Setting Wedding Ground Rules

A smooth planning journey begins with each bride and groom taking some time alone to envision their perfect day.  I encourage the brides to envision the wedding day atmosphere and what type of celebration suits the couple's style.  The most important question they need to answer is:  What feeling do I want my guests to have through out this celebratory day.  What memories and emotions do you want your guests to take with them?  The answers to these questions will lead you in forming every decision you make.  There are many, many "I Do's" and I don'ts along the way.  Keeping it all straight can seem overwhelming.  Here are a few tips that I feel are most important to consider in your planning:

I DOS
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• Do make sure that both of your personalities are infused into every element of your big day.  This event should be exclusively and uniquely yours.  Quirky favors, place cards, unique foods, personalized cocktails and favorite foods are great ways to add that personalized touch.
• Do be upfront with all of your vendors about specific things you do and do not want to see or happen at your wedding.  For example:  If you have songs you want played at your wedding it's a good idea to plan the music for your big day.  
  
• Do make sure that your photographer has a "MUST TAKE" list of photos you want to treasure for your ever after.  
• Do choose hair and makeup styles that are not too far from your normal, every day look.  Of course it should be and upgraded and glamorous look compared to every day.  
  
• Do choose classic styling over Avant guard styling.  The last thing you want is to look back at your wedding pictures in 10-20 years and wonder "What was I thinking!"
• Do purchase a comfortable pair of shoes that you can wear all day.  Many brides think to purchase a glamorous pair for the wedding and a practical pair for the reception.  The problem with this thought process is that it creates a hemming dilemma:  do we want our gown hemmed for the wedding or do we want it hemmed for the busier, more movement filled reception?  (I always suggest going with the shorter length:  a too long gown is a trip hazard.)  
• Do practice walking and dancing in your shoes!  It's important to wear your shoes for at least one hour standing.  It takes a bit to determine if they are truly comfortable and if they will give you blisters.  Ill fit shoes can really detract from your enjoyment.
• Do take a deep breath before you walk down the aisle and tell yourself:  I am going to have a wonderful time no matter what happens, I've worked hard for it, I've earned it and I deserve it.  Nothing will take this from me!  Then smile and keep your focus on the important matters of the day.
  
  
  
  
  

I Don'ts

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• Don't forget to eat throughout the day.  It's a busy day and will pass in a flash!  It's important that you eat lest you find yourself faint at the alter or tipsy after one cocktail .  I recommend a fruit and cheese tray with clear beverages for you and your maids while you are getting ready.  
• Don't feel like you have to have either a traditional wedding or go with what ever current trends are.  If you are not a traditional girl then you probably wouldn't envision a traditional wedding.  Personalize it!  It's your day and you should have it your way!
• Don't spend more than a few minutes of your big day on social media!  While you have been waiting what seems a long time to change your relationship status:  save it for the next day!  Turn off your phone and stay present in the moment!  The moments will fly and you want to cherish each one with the people who have taken the time to come and celebrate with you.
  
• Don't be afraid to suggest time limits for toasts.  Five minutes is a standard rule of thumb.  Your guests will appreciate it and it will keep your reception feeling more like a party and less like a presentation.
• Don't fret over the little things that might go wrong, be prepared for them.  There is no such thing as a perfect wedding and something is bound to go amiss.  Whatever it is, while it may seem traumatic at the moment it's my experience that those are the humerous and memorable moments in a wedding later.  

You may want to prepare you own Do and Don't list to keep you focused.  Once you are engaged you will be more observant of other weddings and details, this allows you to reflect and vision your own perfect day.  

My experience over the years has been that brides 

• with a year to plan their wedding, taking 3-4 decisive weeks in the beginning, 2 weeks of checking and confirming at 6 months and finalizing everything for the last three weeks are the best laid plans.
• with two years to eighteen months to plan thinking they will do a little every day til the wedding are exhausted by the experience.  They grow weary of the process as does everyone else around them and can't wait for it to be over.
• with less than six months has a general feeling of stress due to time limitations and time frames it takes to accomplish the many aspects of that perfect day.  I'm not saying it can't be done in a short period of time, but it generally is stress inducing for all involved.  

Making your besties the best dressed

 This year is will definitely be a year to remember.  

        Many are having smaller and more intimate affairs.
                        
                 With less people the focus is refined on you & yours.

We never need an excuse to celebrate with our BFFs!

We’re more than happy to take this time

to dedicate a whole post to them!

Be they related or chosen, young or old: They are an important part of your life!

So of course you want them to look AMAZING on your special day!

Dressing your bride tribe to the nines is a must.

A strong bride tribe means all the girls you 

love will be by your side on your big day. 

Making sure your maid of honor and bridesmaids look 

gorgeous and coordinated is a win for everyone! 

We think this round up of our favorite looks for our favorite girls will help bring beautiful memories that will last a lifetime!

NATIONAL BRIDAL SALE EVENT @ BELLA SPOSA BRIDAL AND PROM!

Bella Sposa Bridal & Prom
(616) 364-0777

Schedule your appointment on Facebook now for the best selection!
Get the best deal of your life for the best day of your life!

THINGS TO KNOW:
*  ALL Shopping is by appointment only!
*  Maximum of two guests per appointment for the sale.
*  One hour appointments for the sale.
*All visits are with a personal stylist.

EVERY DRESS IS ON SALE!
EVEN SALE GOWNS ARE REDUCED!
ALL SALE RACK GOWNS ARE ADDITIONAL 50% OFF SALE PRICES!
SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT ON FACEBOOK FOR SPECIAL SAVINGS!!
NO HOLDS!
CASH AND CARRY ONLY! 
(YOU MAY SCHEDULE TO COME BACK FOR ALTERATIONS)
ALL SALES ARE FINAL!
ALL ITEMS ARE AS IS!

Shopping for your dream dress during the Corona Virus

We are healthy and still opened,
as always:  by appointment only.

Dream Dress Shopping During The Corona Virus

Some helpful tips to keep you safe while you search for your dream dress:

With information gathered from OSHA and the CDC along with our suppliers we are sharing to help you make the most of your shopping experience.

Be thoughtful of your health and the health of others.

Make sure you are vigilant on your symptoms and do not hesitate to reschedule if necessary.  Definitely reschedule under any of the following circumstances:

1. You are not feeling well.
2. You feel achy.
3. You are coughing
4. You are sneezing.
5. You have diarrhea.
6. You have any ill stomach feelings.

You have a fever over 100°

Ask Your Guests to Make Sure They Are Not Sick!

Your appointment will last from 1 to 1.5 hours.  We will all be cozy and in a closely confined area.  Do make sure that those who will be accompanying you are also feeling well and have no symptoms.  We can face time or video chat with people who are unable to be there.

What To Expect

Do not bring children.  During this high risk period we must strictly enforce a no child under 12 policy at the advise of CDC guidelines.
Guests are limited to 4 per party.  No exceptions, please don't ask.
Sanitize  your hands!
If you arrive early you will need to wait while we clean between appointments. 

What To Wear For Your Appointment

We have always recommended that you 'dress appropriately' ie: cover that which should remain unseen.  In order to comply with CDC Health recommendations:  Full coverage underwear are manditory to try on dresses at this time.  For further explanation please see this.

Anticipated Impact on Deliveries

Brides & formal wear clients are deeply concerned about experiencing delivery issues in regards to their special ordered merchandise.  At this time, some factories in the Far East are closed.  Others are running at less than full capacity.  Others unaffected.  So there is  no blanket answer.  Furthermore, as the virus spreads internationally: it's impact will be felt globally.  At Bella Sposa Bridal & Prom we are making all of our inventory available to service as many as possible in this time of need.  With over 400 designers on our rack we also carry dresses made in Europe and India.  This is minimizing delivery issues.  We strongly encourage everyone to buy off the rack to protect themselves.

Special Order Or Off The Rack?

Standard delivery in normal circumstances is 4-6 months.  If your event is less than 9 months away:  purchasing off the rack is our most sage advice.  You can save yourself potential risks and headaches that are anticipated in manufacturing in areas deeply affected by the Corona Virus.  

We have not recommended the standard 6 month delivery in over 20 years!  Why?  In the end of the 90's there was a UPS strike and this caused many very serious delays and much stress to our clients.  And on it's heels was an embargo that stopped imports from entering the country.  This added more stress on the situation.  So at that time we shifted and have strongly recommended all special orders be placed Nine full months before the date of need.

My Dress is 'In Production' and the original date is timely.  Should I rely on that date?

 Please know that an in production date is only an estimated date and has never been the guaranteed date for shipment.  At this time:  production dates are subject to change without notice.  For instance, if your wedding is only four months away and estimated delivery is 3 months:  it's advised you buy off the rack as many factories are not running at 100% production.  We have plenty to choose from! 

 Delays could be as long as three months.  If you are ordering please make sure you have allowed enough time for delays in production and or shipping. And don't forget to add on time for alterations!  Otherwise, please be safe and buy off the rack.  

Please remember:  these are real supply chain issues and are not limited to the bridal industry.  All businesses are facing this at the same time.  As of now we do not foresee any inconvenience to our customers due to our outstanding relations with our vendors and factories.  We will keep you updated.

Why the cost of Wedding gowns & formal wear?

What's in a gown?  What causes the prices to seem so expensive?  Have you ever contemplated what must happen before a gown is ready for you to ever try on?  Check out this very brief sneak peek inside a factory and what it entails:

There can be, literally, hundreds of hours of hand labor that creates these works of art.  Did you know that our product has been defined, legally, as works of art?  That many designers spend hundreds of hours creating every aspect of a single gown?  Have you ever considered or weighed the costs?  From the thread to make the fabric to the very specific beading details that determine that it is a work of art or a mass factory production.

Having devoted my entire life to this industry and making the dreams of girls and women come true.  This gives me a unique perspective on our industry and our product.  Is it wrong that I, on occasion, feel offended when women are disgusted by the costs of the gowns?  Working to educate and explaining that a hand crafted bridesmaid dress will take approximately 10 hours from the cutting to walking out the door.   Making hundreds of them, over the decades, has taught me much.  Then one must consider the cost of the materials.  Having made well over a thousand gowns in my life time I feel qualified to say that the ready to wear products in our industry are incredibly affordable when considering materials and labor values.  There have been gowns that the lace alone cost $500 per yard.  Keep in mind that the average brides maid gown will take 5 yards and the average bridal gown will take 10.  Plus interfacing, plus lining, plus boning, plus thread and other detail elements.  For many years I was in awe of how affordably these gowns had been produced.

There seems to be little awareness of what it takes to make these dreams come true.  As if we have mice in the back rooms with needles and thread stitching things up.  But no, there is no magic wand & there are no little mice or elves that work by our sides.  Most of the people that I know, in this industry, work a long amount of hours, some on little to no pay to make your dreams come true.

Today my goal is to create awareness.   Awareness of the consumers effects on others.  I'm certain it's totally unbeknown nor even considered by the majority.  Did you know that the majority of our products use to be made here in the USA in factories located here.  Now, there still are some.  But over time, in a quest to keep the costs affordable, production has been moved from the United States.  And the majority, for decades, has been made in China.

China, whose government system is the Communist Party of China / and the People's Liberation Army.  Under this form of government everybody works for the government.  Of course, there are those who fare better than others.  But my concern is for the lowly laborer.  The person that makes your gown.  I do not believe that most Americans are aware of the conditions that they labor under or the wages that they are paid.  Which is the primary reason the costs are so low.  If these gowns were made here, state side, at minimum wage (with benefits) we could expect them to cost 10x as much.  When I learned the long hours and low wages that were paid to these humans I became overwhelmed to think that Americans are afforded luxury on the backs of people who are made slaves.

Did you know that in some worker work all day for lunch? In some factories the people live in barracks outside the factory so they do not have to "waste time going home". Americans would never submit to these conditions or way of living. The Chinese employees are accustomed to working six or seven days a week at many plants in China. They typically live dormitory-style, several people to an apartment. Leaving work in time to get home for family dinner is not part of their routine. (One Chinese worker explains that she only gets to see her child once a year, when she travels from the factory to her home town.) The company attempts to bring some approximation of these labor standards to the U.S., but the Americans, many of whom had previously been members of the United Auto Workers union, begin to complain about their working conditions. I have to believe that people do not know and therefore they behave as they do. I could not believe that they are, quite simply, so insensitive. But I am sure there are those that are. That is deeply saddening. Now there is much talk to move the production to India. This does not cause me to jump for joy. There are also squallor conditions that people work under in India. There is are several documentaries on the subject if you care to learn more.

So the next time you think to complain that the cost of the gown is to high: I beg of you to remember these people who suffer in abject poverty, or the women in this country who have very small profit margins so that you may have luxury affordably.  Every discount you receive is at someone else's cost.