Storm Boudrie had tried on numerous wedding dresses, some priced at $1,000 or more, but couldn’t find one that made her happy. Plus, she was hoping for something less expensive. She was at her wits’ end.

“Goodwill was my last shot,” she said, explaining that she had heard Goodwill’s annual spring wedding dress sale in Madison offered a huge selection at bargain prices.

Because she lived two hours away in Paris, Storm booked a hotel in Nashville, then showed up at the sale two hours early. She was the thirtieth person in line. All her efforts paid off. After an hour of shopping, Storm found a high-waisted, baby-doll style dress with beading on top, a sheer skirt and long train. The dress still bore its original price tag — $900, but she paid just $100.

“I found that one at the last minute and fell in love,” she said.

Storm and her fiancé, Trevor McNally, were married on June 11, 2016, and now live in Hawaii. The groom was more than pleased with his bride’s dress.

“He loved it,” she recalled. “He thought it fit my personality. He had seen me go through a lot of tears because (before Goodwill) I hadn’t been able to find the right dress for me.”

The savings from her wedding dress helped the couple start a savings account in hopes of one day buying a house. Storm — now Storm McNally — said she would “absolutely” recommend Goodwill’s annual sale to any bride-to-be.

“Goodwill had so many brand new wedding dresses — it was amazing,” she said.

This year’s Goodwill Wedding Gala will be from 6 a.m.-10 a.m. on Saturday, March 18, at the Rivergate Goodwill store, 2101 Gallatin Pike North in Madison. Click HERE for more details.