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Inside of The Brides Project on Sept. 13, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

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• Inside of The Brides Project on Sept. 13, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com /calendar/photologue/photos/!brides2/cache/091311-AJC-BUS-The-Brides-Project-02_fullsize.JPG
• Inside of The Brides Project on Sept. 13, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com /calendar/photologue/photos/!brides2/cache/091311-AJC-BUS-The-Brides-Project-03_fullsize.JPG
• From left: The Brides Project designer and brander Kellie Bambach, Executive Director Barb Hiltz, Marketing Co-Chair Ashley Edwards, and The Brides Project Co-Chair Monique Sluymers stand with wedding gowns inside of their space on W. Liberty on Sept. 13, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com /calendar/photologue/photos/!brides2/cache/091311-AJC-BUS-The-Brides-Project-01_fullsize.JPG
• Inside of The Brides Project on Sept. 13, 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com /calendar/photologue/photos/!brides2/cache/091311-AJC-BUS-The-Brides-Project-04_fullsize.JPG
• Selo/Shevel Gallery provided space in one of its windows for The Brides Project to display a few wedding gowns for the month on September in 2011. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com /calendar/photologue/photos/!brides2/cache/091311-AJC-BUS-The-Brides-Project-05_fullsize.JPG

A new volunteer-based bridal salon, The Brides' Project, opened in downtown Ann Arbor on Friday with a mission to raise money for a local cancer support organization.

The Brides’ Project, which is located in a donated space at 208 W. Liberty St. and run by an organization called Cancer Support Community of Ann Arbor, sells a selection of discounted used or new wedding dresses that have been donated.

From left: The Brides' Project designer and brander Kellie Bambach, executive director of the Cancer Support Community Barb Hiltz, marketing co-chair Ashley Edwards, and The Brides' Project co-chair Monique Sluymers stand with wedding gowns inside their space on West Liberty Street.

Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Mark Hodesh, owner of Ann Arbor’s Downtown Home and Garden, donated free space in his building on West Liberty Street to The Brides’ Project. The rest of the building is used as a kitchen for the food vendors that operate at Hodesh's Mark’s Carts.

Monique Sluymers, co-chair of The Brides’ Project, said the idea for the salon came from a similar project by the same name in Toronto that was founded by Helen Sweet in 2005.

“I thought this looked like a great idea,” she said. “It’s a great alternative to the traditional wedding in that these are recycled dresses. So it appealed to me from an environmental aspect, but also the fact that all the money goes to cancer support.”

Sluymers said she thought Ann Arbor would be a perfect place to spearhead a project of this type, so she contacted Barb Hiltz, executive director of the Cancer Support Community, to form a partnership.

“This has been such a collaboration, and I think that’s what Ann Arbor is all about,” Sluymers said. “Plus, I thought Ann Arbor brides would love the idea of getting a dress than means more than just a dress on any other shelf.”

Hiltz said The Brides’ Project salon, which will be open by appointment-only Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, has received about 150 dresses in a variety of sizes and styles.

“These dresses are coming in from all over the United States,” Sluymers said. “Brides are deciding to donate their dresses and give to the organization rather than having them sit in the closet.”

Hiltz said the dresses are priced anywhere from $50 to $1,250, and the salon has several designer gowns.

Volunteers will run the salon, and Sluymers said The Brides’ Project leadership team has already trained 35 people.

Hodesh, owner of Downtown Home and Garden, said he decided to donate space to The Brides’ Project because it seemed like it was something that fit with the Ann Arbor community.

“I thought this project was nice and I felt like we could have an impact on local families,” he said. “I also liked their idea of offering people an opportunity to buy previously used wedding dresses. This makes all the sense in the world.”

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.