ALYCE PARIS TRUNK SHOW

BELLA SPOSA BRIDAL & PROM HOSTING

FAMOUS CELEBRITY DESIGNER ALYCE PARIS TRUNK SHOW

Entire collection for Prom 2014!

Grand Rapids, Michigan (December 18-28 2013) — BELLA SPOSA BRIDAL of 4972 Plainfield Avenue is pleased to announce it has been selected to host a trunk show for ALYCE PARIS: design house of strong French heritage, ALYCE PARIS has distinguished itself as an extensive national award-winning designer and manufacturer.   

ALYCE PARIS has just released it’s gorgeous Spring 2014 collection and it will be made available to the public for a ten day event which Bella Sposa Bridal & Prom is both honored and proud to be able to sponsor.  Local students will have access to the same gowns chosen by famous singers such as Taylor Swift, Payton Rae, Alyssa Shouse, P. Sanders, Jessica Jarrell, Haley Reinhart and Miss Teen USA 2011 Daniell Doty.

ALYCE PARIS’ awards for design include:  20 DEBI awards, a Chicago Designer of the Year Award, a Manufacturer of the Year Award, numerous DIVA awards, and a Desert Rose Award. ALYCE PARIS is respected around the world for its honesty, value, and extraordinary customer service.  ALYCE PARIS (http://alyceparis.com/) The 40 year old, family owned company is an outstanding resource in the fashion industry, touted and worn by the stars.

Area girls will be able to try on any of the ALYCE PARIS Spring 2014 gowns in the store.  The event has been timed so that they will also be able to order their perfect dress as a Christmas present and in time for Prom 2014. 

There will be door prizes daily of a free pair of earrings to the first 10 customers each day!  The first 10 girls to purchase their gowns will also receive a free pair of shoes.  There will be more fun and prizes throughout the 10 day event.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this amazing design house to the Grand Rapids area.”

Alyce Paris is available to purchase through Bella Sposa Bridal & Prom year around, where women and girls come to get gowns and leave with knowledge and information.

    To speak with Alyce Paris contact their headquarters:  

     (847) 966-9200 or (800) 775-2592

       7901 Caldwell Ave. Morton Grove, Illinois 60053 United States

Bella Sposa Bridal

http://bellasposabridalandpromcom

(616) 364-0777

Where dreams come true….often.

Planning the stress out of your wedding.

I'm sure everyone has heard the old sayings:  "A stitch in time saves nine." -Dr. Thomas Fuller,  "A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."― Benjamin Franklin  “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  ― Benjamin Franklin “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”  ― Abraham Lincoln

Having Forty Three years working with brides one might think that I have seen it all.  I wouldn't say that because as soon as I do I will become witness to something I never hoped to see.  I will say that I have seen a lot, have learned a lot and understand much.

This last year has been a year like no other in this industry.  We saw multiple factories and designer houses close their doors.  We saw factories lose half of their employees to higher paying jobs.  We saw orders being placed, frequently, with less than our suggested nine months before the wedding.  I hear you:  "When did the professionally suggested order time go from six to nine months?"  For us the change came nearly 20 years ago when there was an embargo and our gowns were sitting in cargo boxes out on the shores of California.  That same year U.P.S. went on strike and nothing was being delivered easily.   We were fortunate and blessed:  none of our clients were affected.

Needing to be proactive and have multiple solutions we decide that it would be in the best interests of our clients to change the recommended order time from 6 to 9 months.  That change has taught us several things.

1. That ordering 9 months before the wedding: brings the merchandise in well before it is needed with comfortably abundant time to perform alterations.  
2. That a goal of having the gowns aisle ready 30 days before the wedding is a huge stress reliever.
3. That gowns arriving within 6 weeks of the wedding almost always feels stressful.  
4. Three months in wedding time flys by quickly.
5. Ordering 9 months before the wedding seems to defy Murphy's Law.
6. Ordering 9 months before the wedding allows enough time to place a whole new order if necessary.

We understand that a lot of mainstream advice still tells you to order six months before the wedding.  We suggest that that advice is a large part of an equation that equals stress.

SAMPLE SALE OR TRUNK SHOW??

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

As 2014 is nigh upon us and with the end of the year come the gowns for next season.  Many of our brides will become engaged through out the Holiday Season.  Soon our new brides will be seeing the perfect wedding dress. Trunk shows are great as they bring choices that may not otherwise be available.  Sample Sales are fabulous for those on a tight budget.

The difference between a trunk show and a sample sale is HUGE.  Let’s look at those differences now.

SAMPLE SALES:

Sample sales are exactly as the name implies.  Gowns that are in stock and have been tried on.  Some of the gowns will have been tried a few times, some many times.  Here at Bella Sposa Bridal our ‘samples’ are treated with great care and would not be in the condition that a typical sample sale might find gowns.  Sample sales can be held right in the salon or they are sometimes in a warehouse away from the salon. 

That said you can expect to find that the gowns may need some repairs.  The deeper the discount may indicate that more work will be needed to restore the gown to perfection.  You may expect the gowns to have some soil, maybe a broken zipper, a few loose or missing beads, tulle may be torn.  The gowns are all by well known designers and all $750 or less!!  One could not expect for a perfect wedding gown to be sold at this low dollar amount.

Now bear in mind that you may have some additional expenses involved that might off set the savings.  When you purchase a gown at a Sample Sale you will need to do some things before it will be ready for your wedding day.  We advise you to carefully weigh the added expenses.

Sample sales are cash and carry events, so you should be prepared to pay in full when you find your gown.

Gown Cleaning:  From $50.00 to $350 depending upon the gown.

Alterations:  often the gown will need resizing which causes your alterations to cost slightly more than they otherwise would.  We tell our brides to budget $100-$400 for their alterations.

Restoration or repairs:  These could cost from $20.00 to $500 depending upon the gown.

When you add the actual added costs you will still find you are spending less than if you ordered brand new.

TRUNK SHOWS:

Trunk shows are held in the salon and usually last 2-3 days but could last a full week.  They are most usually over the weekend.  Normally they would be promoted by Invitation only to the bride by the bridal salon.  They will feature a specific designer.  Sometimes the designer will be present, sometimes not.  The staff would help you with the new styles, offering the time frame necessary to order, the cost of the gown and help you find your perfect accessories.  Our staff will also be able to tell you approximately what alterations you will need and how much they may be.

Trunk shows traditionally have standard sample sizes which are 8, 10 & 12.  Those are the only sizes that will be available to try on.  A trunk show will usually feature the most current, in demand and popular styles.  Occasionally the salon will offer some sort of promotional ‘deal’ during the Trunk Show. 

You would place your actual gown order at the Trunk Show.  Your gown will be ordered and when it arrives no one else will have ever tried your gown on.  Your BRAND NEW GOWN will not need to be cleaned.  You will probably need some minor alterations.  Trunk shows often occur before the product is available to the general public.

You should be prepared to pay for at least half of your gown at a trunk show.  Our normal terms are that the balance is due in 30 days.  If you are looking at a very expensive gown we can contract payment arrangements with you.

Normal gown delivery can be up to 18 weeks.  Seasons cause for the delivery to vary, so your delivery time frame will be relative to the season in which you order your gown.

If the salon has offered an incentive for the trunk show:  that intensive is NOT available once the ‘Trunk Show’ is over.

2014 Wedding Trends

10)  The Back - The hottest trend in fashion this season is showstopping backs!  The details are what make the day!  This season we are seeing a very strong trend towards amazing backs!

09) Lace Jackets are very strong and come in a myriad of colors and fabrications.  They can be from very simple to fully beaded and exceptionally ornate.   Here at Bella Sposa Bridal you can have these types of accoutrements custom made to your specifications.

08)  Sleeves - 2014 will see lots of sleeves of all shapes and varieties.  This is one of the most popular add on options we create to perfectly match the gown.

07) High Tech - With the X-generation entering the marriage arena we are working with couples who grew up in the high tech era and are enamored with it.  We will see it used as the wedding theme, wedding apps and on mobile devices.  Technology will definitely be a huge influence.

06)  Marble - An emergence of marbleized styled invitations, decor and cakes will be trending.  This suits the creative hipster couple who are planning their very own hand-crafted and personalized touches.





05) Grecian - The elegance of Old world design, delivered with simplicity is for the couple who wants to streamline their Red Carpet Themed wedding.

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 04) Geometric - Evolving from the geometric patterns that are appearing on the runways.  What will be seen is modern and clean lines in both apparel and decor.

03)  Pop Art / Graphics - This trend is inspired by pop art 'cartoons'.  This will be seen and reflected in gowns with a much shorter hemline and a more modernized look.  Pop art graphics will follow through in decor, invitations and paper products.

02) Old World Opulent - With the tributes to 19th century fashion icon: with shows such as 'Dracula' and  'Once Upont a Time in Wonderland', 'Reigh' and 'Sleepy Hollow' we are sure to see some inspirations and a return to the elegant ballroom.  Watch for regal ball gowns with full skirts, gloves, pearls and formal dining scenarios.

01) Woodland Refined - This trend has been inspired of Sean Parker (Social media baron) & Alexandra Lenas (singer / songwriter)  elegant whimsical wedding in the woods.   

Building up Necklines (part 3)

This is one of our lovely gals from prom 2013.  We have built up MANY necklines over the years.  Some of our clients will always be back as we specialize in helping provide the modesty that they require.  

Miss. Mikayla loved the dress, but was not about to head to prom with half of her breasts exposed!  Mom and dad wouldn't have allowed it even if she had wanted to.  At the center bust we were able to release enough of the shirring in the bust to be able to pull it together and close the center neck.  

However the side breasts were left heavily exposed due to the 'scant' cut of the bodice.  On a A or B cup gal this would not be a problem at all.  But when we get into the D's and up it is no longer feasible to expect that most of the prom gowns today will offer modesty.  We were able to take the fabric from the hem to use for the gusset.  So we added a moon shaped gusset at the side breast/under arm area to fill in.  

As you can see from this closer picture the gusset blended in well with the original bodice print.

At the end of the day everyone was very happy!

Building up Necklines (part 2)

Today's blog post will feature a chiffon neckline build up.  The full breasted lady often struggles with keeping things in check.  Over the years we have helped to prevent numerous 'wardrobe malfunctions'.  We believe that on our wedding day is not the day to wear and over revealing dress.  We don't want the only thing that the guests to notice or remember is our breasts.

This is one of the most unforgettable fails I have ever seen in all my 42 years of working with brides!

 This poor gal probably had a nightmare of a time finding a gown that would fit.  Actually it would be an impossibility to find anything off the rack (which clearly is what she did) that would be proportioned properly to her.

Had she been our bride I would have created the perfect build up to embrace those breasts and yet keep the  original overall look true to conception.

This is one of our brides whose gown was custom made.  The original pictures she brought us had a very open neckline.  When we had our first fitting we asked about her comfort level when Grandma and Grandpa would be in the room.  She thought she would be fine and that the gown was not too revealing.  However!  Grandma came to share our joy on her 'final' fitting and she realized I was right:  She would be more comfortable with more coverage.  

So rather than picking up her gown we were allowed to spend a little more quality time with it and when our bride returned this was the result.  

Whew!  Yes, it does feel more 'bride like' to reveal less on our wedding day.

Revealing too much is a problem often faced by fuller breasted ladies. 

 It's a problem we frequently overcome!

Building Up Necklines.

We frequently have clients who need to have a certain modicum of modesty in their gowns.

Gowns of every variety fall in this category.  

Today's blog is about one project to build up the neckline.

The gown was purchased from our sale rack for $99.00 

With some modification it will be they had been looking for.  

One problem was  the neckline was far to open.  

This is a frequent problem we overcome.

The gown had long sleeves which she wanted shortened.  We removed the motifs from the old sleeves to build up the neckline.  Here they are removed and are being laid out to see how to best place them.           

Our girl is a very special girl with Cerebral Palsy and so it is important that the gown feel comfortable on her.  With that in mind we chose sheer nylon tricot for the foundation of the re-construction of the neckline. 

Then we placed the motifs on the foundation.

Of course they had to be moved around a little bit to create the frame.

Oh yes, be sure to leave seam allowance for attachment into the existing neckline.

Pinning the motifs down so we can begin sewing.

Pin it into the neckline for a 'test drive' to be sure we are placing things perfectly.

Still pinned and minor motif movement is nearly complete.

The piece is removed from the neckline to sew the lace to the foundation.  All hand sewn.

 Hundreds of tiny stitches that we do not want to be seen, but need to be secure are place around the edge of each motif and through the beads to assure none will fall off.

Motifs appliqued to the foundation and now the built up neckline is ready to be placed.

Carefully pining on the left side to sew in and snaps will be applied to the right side from the shoulder to the zipper. 

Detail photo of the new panel pinned into place.  This was also completely hand sewn into place. 

 We did not start taking pictures when we started this project.  Nor have we taken the finished photos.  We will take those tomorrow.  If you will note the time lapse on the photo:  the applique took about 3 hours to complete.  Total time on this gown is 35 hours.  Next week we will do a blog on an entirely different neckline build up.

Color trends for 2013

Immersed in weddings all day, every day we are looking at the trends of colors for the year.  The latest trend in wedding decor is to choose one color and use various shades of it.  This creates a crisp, clean look for the over all theme and yet provides a sea of color.

#1 Red
Red is the most emotionally intense color.  Red is the color of fire and blood and is associated with energy, strength, power, determination, passion, desire and love.  Red is an emotionally intense color which enhances the human metabolisism.  It causes our respiration to speed up and our heart rate to increase.  Since it is an extreme color it attracts attention and is highly visible.  It is used to indicate courage.  While it gets noticed it will also cause the wearer to look heavier.

#2 Pink
Pink is the most romantic color and is tranquilizing.  It represents femininity.  It is often connected with friendship, love, romance, compassion, relaxation and companionship.  Pink is symbolic of gentle emotions and emotional unions.  It has long been considered the color of good health and life.  It represents youth and innocence.  A pink carnation means "I will love you forever."

#3 Purple
Purple is the color of royalty as it represents power, luxury, nobility and power.  It conveys wealth and extravagance, Purple is often associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery and magic.  Purple is very rare in nature and so some consider it to be artificial.  Purple evokes nostalgic and romantic feelings.

#4 Blue
Blue is the coolest color:  the color of the ocean, twilight and the sky.  It is used to represent heaven.  Pure blue is the color of inspiration, sincerity and spirituality.  It is often associated with depth and stability.  Blue symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith and truth.  Blue is a calming color and is soothing.  A blue Iris means "Your friendship is important to me."

#5 Green
Green currently the most popular color and is the color of nature.  It is symbolic of fertility, harmony, growth, freshness, and hope.  It has a strong emotional affiliation with calmness and safety.  It is also the color of money.  Green has healing power and is the most restful color to the human eye.  Green is suggestive of stability and endurance.  Green is often associated with inexperience and jealousy.  Green is a difficult color to photograph, so we suggest discussing the shade of green you plan to use with your photographer.

#6 Shades of Grey
Grey is a calm, conservative, formal and sophisticated color that seldom evokes strong emotion.   It is the color of neutrality and balance, a conservative color that can be seen as cloudy.  It does not carry with it the same attributes as black.  Grey is timeless, practical and solid.  It blends well with all colors but is seldom named as a favorite.  It can be unsettling and unexpected and surprisingly beautiful.

We hope you enjoyed the blog and hope to post more frequently.