The Ipswich boutique where you can get a designer wedding gown for free

A southeast Queensland boutique which strives to give back to the community has more than 100 wedding gowns to gift this weekend as well as $5000 designer gowns going for a fraction of that price. Find out where.

A sample of the dresses available for the giveaway at Formally Yours this weekend. Facebook- Formally Yours- Ipswich

A local boutique which strives to give back to the community has launched a major giveaway this weekend, which will see hundreds of brides’ dreams come true.

Formally Yours, located at Redbank Plaza will host a massive event this Sunday which will see them give away at least 131 gowns to local brides, as well as offering enormous discounts on several thousand dollar designer gowns.

The boutique, run primarily by volunteers, spends the majority of its time providing students in need with formal gowns and suits, so that they are able to participate and enjoy their end-of-schooling celebrations, regardless of their financial situation.

Owner of the boutique, Sam Harrison, said she had heard Angel Gowns, a similar initiative, was no longer taking donations and wanted to take the opportunity to give back with the cost-of-living crisis hitting families so significantly.

A sample of the dresses available for the giveaway at Formally Yours this weekend. Facebook- Formally Yours- Ipswich

“I thought this could be a way we could support struggling families after Covid, a way that we could make people's dreams really come true,” she said.

“I want to make it so that some women who are really struggling can actually do this part of their lives.”

The dresses in Sunday’s giveaway will range from sizes 6-28, and they hope to receive more donations when they open to the public as per usual on Saturday.

“One woman donated a $10,000 gown in a size 26, that would have cost her a fortune and been hard for her to find.”

“Ipswich Bridal donated over $100,000 of gowns, and there were about 15 gowns.”

“I have put 5 dresses as part of the giveaway. The rest I have discounted by 75%, and on Sunday I will take an extra 50 per cent off that price so that women that have some change to spare can get those.”

Several of the gowns donated by Ipswich Bridal. Facebook: Formally Yours- Ipswich

Ms Harrison stressed that this event was designed to support women in genuine need, and that those simply looking for an opportunistic bargain, would be turned away.

“This isn’t just for yuppies with nothing to do on a Sunday, or for hens nights dress ups or anything like that.”

Sunday’s event will kick of at 10am and see will volunteers assist four brides at a time to try on and choose a wedding gown.

The boutique clarified on their Facebook on Thursday that only wedding dresses were a part of the giveaway, and that any accessories, veils, wedding items and bridesmaid dresses would be available for sale.

Ms Harrison said that they had also received a huge amount of donated garters, artificial flowers, table settings boutonnieres and more.

Sam Harrison, owner of Formally Yours. Photo: David Martin

The proceeds of any additional sales will go directly towards their formal attire program.

For Ms Harrison, Formally Yours is truly a labour of love.

“We’ve been doing this for seven years and I’ve not yet broken even in all that time,” she said.

“But it is more than worth it.”

“I have been asked a dozen times if we will do the giveaway again.”

“There’s a lady wanting to start up a similar thing up near Gympie, so I am hoping to send any excess stock up to her so she can get started.”

“Then I’m hoping we can do this once a year.”