Soldier bride gets dress for upcoming wedding

WATERTOWN, Mass. -- A local Army sergeant and bride-to-be is on a 'mission.'

“We received notice in March that we would both be deployed to Iraq in January,” said Julie Noyes, Army sergeant and soon-to-be bride.

Noyes and her fiancée, who is also a fellow soldier, are scrambling to put together a wedding in just a few months before both are deployed to Iraq.

In the short time she has to pull everything together, Noyes is trying to track down the prefect wedding dress and a local business has stepped in to help.

Thanks to Vows Bridal Outlet and the USO of New England, Julie's wedding gown is free.

“We felt like giving to the military, given that they sacrifice so much for us that this is something we'd feel really good about doing,” said Leslie DeAngelo, owner of Vows Bridal Outlet.

The store's gowns range from about $500 up to about $10,000.

“As cliché as it sounds, it's a dream come true, I never ever would have imagined that someone would remember that women serve as well,” said Noyes.

“Unbelievable, these people are just phenomenal to do something like that, to show that kind of support, that's a big thing for them to do. Takes a load off us,” said Carolyn Noyes, Julie's Mom.

As she changes from combat boots to wedding day heels, Julies said she feels like this gift makes her realize how much people appreciate what she does.

“It makes you feel that you really are doing something worthwhile and that you're doing something selfless and that there are people out there that see that and recognize it,” Noyes said.

Julie's wedding dress gift is part of a larger event scheduled for December when Vows Bridal Outlet and the USO will be giving more than 300 wedding gowns to military servicewomen and brides of servicemen.

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