Greensburg's MB Bride supports military with annual gown giveaway

For brides, finding the perfect gown can be one of the most challenging — and expensive — steps in the wedding planning process.

MB Bride in Greensburg made it easy and affordable for Lisa Denk of Jefferson Hills, through the annual Hug-A-Hero gown giveaway July 20.

In less than two hours, Denk tried on about a dozen gowns and found one from Kitty Chen Couture that was just what she envisioned — “not too fancy, elegant but simple.”

The Hug-A-Hero Project provides a free gown to qualifying brides “who are marrying into the military or are themselves active military or veterans,” said store manager Jenn Mason.

MB Bride has been involved in military gown-giveaway programs for many years, including the nationwide Brides Across America program, Mason said.

In 2020, the store started offering gowns through Hug-A-Hero, which Mason founded with her husband, Michael, a sergeant in the Army National Guard.

“(Store owners) Maja and Reed Pederson wanted to keep it more local and personal,” she said.

The Masons were inspired to start a nonprofit to help military families by their experience following 9/11.

“When (Michael) got deployed and didn’t get paid right away, we started struggling a little bit, and I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen to anyone else ever again,” Mason said. “We started doing things for our local military, National Guard and veterans.

“We sold T-shirts, hats and jackets, things like that, to support them,” she said, with funds used for travel expenses, household repairs and other needs.

Denk, 35, who is the cancer program manager at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center in Oakland, is engaged to Joshua Abernethy, 31, an airman in the Pennsylvania National Guard previously on active duty with the U.S. Air Force.

The couple met about three years ago at Sing Sing, a dueling piano bar at The Waterfront in Homestead, when each was out with a group of friends. There happened to be mutual friends among the two groups, who introduced them.

They kept in touch when Abernethy was stationed outside the area, including a regular Wednesday night dinner date via FaceTime. They’ve kept Wednesday as date night since Abernethy returned to Jefferson Hills — although they haven’t been back to Sing Sing, Denk said.

‘Sparkly, not crazy’

Abernethy proposed July 1, and they have their wedding scheduled for July 1, 2023, at Lingrow Farm near Leechburg.

Denk learned about MB Bride’s gown giveaway while dress-shopping online. It was the first store she visited in person.

“I thought it was amazing what they were doing for military families,” she said. “It really helps me, especially having two kids.”

She visited the store with her son Connor, 11, and daughter Kayleigh, 9; along with her mother, Sandy McCabe of Bethel Park, and friend Rebecca Ciotti of O’Hare.

Bridal stylist Zoe Ripple worked with Denk, telling her, “All the dresses are pretty, but which one is pretty for your wedding day?”

“The kids especially voiced their opinions,” McCabe said. “Connor was so protective of his mother; he didn’t want her in anything too revealing.”

He approved the final choice.

“It’s sparkly, but not crazy,” he said.

Kayleigh will be her mother’s maid of honor and Connor will be best man. Abernethy’s niece will be flower girl, completing the wedding party.

Denk had her choice from a roomful of gowns, sizes 4 to 22, most of which were samples and overstocks worth between $500 and $3,000.

“If for some reason (program participants) don’t find one there, we offer them a discount on a regular-priced gown,” Mason said.

Giveaway day is just as exciting for store staff as it is for the brides, she added.

“They love helping the brides anyway, but it’s always special when you’re contributing in a way that’s more than just helping someone find a dress,” Mason said. “Obviously it’s a little bit different for the military community here, because there’s no base here. When there’s a base nearby, they get a lot more help.

“This is a personal mission for us here at MB Bride,” she said. “It’s our way of giving back to the military community.”