‘Running of the Brides’ draws more than 200 at NY department store

LONDON - As many as 200 brides-to-be took part in the chaotic ‘Running of the Brides’ tradition in a New York department store, to pick up dresses once worth 10,000 dollars for a mere 249 dollars.

Cast members from Broadway show ‘Mamma Mia!’ were in the Filene’s Basement store for the event, which saw brides-to-be travel from as far away as Washington.

Lauren Grace arrived from Woodbridge, New Jersey, and described the scramble as ‘crazy’ after picking up a ‘bargain’ dress worth 3,000 dollars for only 499 dollars.

She stayed overnight at a hotel with her shopping team before arriving outside the store at 4am and waiting for four hours before being allowed in.

Miss Grace’s team-consisting of her bridesmaid, maid of honour, friend and aunt-went as far as to organise a system to grab the most heavily discounted dresses.

Two of them ran in and grabbed a spot, three others picked up dresses and they all carried yellow balloons - the colour of Miss Grace’s wedding, used as a locator to spot each other in the chaos.

“I was a little more modest than some people, to say the least,” the Daily Mail quoted Grace as telling the New York Daily News.

“Some people were down to their undergarments,” she said.

Nikki Saucier, was first in line for the event after taking a bus from Washington to the event with her mother, maid of honour, future sister-in-law and friend.

“This is war. We are going to grab as many dresses as we can and head for a mirror,” she said.

Her team wore bright green shirts saying ‘Drunk is the new black’ and in the first 24 minutes she had already tried on 40 dresses. (ANI)