Witnessing an Engagement

Being a junkie off all things wedding related, I have always wanted to witness a public engagement. This past Saturday night, I got to do just that! It was just as exciting as I thought it would be. My husband and I were on the dance floor at Frankie's Blue Room in Naperville (celebrating our anniversay, no less). The DJ made an announcement and before we could even move off the floor, a guy got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend. 

Being at an advantage of proximity, I was able to get a really good video of the event. I congratulated the couple and offered the video. OK, I'll admit it, I also gave them my card (and a really nice deal to go with it!). I was just so happy to be witness to such a joyful event. 

On occasion, I hear about my brides proposal story but not often enough. I hope it won't be intrusive but I am going to bring it up more often now!

All my best,
Bonnie

White Castle Stuffing!?

Every Thanksgiving, I make White Castle Stuffing.  Now, I know that this is not how you would expect a bridal blog to begin but give me some time to explain (and for those of you who are intrigued the recipe is below).  

So, the night before, we order 2-3 crave cases  for the stuffing and a boat load of burgers and fries for family and friends (amazing how many friends you have when you are providing White Castle).  So, this year, our order was messed up.  We were missing quite a few items.   I was embarrassed that there was not enough food to statisy our once a year indulgence.  I called the White Castle store and not only were they willing to compensate me for our lost order but they offered to DELIVER.  Now, anyone who went to college in the 80's knows that having White Castle deliver to your door is THE dream!  We were so impressed that they were willing to go out of their way to right their mistake . 

Again, you may wonder how this relates to the bridal business.  Well, here it is....CUSTOMER SERVICE!  These two words are key.  They are the most imporatant part of our business.  Yes, brides want a beautiful dress, Yes, they want to look their best on their big day, Yes, they want to get a good deal but most imporantly, they want to feel special.  They want to be respected and admired and have a good time while shopping.  It is our duty, as sales specialist, to give them a great experience. ... a full bag, correctly filled order of WHITE CASTLE indulgence!

All my best,
Bonnie


White Castle Stuffing Recipe:

2 crave cases of original sliders WITHOUT pickle
6 stalk celery, finely chopped
Butter
Chicken broth

1. Saute celery in butter
2. Tear sliders into small pieces
3. Combine sliders and celery
4. Moisten with chicken broth
5. Bake for half hourat 350 degrees

Enjoy!

Pinterest

"Would you like to show me your Pinterest Board?"

Yep, that's my line. While I love to hear from a bride about the vision for her wedding, seeing it really helps. From color palettes to flowers to dress styles, what is pinned on a bride-to-be's Pinterest Board is a window in to her world. Sometimes, I even see something that wasn't meant to be pinned for her gown. She may have pinned a shoe style that makes me think of particular gown. A picture of her dream wedding cake can give me the feel for accessory ideas. 

Pinterest has made my job a whole lot easier and a lot more fun! On more than one occasion, a bride has shown me a gown she pinned on Pinterest only to find that I either have that exact gown or one that is very similar. And, since we specialize in customizing our sample gowns, I can use the pinned gown to get ideas for adding adornments to our selection. One of my daughters, not yet engaged, has her whole wedding planned out on Pinterest. The implementation for her special day should be easy when the time comes. 

Thank you Pinterest! And, Brides....keep on pinning!"

All my best,
Bonnie

Don't forget to follow my Pinterest account too! www.pinterest.com/bridalboutique5

Mother of the Groom

"I can't believe my son gets to see you in that beautiful gown coming down the aisle!" These were the words that were spoken from a very choked up mother-in-law to be. It hit me then how many of my brides bring their groom's mother along on their bridal gown shopping trips. It's really lovely to see the wonderful relationships between these women. It is also nice to see how really grateful the MOG's are to have been asked. They tend to offer their opinions less freely (thank you) and respect not only the bride but the mother of the bride as well. I hope to be introduced to many more MOG's at my upcoming appointments!

All my best,
Bonnie

Moms!

MOB (Mother of the Bride), one of the most important people in the wedding party. I long for the day to be the "MOB". I, like the wonderful MOB's of today, will keep my thoughts to myself, think only of my daughter's feelings and smile all the time! You think I'm kidding right? Nope! 

This is what I've noticed...MOB's have become so complacent, so willing to let their daughters pick any gown they wish, so happy, no matter what their daughters try on, that it is driving the BTB (Bride To Be) INSANE! The wonderful TV shows, such as "Say Yes To The Dress" and "I Found The Gown," have taught these mothers to be considerate and compassionate. But, nobody told the BTB that she would be losing the time honored tradition of being annoyed with her mother for being too pushy, too opinionated and all together a pain in the a** Brides are now frustrated by their mother's lack of opinion. They take it as a loss of interest. Some even act out, yelling at their non pushy mothers. 

I have to say, I am enjoying the change.. MOB's have turned the table. The power is ours! I'm sure it wont last, but I now want a "time out" chair for the brides who become exasperated with their AYWMOB's (Anything You Want Mother Of the Brides!)

All my best,
Bonnie

Customization & Alterations

Most sample shops or sample sales will mark their tags "as is". I do not do this for two reasons: 

1. Any small imperfections (a button missing, a broken zipper) are fixed at my expense, not my brides. 
2. I want my brides to look at my gowns with an eye as to what can be done to make it unique and special. 

While many gowns are sold with the intention of wearing them as presented (not "as is" as that means "with problems and all") most of my brides love the idea of making a gown their own. We often add interesting straps, keyhole back and corsets. We change bead work  add lace and make some gowns convertible to shorties. There are endless possibilities. 

Now, having said this, NOTHING could be done without my wonderful team of seamstresses. While all are independent contractors, I call them "mine" because we work so closely together. There are so many ideas and designs floating around in my head but the truth is, I cannot even sew on a button! I am blessed with these women who can transform my thoughts in to reality. It's so exciting to see the final product and the look of joy that these "custom" gowns bring to these brides. As you can tell, I am very proud of this practice and of the truly talented people with whom I work!

The Bridal Boutique of Naperville recommend, but does not employ, the following alteration experts:

Mary Burlingame  
630-462-1315

Brynda Streff 
Angele Designs
Facebook
630-653-1509

Kimberley Schuler 
773-320-4155

Sarah Hunt Bollhorst
Omnifairious
Website
Facebook
217-848-0758 
(Sarah does not do local alterations . She does custom design work for us from her studio in Florida!)

All my best,
Bonnie

Reviews, Reviews, Reviews...

As a boutique owner, I am consistently being told to "get those reviews." There are even some websites which rate us based on our reviews. Well, as much as I would like to rank highly on these sites, I cannot ask (or as I really feel it is, beg) for reviews. I have been so blessed to receive some really generous accolades. They have been unsolicited and therefore really felt genuine. I continually try to better myself and my business based on these reviews. I strive to live up to the expectations of my future brides who will read these reviews and hope for a similar experience. 


When a bride takes the time to let other people know of her experience in my shop, I truly appreciate it. The one thing I regret regarding my past reviews is that I didn't take the time to thank each and everyone who wrote something. In the beginning, I didn't realize that I could comment and then it seemed too late. Well, I am going to work on this. I am also going to be more conscious of writing my own reviews when I receive good service in a place of business.. I hope to make another shop owner feel the pride that I feel every time I receive the message "you have a new review"!

All my best,
Bonnie