Military brides have chance for free gowns
The women who run Cardinal Bridal and Formal Wear know the stress of wedding planning. They also know how the pressure ramps even higher if the bride or her fiancé is facing a military deployment.
And for other brides in that situation, they want to make one part of planning The Big Day a little easier.
Cardinal plans to give away more than 100 wedding gowns to military brides on Nov. 8 , a date chosen in honor of Veterans Day.
The event is part of the “Brides Across America” program, which was created as a way to help military families. Cardinal is the only bridal shop in North Carolina participating in the giveaway.
The store wanted “to give back to our troops, our soldiers and stuff because they give so much to us,” said employee Ashley Barnwell .
Her mother, Kathy Jackson , owns the boutique, and her aunt, Linda Lynch, also works at the store. Lynch is the mother of Greensboro Marine Christopher Lynch , who got married before being deployed to Iraq in April.
“We know how hard it is,” Barnwell said. “We know what they went through trying to plan a wedding before he got deployed.”
The wedding gown giveaway offer — which is on a first-come, first-served basis — is open to women on active duty serving in Iraq or Afghanistan or whose fiancé is serving in those regions. The brides-to-be must show identification and a copy of deployment papers, orders or other qualifying proof.
Barnwell said that a number of styles would be available in a variety of sizes. The retail value of the gowns ranges from $800 to $1,300 .
Military brides will also receive 15 percent off veils, tiaras, shoes and other accessories. Cardinal Bridal and Formal Wear is at 1616 J Battleground Ave. For more information on the event, call 333-9016 .
Williams-Sonoma on the move to Friendly Center
The Williams-Sonoma cookware store closed its location in Four Seasons Town Centre last week to prepare for its move to The Shops at Friendly Center.
The new store, at 3320 W. Friendly Ave. near BB&T, is scheduled to open Saturday .
A place to find food and knickknacks for holidays
For the holidays, four new seasonal stores are setting up shop in Friendly Center.
Tech gift shop Brookstone and Calender Club and Games are near Gate City Pharmacy and The Extra Ingredient. Hickory Farms and Dewey’s Bakery will open near The Children’s Place and the AT&T store.
Four Seasons fostering giving with savings
A tax-deductible donation is the key to savings for Four Seasons shoppers on Nov. 15.
Here’s how it works: Make a donation of at least $5 on the Web site www.thegivingspree.com by Nov. 14 and you’ll receive a list of exclusive offers good at select merchants on Nov. 15 .
Donations can be given to a number of charities, including Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro and the Greensboro Urban Ministry.
Also, if you plan on shopping with plastic while browsing at Four Seasons, hang onto your receipts.
The mall is offering a $20 Discover gift card for every $200 spent on your Discover credit card. The offer runs from Saturday though Jan. 4 , while supplies last, and can be redeemed by showing your receipts and credit card at the customer service desk. There’s a limit of five gift cards per account.
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Do you have retail news or tips for Savvy Shopper? Contact Lanita Withers at 373-7071 or lanita.withers@news-record.com.
