Kari Goodmay and her family are celebrating the 10th anniversary of opening The Haight, their wedding and banquet venue in downtown Elgin, with a pop-up sale at which brides-to-be can buy designer gowns at deeply discounted prices.

“This event gives couples an opportunity to purchase a stunning dress without the stress of high price tags,” Goodmay said of the event being held April 17-19.

There is a lot of waste in the wedding industry, she said, and The Gowns for Good event is part of a push for more sustainability.

Gowns for Good is a nonprofit Goodmay helped found. This will be the first time they’re holding the dress sale and if all goes well, two more pop-up sales will take place this year, she said.

“There’s a lot of economic uncertainty right now, and this is a way to do something for the community,” she said. “We’ll also be donating proceeds to local charities, particularly ones that address women’s issues.”

On average couples are spending about $35,000 for wedding receptions, she said, but are getting less for their money thanks to inflation. Where guest lists used to be around 200, they are now closer to 150, Goodmay said.

“Our goal is to help brides find a gown they love while keeping their wedding budget intact,” she said.

Toward that end, she has obtained about 1,200 wedding dresses donated by a bridal shop in Indianapolis, Complete Bridal in East Dundee and elsewhere as well as mother of bride/groom dresses, bridesmaid dresses and other formal dresses from House of Brides in Schaumburg.

Wedding dresses these days can cost as much as $7,000 or more, Goodmay said. The bridal gowns offered at the pop-up sale will be priced from $99 to $1,500 and bridesmaid dresses will be just $50. Styles include classic ball gowns, modern minimalist dresses and hipster looks.

There’s even a gown from Allure Bridals that’s inspired by Disney’s take on “Rapunzel.” It retailed for $3,200 but Goodmay is selling it for $1,500, she said.“We have a wide variety of styles and sizes to fit every bride’s vision,” she said.

Any bride who is enlisted in the military or engaged to someone in the military will get their gown for free, she added.

The Haight banquet hall is being adapted so that it will hold racks of dresses and makeshift changing rooms.

In addition to the sale, The Haight’s also marking its 10th year in the wedding and banquet business by holding a promotional event with Chicago radio station Q101. Listeners will be choosing one couple to receive a $30,000 wedding reception for 100 guests to be held on Friday, May 9, Goodmay said. (For more details, go to www.q101.com/get-married-with-q101-walk-down-aisle-101).

Over the last 10 years, The Haight has hosted about 1,000 wedding receptions, Goodmay said. What she loves about the business, she said, is that while receptions tend to follow a familiar formula, the execution is always different.

“And weddings are always celebrations for families, creating their moments and milestones,” she said. “We’re about family here, and we enjoy providing that to our guests.”

The Gowns for Good pop-up sale will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 17-18, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at 166 Symphony Way, Elgin. While free to attend, registration is required at www.thegownsforgood.org.

Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.