(021607 Boston, MA) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES – Filene’s Basement held its twice annual bridal sale early Friday morning at the Downtown Crossing Store. Summer Colacchio of Fitchburg, right, helps bride to be Maria Hanson of Fitchburg zip into a gown. Friday, February 16, 2007. Staff photo by Mike Adaskaveg.
Filene’s Basement was the place to be in downtown for years — especially for the “Running of the Brides.”
That event, full of joy and zaniness, was a staple in the pages of the Herald. It’s wedding season so today we dip into the archives to celebrate a tradition that still brings a smile.
The Basement opened in 1909 and didn’t turn a profit for about a decade.
In 1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s son, John, worked as a stock boy in the Basement.
In 1940 designs by Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli are shipped in from war-torn Europe.
In 1991 the store installs its first women’s fitting room, but shoppers still try on clothes in the aisles.
That last item, women trying on dresses in the aisles, is quintessential Boston. It’s panic and glee wrapped in a loving tradition. The video above speaks for itself.
The pandemic is waning, I sure hope, and weddings are once again being held. So today we give you the hunt for the perfect gown — the one that, when it fits and feels just right, lights up a room as only a bride can do.
(061507 Boston, MA) FILENE'S BASEMENT WORLD FAMOUS BRIDAL EVENT - Brides to be ran through the Downtown Crossing Filene's Basement gathering gowns and heaping them in piles as they stripped down to try them on in the aisles. Burried in piles of gowns gathered by bridesmaids, are bride Tiffany Siu of Westford and her sister Amanda Siu. Friday, June 15, 2007. Staff photo by Mike Adaskaveg.
Bridal gown Sale at Filene's Jan Merikanto of concord, NH tries on a gow.. Neice who lives in San Francisco.
11/14/1997
(Newton, MA) Running of the Brides at Filene's Basement Friday morning. Grab as many gowns as you can is the tried and game plan. Jacklyn Brunelle of Paxton protects her selection of gowns. Friday, October 28, 2011. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
Wedding Dress sale at Filenes Basement Women scurrininto Filenes Basement and grab as many dresses as they can.
11/15/1996
Wedding dress sale at Filene's Basement Maryellen McDonaghof Braintree, cheeks out the train of a wedding dress in the mirror.
(Newton, MA) Running of the Brides at Filene's Basement Friday morning. The first in line rush into the store. Staff photo by Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(Newton, MA) Running of the Brides at Filene's Basement Friday morning. Staff photo by Friday, October 28, 2011. Andrea Vos of Rochester, NY gets help from her team. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(082109 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement Running of the Brides at the Hynes Convention Center. The race is on as the doors open for famous Filene's Basement wedding gown sale. Friday, August 21, 2009. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(Newton, MA) Running of the Brides at Filene's Basement Friday morning. Jacklyn Brunelle of Paxton shows off one of her selections. Staff photo by Friday, October 28, 2011. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(02/20/09-Boston,MA) Filene's Basement's annual Running of the Brides. Fifteen-hundred newly engaged women and their helpers, hoping to snag the wedding gown of their dreams for a great price, descended upon Hynes Convention Center this morning. Some hearty souls arrived pre-dawn. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel.
(082109 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement Running of the Brides at the Hynes Convention Center. Maria Coakley of Boston has a tight grasp on her wedding gown selections. Friday, August 21, 2009. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(082109 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement Running of the Brides at the Hynes Convention Center. The race is on as the doors open for famous Filene's Basement wedding gown sale. Friday, August 21, 2009. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(082109 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement Running of the Brides at the Hynes Convention Center. Dion Lim from Kansas City dives into a pile of gowns. Friday, August 21, 2009. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(021910 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement's Running of the Brides a the Hynes Convention Center. At 8am the doors were open and the mad dash began. Friday, February 19, 2010. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(02/20/09-Boston,MA) Filene's Basement's annual Running of the Brides. Fifteen-hundred newly engaged women and their helpers, hoping to snag the wedding gown of their dreams for a great price, descended upon Hynes Convention Center this morning. Some hearty souls arrived pre-dawn. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel.
(2/17/06 Boston, MA ) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Women fight for gowns as they clean the racks of Filene's Basement Friday morning. . (Staff Photo by Mike Adaskaveg. Saved in Saturday)
(02/20/09-Boston,MA) Filene's Basement's annual Running of the Brides. Fifteen-hundred newly engaged women and their helpers, hoping to snag the wedding gown of their dreams for a great price, descended upon Hynes Convention Center this morning. Some hearty souls arrived pre-dawn. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel.
(2/17/06 Boston, MA ) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Brides to be scramble to try on gowns at Filene's Basement. . (Staff Photo by Mike Adaskaveg. Saved in Saturday)
(021910 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement's Running of the Brides a the Hynes Convention Center. Gowns flew off the racks as determined shoppers were focused on the task at hand.Friday, February 19, 2010. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(2/17/06 Boston, MA ) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Elizabeth Palmateer drove up from Kent, CT. to search for her gown. . (Staff Photo by Mike Adaskaveg. Saved in Saturday)
(021910 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement's Running of the Brides a the Hynes Convention Center. Harvard Law student Adrienne Simpson (l) grabs several gowns to try on. Friday, February 19, 2010. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(021910 Boston, MA) Filene's Basement's Running of the Brides a the Hynes Convention Center. Gowns flew off the racks as determined shoppers were focused on the task at hand. Friday, February 19, 2010. Staff photo by Ted Fitzgerald
(02/20/09-Boston,MA) Filene's Basement's annual Running of the Brides. Fifteen-hundred newly engaged women and their helpers, hoping to snag the wedding gown of their dreams for a great price, descended upon Hynes Convention Center this morning. Some hearty souls arrived pre-dawn. Here, one participant staked out her area. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel.
(021607 Boston, MA) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Friend Lindsay Wight, background, keeps a chosen gown high as bride to be Brooke Hutchinson, tries on another gow. Both are from Danvers. Filene's Basement held its twice annual bridal sale early Friday morning at the Downtown Crossing Store. Friday, February 16, 2007. Staff photo by Mike Adaskaveg.
(021607 Boston, MA) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Filene's Basement held its twice annual bridal sale early Friday morning at the Downtown Crossing Store. Samantha Hulslander of Peabody screams with joy because she found a gown she liked. Friday, February 16, 2007. Staff photo by Mike Adaskaveg.
(021607 Boston, MA) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Filene's Basement held its twice annual bridal sale early Friday morning at the Downtown Crossing Store. Summer Colacchio of Fitchburg, right, helps bride to be Maria Hanson of Fitchburg zip into a gown. Friday, February 16, 2007. Staff photo by Mike Adaskaveg.
(2/17/06 Boston, MA ) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Women run past the early entrants, already grabbing gowns off of the racks in the Couture room of Filene's Basement . (Staff Photo by Mike Adaskaveg. Saved in Saturday)
(021607 Boston, MA) RUNNING OF THE BRIDES - Filene's Basement held its twice annual bridal sale early Friday morning at the Downtown Crossing Store. A bride wore protection as the crowd rushed to the racks. Friday, February 16, 2007. Staff photo by Mike Adaskaveg.
Joe Dwinell is the Herald's Executive Editor and investigative/enterprise reporter. If you have a news tip, email joed@bostonherald.com. Sign up for Joe's weekly Watchdog and From the Archives newsletters on our newsletter page for the latest investigative and enterprise reports.
