Find your dream wedding dress and help fight cancer

Brides-to-be have an opportunity to score a gorgeous gown at a deeply discounted price while supporting a good cause during the Brides Against Breast Cancer event. During two separate events -- in Seattle and Bellevue -- brides can browse through more than 1,000 gowns for their special day.

The Seattle sale takes place 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 11 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 12 in the Evergreen Ballroom at the Doubletree Hotel Seattle Airport (18740 International Blvd.). Jan. 18 (10 a.m.-8 p.m.) and Jan. 19 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.), the sale comes to the Hilton Bellevue (300 112th Ave. S.E.).

Plan to get in line early for the best choice of new and used wedding gowns from private donors, bridal shops, manufacturers and designers. Hundreds of styles in sizes 4 to 24 are available for $99 to $799, some with original price tags of up to $8,000. Vintage divas will appreciate the selection of antique gowns, and label lovers will swoon over discounted designer dresses and couture gowns at 25 to 75 percent off.

Brides Against Breast Cancer is the major fund-raising arm of the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation, which grants the wishes of terminally ill breast cancer patients. The disease not only drains the physical and emotional bank accounts of sufferers and their families -- it often saps actual bank accounts as well. Through the organization, patients have been able to share precious moments and dreams with loved ones. Some wish for a trip to Disneyland or Hawaii, whitewater rafting down the Colorado River, Christmas gifts for the family or simply to attend a Green Bay Packers game.

Making Memories was co-founded in 1998 by the mother/daughter team of Fran Hansen and Anna Nelson, who have collected more than 40,000 wedding gowns to date. For more information on making donations and additional fund-raising events, visit www.makingmemories.org.

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