Here Comes the Groom!

Brides come to us to help them find the perfect dress and make them feel special. A wedding is about two people, so we do not want to overlook the grooms and their needs. That is why we also do tuxedos. You don't want to walk down the aisle with a man that looks like he is wearing a penguin suit. You want him to look as good as you do.

Whether you are getting married on the beach or in a church, we can find a tux that will make the man of your dreams look even dreamier. Our shop has a warm and friendly environment that will make your visit enjoyable. Men are all about comfort.  Let us help him find the perfect fit, so his focus is on you, not the fit of his tux.

Greetings for the Holiday Season!

From all of us at "Bella Bridal and Formal Wear" 

Hurry in to see the 'Enzoani Trunk Show' currently on
display in our salon, and hear all the latest exciting
news of upcoming events and displays!  We're having
lots of fun!  Come and enjoy the excitement!  The store
will be closed Dec. 24th and 25th.  Hope to see you
soon.  "Happy Holidays!" :-)

Toys for Tots Special!!

'Bella Bridal and Formal Wear' is offering 10%* off customer purchases if a donation to Toys for Tots is brought in to the salon between now and Dec. 23rd.  So bring your donation and browse the shop, as we carry a grand array of dresses with such labels as: 'Watters', Wtoo Brides, 'Sherry Hill' and 'After Six', just to name a few.

 Those of you brides who are contemplating weddings any time from June on, should be starting the dress selection proccess right now.  Mothers and bridesmaids should start as early as 5 months prior and flower girls should prepare within a 3 month range.  Don't forget, our shop carries all of the finest in accessories to decorate with and a grand assortment of attractive tuxedos for the groom and his men.  Alterations are done here at the store, so communication is essential when relating your desires of turning a simple dress into the wedding gown of your dreams.  With willingness and flexibility,  we'll go out of our way to guide you through every step of the selection process.  Hurry!  Appointments are filling up!  http://www.bellabridalandformal.com/
*some restrictions apply

We've got the inside scoop!! The Enzoani Trunk Show has arrived!!

'Bella Bridal and Formal Wear' is pleased to announce "The Enzoani Trunk Show" is currently on display at our store here in St. Charles, Il.  We are the first shop in the nation to receive this 2012 bridal collection. Our show will run until January 8th and is a definite 'must see'!  While you're planning your wedding, consider viewing these gowns as they are truly works of art!  The styles present a traditional European influence combined with classic beauty while allowing the bride to incorporate her personality into the design  Some of their more popular collections are, but not limited to, 'Love', 'Blue' and 'Modeca'.   We will have many other designer collections available in addition to the 'Enzoani' collection.

Picture yourself in ruffles and lace, satin and chiffon, silk and ribbons, mingled with brocades of pearls and gems.  These gowns will take your breath away!  Your objective is to be the most beautiful woman of the day and to dazzle your groom.  Indeed you will when he catches sight of the vision of beauty approaching him at the alter!  A favorite of ours is 'Grace', as shown here...

During our trunk show, special offers include 10% off select gowns and a free Hollow to Hem ($250 value).  At 'Bella Bridal and Formal Wear', you'll have a very satisfying range of styles to choose from.  As an independent salon, you can expect top quality materials and accessories along with our undivided attention and the ability to cater to your budget.  You will be able to communicate openly about your hopes, inspirations, desires and concerns... never be afraid to ask questions!  The more information you relay to us, the better we will be able to assist you in finding your perfect dress. 

Appointments are filling up quickly, so now is the opportune time to beat the after Christmas crowds and make your selection.  Be sure to give yourself ample time to browse through our exquisite dresses.

What's the Big Deal?

Many were asking what the big deal was about Kate & William's big day on April 29, 2011. If you are a bride planning your wedding now, or have recently been married, I am sure you can understand what the big deal is. You can appreciate all that goes into planning such a special event. Now imagine doing it with millions of onlookers, watching, commenting, and criticizing.

Bella appreciates all that our brides and their families go through. That is why we made it a BIG DEAL.
A royal wedding is the one event where there truly are fashion police. The royal guards were busy helping protect all of the details of Kate's gown, right down to the identity of the designer. Daily speculators thought they knew who the designers were.  All speculations that Bella saw, were inaccurate.  It wasn't until April 29th, when Kate emerged that the world learned that Sarah Burton of the Alexander McQueen fashion house, was the designer of Kate's beautiful gown.  




This was a huge deal for wedding designers world wide. Within minutes of Kate's gown being revealed, designers began their version of Kate's gown. Knock-offs will be available world-wide over the next year. Various versions will also be available for years to come.

In 1980, William's parents were wed in the wedding of the 20th century. This event began a dream of a young girl who later fulfilled her dream years later with the opening of Bella Bridal & Formal Wear in 2004. In celebration of this, we hosted live coverage of the event. We were joined by a bride and her maid of honor, who drove out all of the way from Chicago for the event.  At 9:10 we drew the winner of our ROYAL RAFFLE.  Ashley Bennet was thrilled to be the winner of 50% off her wedding gown.  Congratulations Ashley!!!

2011 Wedding Influence- A Royal Affair

On April 29, 2011, Prince William will wed Kate Middleton. While the wedding will take place thousands of miles from here, it will have a lot of influence on weddings here in the states. Right now, it is one of the best kept secrets. What will Kate wear? While many of you may have no interest in this, it will directly influence wedding fashions here in the states. This will probably be the single most influential element to bridal fashions in the next year.



When Princess Dianna was wed in 1981, she selected little known designers David &Elizabeth Emanuel to design the dress of the 20th century.

While production of the gown was underway, secrecy was of the utmost importance. No details were to be leaked. There was to be no inkling of what the gown was even made from. Because of this, the Emanuels' even resorted to discarding scraps of other fabrics to throw royal watchers off. From the first glimpse of the bride, designers began copying the gown. This gown was the inspiration for wedding gowns all over the world in the 1980's.

Details of Kate's wedding are emerging slowly. So far, Kate has selected a hat designer. People are speculating whether Kate will wear a hat or a veil. There is also speculation of what tiara Kate will wear. Will the Queen give her a special tiara? Will she be able to select her own from the vault?
The biggest question is what designer will Kate choose for the gown and what will it look like? No one will know until Kate emerges from the car. Within minutes knock-offs will begin being produced all over the world. Currently, rumor has it that Bruce Oldfield will be the designer. He was a favorite designer of Princess Diana's. No one will know for sure until April 29th. See our April newsletter to find out what we have planned for this grand royal affair.

Internet Do's & Don'ts for Planning Your Wedding

The internet can be an invaluable tool in planning your wedding. There are many websites out there that allow you to search for all of your wedding needs from the comfort of home. Websites such as www.theknot.com and www.weddingwire.com allow you to search for vendors and review what they have to offer. You can also see what other customer's have to say. This can be good and bad. Overall, it is an excellent source of information. As a word of caution, don't always believe everything you read. Sometimes reviews are placed on the wrong vendor by mistake, or the circumstances are not completely accurate. Use online reviews as an overall feel for the vendor. Make sure you understand what the star ratings are based on. For example, www.yelp.com suppresses reviews and they are not calculated into the star rating.

Websites such as The Knot and Wedding Wire are also an excellent source of planning information. They offer etiquette information, budgeting tools and much more. If you have questions, answers can be found. You may want to consider using multiple sources, if it is something really important. For example, when it comes to budget information, each site will give various recommended percentages each category should be of your overall budget. Each bride and groom will have their own priorities and may want to modify the percentages spent in each area. The budget will also vary drastically based on location and size of the wedding.

DO NOT use the internet to shop for your dress. While you may think you are getting the same gown for less, reality will prove differently. Designers only sell through authorized dealers only. They also set MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) pricing that must be abided by. Some stores may choose to sell the item for more to cover shipping, etc, but an authorized dealer can not sell below the MSRP. If you are seeing an item for significantly less, do your homework and make sure you understand what you are buying. Watters & Watters offers an excellent explanation of "Buyer Beware". http://www.watters.com/Content/BuyerBeware/.

Green Weddings and our New Years Resolution

Sustaining our environment is always an important issue. Some brides and grooms are wanting to host a "Green Wedding". We have had some requests for "Green" gowns, and we don't mean the color green. At first, we weren't sure what we could do to provide green products. After doing a little bit of research, we discovered that we all ready provide many "Green" products. All silk gowns are made from 100% natural materials. Most of our designers provide many silk gowns. These gowns may cost a little more, but brides will discover many benefits to owning a silk wedding gown. Silk is a very light, breathable fabric, which is a huge benefit after a long day. Not only will the bride's body feel better, so will her conscience, knowing she is helping to protect the environment.

Another way brides can go green in their attire, is to wear a gown that was all ready worn once. Bella has hundreds of sample gowns for sale each year. We sell what ever we can throughout the year. Usually twice a year, we host special sample sales, although we will always sell almost any gown "off the rack". The proceeds from our discontinued samples go to The Susan G. Komen breast cancer 3 - day walk. Last year we donated more than $2,000 to the cause. We will be taking our gowns on the road this year and will be selling them at some of the bridal shows we will be attending. There are many benefits to buying one of these gowns.

Our New Years resolution this year will be to seek out more green products. We are going to look for designers who focus on "going green". We will also continue to do our part on recycling and trying to reduce the amount of paper used at Bella. We will continue to try to do our part in protecting the environment. Feel free to give us a call or email us with any of your "Green" suggestions.