I Saluted the Dress: Veterans, first responders receive free wedding dresses in Camden County
PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Camden County's Board of Commissioners held a wedding dress giveaway on Tuesday for veterans, first responders and their families.
Dozens of dresses, which can average around $1,500, were given to women for free.
When it comes to planning a wedding, one of the hardest choices for a woman to make is picking the right dress.
"Because you want to be beautiful on your wedding day," said Brittany Dunn, who medically retired from the U.S. Coast Guard.
For Dunn, it's a decision she isn't taking lightly.
"You want to make sure you find the dress for you," she said.
And it's a decision she has to make relatively quickly. She's marrying the love of her life on June 9.
"It's a hard decision," she said.
But on a day that should be full of joy is one that is also bittersweet. Dunn can't help but think of her grandfather and father who both died within the past three years.
"She was their queen," said Liz Loomis, Brittany's mother. "That's what they called her. The queen. The princess. She could do no wrong in their eyes."
Dunn said it was emotional picking her dress as she thought about not having them there to walk her down the aisle.
"Honestly it's made wedding planning and being exciting for the wedding hard," she said. "I definitely pictured them being with me."
But for Dunn, her father and grandfather are and will always be with her. And she knows exactly what they would say if they could see her in her wedding gown.
"They would definitely think I look beautiful," she said as she fought back tears.