23 Apr Katie & Brandon – Michigan
I adored working with Katie. She was beautiful inside and out and a such a pleasure to get to work with. Katie had such an amazing sense of style and I had so much fun helping her with her bridal looks. Katie chose a gorgeous silk satin mermaid gown by Victoria Nicole. She asked the designer to add and additional foot to the train to her gown. It was stunning! Her cathedral length veil by Jennifer Leigh complimented her gown beautifully. She wore jewels by Elizabeth Bower. Her sweet daughter was so precious in a swiss dot tulle Nicki McFarlane dress. It is easy to see the love in Katie’s photos. They have been some of my favorite to look at! Katie wrote this sweet testimony and review of Bellissima. Thank you so much Katie! It means the world to me that you would take the time to write this about Bellissima! xoxo Monica
Why it’s worth it to drive to Bellissima…
Finding my wedding gown was an adventure, in all the positive ways. I was, like so many brides, over the moon to be engaged and to begin shopping for my dream wedding gown. I had magazine clippings of styles I loved, designers I admired and my budget in hand when I began searching for bridal boutiques in the Charlotte area. I went to three bridal boutiques in Charlotte, each had their own pros and cons and although the dresses were beautiful no one really matched my style and envision. I was determined to find this particular dress style that was a combo of the dresses that I had tried and loved. After numerous appointments I was a bit discouraged that I may not find THE dress and I would have to settle for second best.
One Saturday afternoon I was lucky enough to snag a last minute appointment at Bellissima. The hour drive gave my friend and I time to chat about many things, including the possibilities of this new boutique, the things we liked about the dresses we had seen and the things we wished we could find. We both were amazed when we arrived and saw all the gorgeous dresses and the beautiful boutique. I sat down with Monica and explained what I was looking for, my price range and even showed her the dress I found we had to top.
Monica quickly pulled the most amazing gowns I had seen, all of which had an element of what I was envisioning. When I put on an amazing Victoria Nicole lace trumpet gown with straps I was over the moon, it was so elegant and different from all the other dress I had tried on; I instantly knew I had made the right choice to come there. I decided that I couldn’t make a split decision and I would have to think about the dress some more, Monica agreed and told me that the designer of the gown I loved was having a trunk show in a few weeks and suggested I come back to see her new line. I quickly made my appointment and when I arrived a few weeks later I ended up finding the most beautiful dress I had ever seen at the trunk show. The dress I put on and couldn’t take off was a Victoria Nicole, strapless lace and satin mermaid dress that was complemented by the Jennifer Leigh lace cathedral veil.
I was blown away by the entire experience, I still have a smile on my face thinking of the moment I finally found my dress and how excited I was at that moment. Monica was so great and personable and I loved every minute of my experience at Bellissima. I ended up driving to Bellissima numerous times to find other accessories and items for my wedding, including the Jennifer Leigh Cathedral Veil, Nicki MacFarlane flower girl dress, an after party dress, and earrings. It was definitely worth it to drive North of Charlotte to have the experience I had and to leave with an amazing wedding gown. At the end of your wedding day your wedding gown will be put aside in your closet, given away or stored for another generation but your experiences and the moments leading up to your wedding will stay with you over the years. When I look at my gown and veil I’m so happy that my memories and moments associated with them were joyful and I’m thankful for Bellissima for making my dress the easiest decision of my wedding.
Photographs by: Giving Tree Photography
