The bride stood in front of a mirror, the satin folds of her gown glowing softly in the boutique’s warm light. Her mother, frail from late-stage cancer, watched from her wheelchair—smiling through tears as her daughter twirled.
“They had moved up their wedding date so that mom could be at the wedding,” Jan Romans said, director of The Brides Project in Ann Arbor. “She came in and found a dress that she loved, but she wanted her mom to be part of the experience. We had another appointment where the shop was quiet and safe for her mom to visit. She got to pick out a few dresses for her daughter to try, and at the end, her daughter put on the one she’d already purchased—the one she knew her mom would love. Everybody cried. It was the sweetest moment.”
That story captures what The Brides Project is all about: connecting moments of celebration with acts of compassion. Each wedding dress sold in this cozy Ann Arbor boutique funds free support services for individuals and families coping with cancer. It’s a model that turns one of life’s most joyful milestones into a source of healing for others.
From a basement to a movement
The Brides Project began humbly in 2011. What started as a handful of donated gowns in a local basement has since grown into one of the largest fundraising arms of the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor.
“We’ve been around for just over 15 years,” Romans says. “Our founder, Monique Sluymers, began The Brides Project while her father was undergoing cancer treatment. She wanted to help others—patients, but also the people supporting them. She connected with Barb Hiltz, an LMSW and clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, and together they started gathering donated dresses in Monique’s basement. They sold them so the proceeds could go to the Cancer Support Community. That was fifteen years ago, and now we’ve become a major part of their fundraising.”
The model is simple but powerful: donated wedding dresses—whether “pre-loved” by brides or unsold salon samples—are resold at a fraction of retail cost. Every dollar raised stays local, funding non-medical support services like counseling, nutrition workshops, yoga and art therapy for cancer patients and their families.
“The Cancer Support Community provides the mental-wellness side of treatment,” Romans said. “Those are the services often not covered by insurance—counseling, yoga, art therapy, kids’ programs. The support goes not only to cancer patients, but also to caregivers and families, during and beyond treatment.”
A mission measured in thousands
Since its founding, The Brides Project has collected and sold more than 10,000 gowns, with proceeds helping nearly 1,000 people each year. What began as a volunteer idea now operates seven days a week, run almost entirely by a small paid staff and an army of volunteers.
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“In the last year, we received our ten-thousandth gown donation,” Romans said. “That was such an amazing milestone for us. The number of people touched by cancer we’re able to serve each year is around a thousand. We’ve grown so much—from a small project in a basement to being open and running full-time, helping brides, managing gown donations and reaching more people than ever. It’s sustainable, economical and it keeps dresses out of landfills. It’s really a win-win-win.”
That sustainability piece, Romans emphasized, has become a key part of the organization’s identity. “Our gowns are all donated,” she said. “About half come from salons that give us last season’s samples, and the other half from brides who’ve worn them once. Instead of hiding in a closet—or worse, being thrown away—we clean them up so they can ‘dance another day.’ I’ve known a gown to go through our shop four times. It gets donated, sold, donated again, sold again. It’s incredible.”
The heart of it all: volunteers and brides
Step into the bright, airy boutique on Plymouth Road, and you’ll find a team of volunteers bustling with the quiet excitement of wedding preparation. Their joy is genuine—rooted not just in helping brides find “the one,” but in knowing each sale funds real support for neighbors in need.
“Our volunteers are the core of who we are,” Romans said. “We have about forty active volunteers working as bridal consultants. They’re the ones helping brides feel special—listening to their wishes, celebrating their dreams. We also have volunteers who clean the dresses, do small repairs, and keep our inventory ready. They’re the most wonderful, caring people I’ve ever worked with. It’s just a happy, warm place to be.”
The program’s flexibility makes it easy for community members to give their time. “We understand people have lives,” Romans said. “Our volunteers can come and go as they’re able. Some work weekly; others come back when their schedule allows. Every bit helps, and that’s what makes it all work.”
1677 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor.
Hours (by appointment):
- Sunday: 10am–2pm
- Monday: 12-7:30 pm
- Tuesday: 2-7:30 pm
- Wednesday: 12-7:30 pm
- Thursday: 10am-7:30 pm
- Friday: 10am-2pm
- Saturday: 10am-4pm
Walk-in hours (first-come, first-served):
- Tuesday: 2-6pm
- Thursday: 2-6pm
Donna Marie Iadipaolo is a writer, journalist, and State of Michigan certified teacher, since 1990. She has written for national publications like The Village Voice, Ear Magazine of New Music, Insurance & Technology, and TheStreet.
She is now writing locally for many publications, including Current Magazine, Ann Arbor Family, and the Ann Arbor Independent. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she graduated with an honors bachelor’s degree and three teacher certificate majors: mathematics, social sciences, English. She also earned three graduate degrees in Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Education Specialist Degree.
