Vinnies bridal expo: Sydney store swarmed by bargain-hunting brides

A Sydney Vinnies had hopeful brides lining up in a bid to snag a designer gown cut in price by 93 per cent after announcing a surprise sale.

A Sydney op shop has been swarmed by bargain-hunting brides after throwing a “bridal expo” following a huge donation of wedding gowns.

Vinnies is selling a large selection of unworn designer gowns, priced between $50 to $300, after the popular charity was given stock from a bridal store that had closed down.

The event, held at Vinnies Waverley, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, started Friday to relatively calm scenes.

But after being widely publicised on social media by the op shop, interest had picked up, resulting in a swathe of brides descending on the store hoping to snag a bargain.

In footage shared to TikTok, hopeful shoppers could be seen queuing outside the front of the store first thing on Saturday.

A Sydney op shop was swarmed with bargain-hunting brides on Saturday. Picture: TikTok

The Waverly Vinnies was selling designer dresses for $300 following a huge donation of gowns from a bridal store that had closed down. Picture: TikTok

Shoppers were granted entry inside in small groups in a bid to stop overcrowding, but the promise of a designer wedding gown for peanuts compared to its retail value saw the store packed out.

Clips from Vinnies NSW official social media showed racks and racks of glittering white dresses, including rhinestone embellished princess gowns, slinky mermaid cuts and even Vera Wang numbers – which are usually priced from $3500 to $8000.

On social media, attendees of the “expo” shared their hauls, with one bride-to-be snagging an embellished head band complete with its original tags for just $15.

“These dresses are stunning, I really hope people were buying for themselves and not to resell for a profit,” one user commented.

The ‘expo’ started on Friday with hundreds of dresses are on offer. Picture: TikTok.

It concludes on Sunday, with many sharing their ‘hauls’ on social media. Picture: TikTok.

The recommended retail prices of the remainder of the gowns range between $1700 and $4500, Vinnies said, meaning there are some stellar bargains on offer.

For the latter RRP, that’s a discount of more than 93 per cent.

A host of other wedding accessories are also available at the store, including shoes, bridesmaids dresses and suits for grooms and groomsmen.

The charity said the exhibition was a “one-stop shop” for couples planning a wedding on a budget.

All profits will go back into the charity, which helps disadvantaged people in the community.