28 Apr Social Media and Bellissima
I am so proud that Bellissima has been honored with the three major bridal awards: Best of Weddings from The Knot, Couples Choice from the Wedding Wire and named a Blue Ribbon Vendor from Southern Weddings. We are a 5-Star bridal boutique at both The Knot and Wedding Wire. These are all review-based awards from actual Bellissima Brides. Social media has been a huge part of building the Bellissima brand. Goodness, I have launched 3 websites in 4 years, built the Facebook following to nearly 3500 Likes and Instagram, Pin and Tweet on a daily basis.
I love working with brides. Every bride is different which makes each day unique and fun. This past weekend, I worked with a bride from Durham who loved the first dress she tried. She found BeIlissima on Facebook, and I was honored that she drove nearly 2 hours to find her dream gown. Another bride drove from Greensboro because of our amazing designers. She will be getting married in Italy next spring, so finding a gown at “Bellissima” is a perfect fit. My last bride of the evening drove from Mooresville because a customer of hers said that Bellissima was a must! Wow, my heart was full of happiness. To top it off, I caught glimpses over the weekend of one of the funniest and kindest Bellissima Brides at her beautiful wedding and I was over the moon happy. I cannot describe how ecstatic I feel to be apart of a bride’s wedding day!
However, what I did not think about when I opened Bellissima is that the public would form an opinion about Bellissima and me without visiting the shop or meeting me. Right now, we have a few 1 star ratings on Bellissima from people around the country that have never visited Bellissima. I’ve recently had a personal experience with a Facebook bully whom I have never met. She used, and allowed others to use, vulgar names towards me that, well, are very derogatory towards women. When women call other women names, it just allows others to think that it’s okay to call us those types of names.
I recently read a post from a fellow wedding vendor that found herself in a similar situation. She tagged the bully that wrote the false review for all to see. The bully deleted the false review and retreated as bullies normally do. We all read about bullies in the school system and the harm it has brought to so many children. As an adult it’s still unpleasant to be bullied, however we must lead by example so our children know how to react. As a community we have to stand up to bullies on and offline. Again, I am so proud of our 5-Star rating and awards, but I will not be bullied personally or allow someone to bully Bellissima. If a customer has a question about Bellissima or would like to know more about me, please call the shop at 704-754-5330 or email me at monica@bellissimaofsalisbury.com. Social media is important but this is just a reminder to everyone to be truthful, be kind and be proud of yourself and what you write.
I could react negatively to these unpleasant experiences but I would rather take this time to thank all my amazing customers and supporters. I have met so many amazing women, and I am honored to be a small part of their big day. I opened Bellissima with the mission to provide each bride an unforgettable experience. As a result, I have formed important friendships with many Bellissima Brides! I have an open heart and would love to help all brides become a Bellissima Bride. Just remember, “kindness is always fashionable.”
xoxo
Monica