Vintage wedding dresses saved from old Roanoke business on sale for chairty

Net proceeds from the sales will benefit the Prevention Council of Roanoke Co.

ROANOKE, Va. – A treasure plucked from the back of a former business on Roanoke's Williamson Road will soon be up for sale.

It's dozens of things you'd use for a wedding and the money from their sale is going to a good cause. It's not everyday you come across things like this, the treasures Melissa Palmer has stumbled upon. It's hard to believe people would leave some of these things behind, but they did, and you can help give them a new life.

Nearly every girl dreams about her wedding dress, but Palmer now has a bunch of the forgotten ones, loved on the day of and then for whatever reason left behind.

"I mean it was sort of a time chest that we opened when we emptied this storage vault at a dry cleaning plant that closed on Williamson Road," Palmer said.

Dresses spanning the decades overflowing Palmer's garage. When a friend let her have them all she just knew they were destined for more.

"When do you see a collection of these kinds of things all in one place, and really not even knowing what we have in this collection yet," Palmer said.

She was still going through all the boxes when we sat down with her Thursday. A surprise is contained in each one, perfectly preserved.

She's the first to admit they may not all be today's style, but they each deserve more.

"I just am really excited to show these dresses that are part of, renewal and rebirth and these kind of things that were involved in such, such joy in someone's life," Palmer said.

Palmer is selling them all through her business Chocolate Paper in conjunction with Black Dog Salvage at a bridal brunch this weekend. Net proceeds go to the prevention council, something board member Michael Galliher said will help fund their addiciton resources.

"It's something that is very unique for us, first time that we've been involved in an event like this and the proceeds from this will definetely help us being in the community," Galliher said.

Palmer sees the second change these dresses are getting like the second chances the Prevention Coucnil gives. They may not going back down the aisle, but they have value.

"(The Prevention Council has) some people that really need a little bit of re-birth and renewal and it just sort of makes sense," Palmer said.

The Bridal Brunch is Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dresses are excpted to go from $25-$300. Entry admission is $5.