Hey everyone,

It's that time of year again to don your running shoes and attend the famous Filene's Basement "Running of the Brides."

Our local one will take place this Friday, July 30 at Filene’s Basement, Mazza Gallerie, 5300 Wisconsin Avenue, Washington, D.C. from 8:00AM to 9:00PM. Cash, checks and credit cards accepted. All sales are final.

Below is more information and great tips directly from Filene's Basement.

CREATE YOUR TEAM We have just launched an exciting and fun way for you to recruit your team for the upcoming Running of the Brides® event. Simply add each of the members of your A-list, select a fun nickname, and upload their photo. The result is a customized invitation asking them to join you at this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Go to www.filenesbasement.com/running-of-the-brides.

ALTERATIONS ADVICE So what if you find a dress that you love, but it’s too big or too small, needs repair, or even re-styling? Maria Luz and her staff from Anytime Alterations of Silver Spring, MD will be at the Running of the Brides® all day to help. Winner of the Bride’s Choice Award 2010 byWeddingWire.com, they can tell you what can or cannot be altered, repaired or re-styled, and give you a ballpark price to do the work. www.anytimealterations.com

Here are some great tips to prepare you and your team for the Running of the Brides:

Thursday Night
--Drink lots of water
--Get a good night's sleep

Friday morning, before you leave the house

--Food is fuel - have a good breakfast
--Dress in a sports bra and bike shorts, leotard or swimsuit
--Leave your handbag behind; you'll want as little as possible to keep track of
--Don't wear make-up - it might rub off on the dresses
--No jewelry; last year, a bride-to-be lost her engagement ring when it got caught on a lacy dress

Best time to arrive at the store Friday morning

If you want to be part of the "rush to the racks" then plan to arrive by 6:30AM
Or, arrive later (anytime after 11AM) when things have calmed down and you can peruse the racks at your own pace; check out www.filenesbasement.com/campaign/late.php.

At the Sale

--Be considerate and play fair; please, please, please don't horde dresses; grab what you can, go through the dresses quickly and give up what you don't want so other brides can get started; Filene's Basement reserves the right to limit the number of gowns you can hold at one time.
--Be open-minded--try on whatever comes your way; if you focus too much on a specific style or label, you might just miss the dress of your dreams
--Remember, gowns usually run small; don't even look at size tags. Just eyeball the dress and if it's close to your size, try it on.
--Take a break if you get tired and cranky; grab some water
--Take pictures and have fun! These memories will last a lifetime.

Note: This event will likely be photographed and taped by local news outlets and by other photographers for possible broadcast or publication. By your entrance into and presence at the sale, you give unqualified consent to use, record and publicize your voice, actions, likeness and appearance in any manner in connection with news coverage and/or publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or videotaped, please hold your hand up and inform the camera operator of your wishes. All photographers are required to have press credentials or Filene's Basement authorization tags visible to customers. If you have any questions, please locate a Filene's Basement manager.

Happy shopping. If any brides-to-be are reading my blog and you attend this event, please send me your experiences and I will post them on the blog.