Located in a large World War II-era house on a rural road in Dickerson, wedding dress shop Brides for Haiti boasts beautiful dresses without the sticker shock, and the proceeds go to support a church community that has been devastated by natural disasters in Haiti.
“Wedding dresses are extremely expensive. For me to spend that much money on something I will wear once when people can’t afford a roof over their heads or to buy food really bothered me,” says Cynthia Faris, 28, of Leesburg, Virginia. “I wanted to find a way to have the money go to a place for a good cause.”
Brides for Haiti is a fundraising arm of St. Mary’s Parish in Barnesville. Since 2011, the boutique has raised more than $278,000 to support St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Carcasse, Haiti. The churches have a “twinning” relationship, in which they create a global connection through service and fellowship.
St. Mary’s Parish has supported a range of educational and health projects in Haiti, such as funding a new primary school, paying teacher salaries, and building a new well, says Jack Reid, 66, of Dickerson, St. Mary’s Haiti twinning and projects coordinator.
The Montgomery County church is currently helping St. Joseph’s construct a new church to replace the one destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, says Reid, who works closely with the local pastor in Carcasse.
“I see this work as part of my faith,” says Susan Jamison, 69, of Poolesville, a member of St. Mary’s Parish who helped establish Brides for Haiti after starting up other similar shops in the past.
About 40% of dress sales go to support the church in Haiti, according to Reid. The rest covers business expenses, such as advertising, credit card fees and commissions to the staff—Jamison, her daughter Laura Wright, their longtime friend Patty Bohr, and Caroline Jarecky.
The boutique is brimming with hundreds of dresses in shades of white, ivory and cream that hang from portable clothing racks. Seemingly every silhouette imaginable is on display, from the classic A-line, to a Bridgerton-esque empire, a formfitting mermaid and a sleek sheath. The shop has dresses in sizes 0 to 36.
“Everything is gorgeous. I tried on a few dresses and found one, first stop. I am a happy camper,” says Samantha Stevens, 27, who lives in West River, Maryland. For her big day, she chose a white satin slip dress with a short train and a shoulder-length veil. “I love the idea of the proceeds going to help people in Haiti.”
The boutique sells dresses by a variety of designers, including Casablanca Bridal, Allure, Justin Alexander, Maggie Sottero, Mon Cheri and Christina Wu. Its priciest dress was a Pnina Tornai that typically would cost $24,000 but sold for $999 at Brides for Haiti. New York City’s Kleinfeld Bridal, home of the TV show Say Yes to the Dress, donated the gown several years ago.
Mady Fincham, 20, of Charles Town, West Virginia, visited Brides for Haiti with her mom and sister in July, as she prepared for her August wedding. “A friend recommended it. It was my first stop, first dress. I am very excited,” she says.
Most dresses at Brides for Haiti cost $499 to $599, and nothing is more than $999. Almost all the gowns are new samples donated by other bridal boutiques that update their inventory on a regular basis. Jamison says Brides for Haiti purchases some plus size dresses to fill gaps in inventory, and the shop accepts a handful of previously worn gowns.
“It’s also affordable for Mama’s pocketbook,” says Mady’s mother, Amy Fincham, 47, also of Charles Town, West Virginia. “I didn’t think this would be our only shop. I was impressed.”
The shop is only open on Saturdays by appointment, in part because it shares the space with Jamison’s son’s law office. “We can close the doors to the rooms with dresses and no one knows it doubles as a bridal boutique,” Jamison says.
She wants brides to have fun and feel beautiful while choosing a dress, she says.
“A lot of shops pick dresses for girls,” says Wright, 39, of Poolesville, as she sorts lace veils. “We let them show us. They look at the racks first. Then we get a sense of their style and go from there. It’s a low-pressure environment.”
During a Saturday appointment, Jamison fluffs out a long train for a bride and her entourage to see, and Wright holds up a full-length mirror for a better look, while another bride-to-be finds her dress at Brides for Haiti.
“This is it!” the young woman, named Hannah, gushes. “Quick! Take a picture. I want to send it to my grandmother!”
This story appears in the January/February 2025 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
