Once every year, since 1947, women from all around the world camp out overnight in the cold of winter, for a chance to run, crawl, push, and even wrestle their way into bridal heaven!
No, I am not talking about an Olympic sporting event, but rather the annual "Running of the Brides" event hosted by retailer Filene's Basement.
The annual Bridal Gown Events which has been likened to the "Running of the Bulls" event in Pamplona, Spain offers brides-to-be from all economic backgrounds the chance to save hundreds, even thousands of dollars on designer wedding gowns.
The day of the sale, brides-to-be and their helpers line up early. When the doors open, they run full speed towards the racks. In less than 60 seconds, the racks are stripped bare.
The women grab whatever gowns they can, haul them off to a corner, strip down to their underwear and start trying on dresses. Minutes later the trading begins. Every dress, no matter what size, style or color, gets bartered for another, as each bride tries to find the gown of her dreams at a cut-rate price.
The stores are stocked with anywhere from 1300 to 2500 dresses depending on the store location and carry original price tages ranging anywhere from $900 to $9,000!!! On the day of the bridal sales, Filene's Basement offers these dresses at discounted prices. The dresses are priced in three tiers: $249, $499 and $699.
This event has become popular culture because women from all over the world now attend the annual event. Women have even made it a tradition in their families to attend this event as part of the engagement process. Residents from Taiwan, Alaska, Hawaii, and California have attended the annual event in Boston, MA.
SOURCE: Our World Famous Bridal Event(n.d.). Filene's Basement. Retrieved from http://www.filenesbasement.com/bridal.jsp
