagged with their lot numbers, hung in neat rows in a Langley warehouse. They range from poufy princess-style gowns to sleek numbers and shorter frocks. There’s taffeta and tulle galore, ribbons and floral embellishments, corsets and lace trains. The bulk of the gowns are size 6 to 14. Bidding on the bridal bonanza has already started online, where the dresses are listed with photos, their size and retail value. More than 100 people have registered to bid online. The auction will be held at the Langley warehouse Saturday, and online simultaneously, with the system updating the bidding in real time. Interested brides-to-be are invited to drop by a preview on Friday to browse or try on dresses, since no fittings are allowed on auction day. The dresses will likely not be perfect off-the-rack for many brides, said Dodd. “Some of them are samples, and they’re not all perfect, but they’re beautiful,” she said, adding a seamstress will also be on hand on Friday to give potential bidders an idea of what alterations could cost. Other wedding accoutrements will be on the auctioneer’s block, including some engagement rings, mother-of-the-bride outfits, and garb for flower girls and ring bearers. There are also about 150 formal evening gowns for sale. The frou-frou confections are a far cry from what Able Auctions usually sells — cars, boats, office equipment, and machinery. It’s the company’s first time delving into the wedding-dress business, but likely not their last. “We’re excited to expand what we do, and how we do it,” said Dodd. “We just think it’s going to be fun.” unusual bridesmaid dresses
