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<h4>The St Vincent de Paul Society offers services that help people in need.</h4>
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<h4>Thank You, Melbourne | What an Incredible Four Days</h4>
<p>Melbourne's very first Vinnies Wedding Pop-Up has officially wrapped, and what a celebration it was. Thank you to everyone who came through our doors at The District Docklands, whether you travelled from around the corner or from as far as Wodonga, Sydney and Tasmania to be part of it.</p>
<h4><strong><span class="highlight-block">STAY TUNED: UPDATES ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA</span></strong></h4>

Happy brides found dream dress at Vinnies

Vinnies VIC: An incredible four days at Docklands with Melbourne's very first Vinnies Wedding Pop-Up. People travelled near and far just to be there and snap up that special dress for their special occasion.

Happy brides leave Docklands

Wedding Pop-Up - it's a wrap

<h4>For four days, we transformed our Docklands space into a wedding wonderland, bringing together hundreds of new and pre-loved wedding dresses alongside suits, bridesmaid dresses, shoes, veils and accessories, all at a fraction of retail price.</h4>
<p>With the average Australian wedding now costing around $38,000, the pop-up gave couples a chance to celebrate without the financial pressure, while also making a more sustainable choice.</p>
<p>As Liz Randle, Head of Retail and Innovation at Vinnies Victoria, said in the lead up to the Wedding Pop-Up:</p>
<p><strong>"Choosing pre-loved doesn't mean compromising. It means finding something unique, saving money, making a more sustainable choice, and helping people doing it tough at the same time."</strong></p>

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<h2>Vinnies Wedding Pop-Up 2026 details</h2>

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<h4>Where:</h4>
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<h4>The District Docklands, 33 Wharf Street, Melbourne</h4>
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<h4>When:&nbsp;</h4>
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<h4>Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 August 2026, 10.00am - 6.00pm</h4>
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<h4>Pricing:</h4>
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<h4>Most dresses were around the $100 mark, with a range from <br>$20 up to $500 depending on the piece</h4>
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<h4>Every single purchase went directly toward Vinnies programs supporting people experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity and financial hardship across Victoria.</h4>
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<h3>720</h3>
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<h4>Happy customers through our doors</h4>
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<h3>1,800+</h3>
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<h4>Items sold</h4>
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<h3>1,000+</h3>
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<h4>Dresses found new homes, many of which were with brides to be</h4>
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<h4>Queues formed outside the shop each morning before opening, with shoppers happily chatting away while they waited for their turn to browse. For many, the wait was well worth it.</h4>
<h4>Alexandra Munro arrived an hour before doors opened on the first day and found her dream dress immediately, a sixties style vintage floral piece for just $50.</h4>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">"It was literally the first one I tried on, and I was like, 'Oh, I think this is it,'" she said.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">After eighteen months of searching for her dress, Alexandra said the experience meant more than just finding a bargain.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">"I had a budget of $1,000, and I'm really happy to have found a gown that already has a story. I think that's really nice to be able to kind of continue that in a sustainable way."</p>

<h2>Huge thank you to our donors <br>and vendors</h2>

<h4>None of this would have been possible without the generosity of bridal boutiques and formal wear brands such as Sposa Bride, Brides of Armadale and Pilgrim, who donated hundreds of dresses to the cause.</h4>
<p>A special thank you also goes to donors across the state who gave their wedding and formal pieces to their local Vinnies Shops, giving each item a new life.</p>
<p>We also want to thank the incredible vendors who joined us and helped make the pop-up the place to be for couples in the thick of wedding planning.</p>
<h4>Bubli Weddings</h4>
<p>Bubli is an Australian wedding planning platform that makes it easy to find and book wedding vendors, from photographers to florists, all while managing the details in one place. The Bubli team was on site throughout the pop-up chatting to couples about their wedding planning journey.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bubli_weddings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more here</a></strong></p>
<h4>The Bloom Bar</h4>
<p>The Bloom Bar Melbourne brought an interactive floral experience to the pop-up, with customers picking their own blooms to create a petite bouquet to take home. The Bloom Bar is available for hire, making it a wonderful addition for anyone hosting a wedding, bridal shower or similar celebration.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebloombar.melb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more here</a></strong></p>
<h4>Big Cookie Co</h4>
<p>Big Cookie Co kept everyone fuelled with delicious loaded cookies, cookie pies and sweet treats, the kind of sweet addition that would suit any bridal shower or wedding celebration.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.bigcookieco.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more here</a></p>
<h4>SLJ Photography</h4>
<p>Sarah from SLJ Photography was on-site chatting to couples about their wedding plans and capturing Insta mini prints as a keepsake from the day. Based in Bacchus Marsh, SLJ Photography specialises in weddings, newborns, families and boudoir photography. As part of the pop-up, customers also went into the draw to win $1,000 off their wedding photography, thanks to SLJ Photography.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sljphotography.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more here</a></p>

<h4>Victoria's first Vinnies Wedding Pop-Up was more than we could have hoped for, and it would not have been possible without our community showing up and shopping with purpose.</h4>
<h4>Every dress sold, every queue you waited in and every dollar spent is helping people experiencing hardship across Victoria.</h4>
<h4>Keep an eye on our social media and website for news on what's next…</h4>