Enzoani Runway Show!

 Enzoani & Blue by Enzoani 2011 Trunk Show December 22nd-January 2nd

Runway Show! December 22nd at 7:00pm

Bella will be premiering the trunk show with a Runway Party! Come one, come all! Bring family and friends to sit back and enjoy the show! Snack on hors d'oeuvres while sipping on our signature "Bellatinis". Reservations are required and are limited, so call now to reserve your space. Space will be filled on a first come first served basis. Bella is very excited to be the very first store to feature the  Enzoani & Blue by Enzoani's 2011 Trunk Shows!  This years much anticipated collection brings style into bridal gowns like never before.  Bella Bridal will have most of the 2011 Enzoani and Blue by Enzoani to see in store, in addition to our collection from past seasons.

Bella wishes you and your family Happy Holidays

Bella Bridal & Formal Wear raises money for Breast Cancer

On Sunday, June 27th we will host our largest sample sale of the year.  First Come, First Served Basis from 10 am to 3 pm.  See our story and details below.

This Sample sale will benefit the TAG Team (Tracey Anne Geils) for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk.

Our owner, Sandy Ryan, has lost two dear friends to this horrible disease.  A very dear friend and co-worker, (Tracey Anne Geils) died at the Very Young age of 33.  She left behind a daughter the same age as Sandy's youngest daughter.  In honor of her daughter, Sandy began walking in the 3-day walk in 2005.  This August Sandy will participate in her 4th walk.  This means that she has all ready raised over $7,000 for the Susan G. Komen 3-day walk. 

In April of 2009, Sandy lost another friend to breast Cancer.  Jodi Rees was also a local business owner.  Their friendship developed over the years as they worked together on many events.  Jodi battled breast cancer for more than 10 years and passed away at 48.  In honor of both Tracey and Jodi, Sandy will continue to raise as much money and walk as many miles as possible until there is a cure.

Each year vendors discontinue styles.  There is nothing wrong with the styles, it is just a way for the vendors to sell more dresses to their suppliers.  As a result, Bella Bridal is left with hundreds of dresses we can not resell.  Due to Sandy's connection with Breast Cancer, she is donating 100% of the proceeds from our Sample Sale to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk. 

We will feature bridal gowns starting at $100.  We also have hundreds of special occasion dresses for $25 a piece or 3 for $60 (60 miles in 3 days).  This is our largest sample sale ever and we want to make a difference to finding a cure.  Please pass the word onto everyone you know. 

If you are unable to attend, but would like to help with a donation, please visit Sandy's link at http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2010/ChicagoEvent2010?px=1158437&pg=personal&fr_id=1463
If enough funds are raised, she will walk 60 more in San Diego in November.  Help us make a difference.
Call for information 630-443-9226

Make the most of bridal shows.

Over the past few months, Bella has participated in several bridal shows. We began with a big show at NIU in January. We participated in shows at Cantigny, the Holiday Inn in Naperville, Bartlett Hills, and then the Stateline Splendor show in Rockford in March.


After attending all of these shows, Bella wants to give you some tips for attending a Bridal Show:

Prepare labels with your name, address, phone number and email address. Many vendors will offer raffles at their booths and this will save you time. These raffles give you an opportunity to win valuable savings for your wedding.

Prepare a list of questions ahead of time. Make a list of vendors that you are still in need of and have a list of questions prepared. This will allow you to visit multiple vendors that provide the same services and make it easier for you to compare and decide the best vendor to meet your needs.

Come hungry. Most bridal shows provide plenty of food to be sampled. Make sure you are hungry enough to make the rounds and sample it all.

Bring your calendar with you. Many vendors will offer you a discount if you schedule an appointment with them at the show.

Bring the decision makers with you. It helps if everyone involved in paying for a service are there to hear all of the options. However, remember that it is your wedding and your decision in the end.

Find out ahead of time if vendors will be selling products at the show and come prepared to make a purchase. If products are for sale at the show, it is a terrific opportunity for a bargain.

Prepare to be tired at the end of the day. While it is a fun, exciting time for you it is exhausting to be overwhelmed with so much information all at once.

Unless you want to spend the entire time at a show, don't plan on coming as soon as the show starts. Most shows, save the fashion show for the end. Additionally, most shows save the best raffle prizes for the end, and you must be present to win.

Overall, relax and enjoy the day. It is just another step in the entire process of planning your wedding. You may be surprised what you find at the show.
Visit our website for more details on events happening at Bella Bridal & Formal Wear and see for yourself "The Difference....Is the Experience"

What is Market?

Twice a year, manufacturers host what is called "Market". There are markets in Las Vegas, Atlanta, New York & Chicago. The Spring Market is hosted in Chicago in the fall, usually October. The Fall Market is hosted in Chicago in the Spring, usually March. Sound confusing? It is. It takes us as long to get our samples as it does for us to special order our merchandise for our customers. That is why the markets are held 6 months ahead of the season. (More on Seasons will follow below.)


The Chicago Market is hosted at the Merchandise Mart. It is 3 or 4 days of fun, stress and sore feet. Hundreds of manufacturers showcase their latest styles in booths, that take up an entire floor of the Merchandise Mart. We spend 3 1/2 days combing the floor for the best suppliers, that offer the best quality product at the most affordable price. From 9-5 we visit our vendors booths and sit through fashion shows. Each manufacturer produces about 20-40 new bridal gowns for each season. We select a minimum number of gowns from each of our suppliers, because we actually purchase all of our samples for full price.

The management of Bella Bridal carefully hand selects each gown we carry. We evaluate each gown for price, fabric, silhouette, and most importantly style. Sometimes, we choose one gown over another, because we may find a better one from another supplier that is very similar. We spend the first couple of days evaluating every line we carry and taking notes on what our initial thoughts are. We then go back on the last day and make final decisions, based on everything we have seen.

This same process is bridesmaid dresses, special occasion gowns, headpieces, veils and jewelry. There are usually fewer suppliers to choose from, so the process isn't quite as complicated.

Once we purchase the minimums from a supplier, we are an authorized dealer of that line. That allows us to order any of the gowns or products from that manufacturer, even if we do not carry a sample of that item in the store.

Additionally, each manufacturer discontinues styles periodically. It varies by manufacturer, how often and when this happens. Once a gown is discontinued, we can no longer order it. This is why we sell samples. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the samples we are selling. It is just time for the manufacturer to change styles again. This is why we have semi-annual sample sales. Not all of the samples being sold are discontinued. Actually, most of them are not. It just allows us to make room for more of the new styles coming in.

We are looking forward to selecting more fabulous styles for our Fall customers.

2010 Bridal Trends

2010 is all about personalizing your wedding. Your wedding should reflect the personality of the bride and the groom. You can carry this personalization throughout your entire wedding. Pick a theme that is important to both of you. It could be eco-friendly, cause driven, family oriented. Whatever is important to the both of you, should be reflected throughout the wedding.

Bridal Gowns:
This year you will see a look reminiscent of the 40s and 50s. A very romantic Camelot look and feel for 2010.

• Soft, flowing fabrics
• Ruffles and tiers
• Simplistically chic and understated
• Asymmetrical silhouettes
• Twists and folds in the fabric
• Decorattive Belt
• Shades of off-white including eggshell colors

Designers are creating their gowns in a much more simplistic manner. The design is created by working with the fabric to create three dimensional flowers and interesting accents. Simplistic, doesn’t mean simple.  The complexity is created with the fabric, not the beading.

When selecting the gown of your dreams, keep several things in mind:

• First and foremost is your personality.
• The gown should be a reflection of who you are.
• Next consider the style of wedding you are planning.
• Personalize your gown in some way. If you are passionate about some kind of a cause, reflect it someway in your gown. Get creative and make your gown something special for you.
• Comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed for Style. As much as you want the perfect gown for your special day, don’t sacrifice comfort.
• No matter what gown you select, go for the “Wow Factor”. It is the one day of your life no one can consider you over dressed.

Bridesmaids dresses:
In 2010 wearability is key in bridesmaid dresses. Many brides are selecting cocktail style gowns that can be worn by bridesmaids again.

• Short and sassy
• Fitted above the knee skirts
• Bridesmaid gowns match what is presented on the ready to wear runway
• One shoulder dresses that can be worn anywhere
• Bubble skirts
• Ruffles and dropped waist
• Pockets in the skirt

For your Something Blue consider your maids dress.  Blue is one of the most popular colors in 2010. Specifically cobalt blue. You will also notice unusual bright vibrant colors.  New colors this year are muted jewel tones with teal and hyacinth leading the pack after cobalt blue. Close behind are the orange and coral colors.

Some things to consider when selecting your bridesmaid dresses:

• You need to consider the size and style of your bridal party.
• If the entire party is young and thin, you can go short and sassy.
• If you have a variety of ages, heights and sizes, consider selecting a designer, a fabric and a color. Let each of your bridesmaids select their own style so they can be comfortable.
• The bottom line is that it is still your wedding. Make it what you dream of. Your bridesmaids will go along with any decision you make. They are just honored to be part of your special day.

In keeping with the personalization of the wedding. It is popular this year to have a theme for the whole wedding and to have everything match. Plan this around the colors you select for your bridal party. Napkins, invitations, etc. can all be customized to create a wow factor for the entire reception and wedding.  A very popular personalization this year is to create a signature cocktail in your bridal party colors. For example we created a signature “Bellatini” that is in our store color of blue.

No wedding is complete without the perfect accessories. Here are the trends in Headpieces for this year.  The overall look is Reminiscent of the 40s.

• Beautifully delicate feather headpieces and soft silk flowers with feather accents
• Fashionable bird Cage veils and English net veiling
• Taditional is always fashionable in the bridal industry