Here come the brides

Dozens of brides. Zero weddings. One very San Francisco Saturday.

A sea of white gowns took over Washington Square Park in SF earlier this month, as hundreds of people showed up dressed for the altar—sans the whole “marriage” commitment.

The occasion? The 26th annual Brides of March event, a combined bar crawl and street performance in celebration of secondhand fashion.

The “brides” kicked things off near the Ben Franklin statue and circled the park in full wedding attire. Think veils, bouquets, and ring pops swapped in for diamonds.

• From there, the group posed for photos outside Saints Peter and Paul Church before parading up Columbus Avenue and landing at Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe for what can only be described as a DIY mass reception.

The tradition dates back to 1999, and has since evolved into a local staple. The premise is simple: grab a thrifted or repurposed wedding dress and join the party. The message behind it is slightly less simple.

• “It’s about keeping San Francisco weird,” organizer Jenneviere Villegas said. She also pointed out the irony of wedding dresses that cost thousands only to be worn once and then stored away. 
• Brides of March flips that script, giving those dresses a second life, this time with less pressure and more drinks.

For some, it’s become an annual tradition. One participant said she has 15 wedding dresses packed away at home, ready for future marches.

As one local put it while watching the spectacle unfold: nothing surprises them in San Francisco anymore.