On The Road Again - Calling all Bridal Stores

Photo Credit: LemonLimeLlama

Our amazing sales team will be on the road again to show stores our Spring 2012 Collection! If you own a bridal store and you would like to see our new collection we would love to hear from you! We will be happy to pass on your contact information to the sales team who handles your area so they can make an appointment with you. Personal appointment times do fill up and each rep can only spend so much time in each location so, you know the saying, the sooner the better! We will also be showing our Prom Collection in Atlanta this month and all of our dress collections in Las Vegas and Chicago! 

If you are a bride and you have a favorite store you are working with and would love to see them carry our line of dresses - let us know! You are our eyes and ears out there and we love getting recommendations from our friends and fans!

Contact us today!

What is the Borrow a Bonny Program?

Let's say you have been checking out our website and found a dress you absolutely love! You find a local retail store using our Store Locator feature and call them to ask if they have the dress you found and you get a "No, sorry we do not have that style". What happens next? You think your search has to start over? NOPE! We have a program called Borrow a Bonny and this program was designed just to remedy this situation! Over 12 years ago we came up with this program to help our stores and our brides! At any given time, we have 300+ current styles in our collections! Of course, it would be our dream to have every one of our dresses in every single retail store but, it's just not possible!

Essence Style 8112 from the Fall 2011 Collection

So, how does this program work, you might be asking. Well, the first step is to know about this program - which is why we tell our brides and our stores about it. The next step is contacting us to find out what we have available in this style. We try to find your size and color and if we have it we ship it out to the store. If we do not have your specific color and size we still try to accommodate you - we can send the next closest size or we always have our sample dress available. Our sample sizes are size 6 or 8 in the regular dresses and size 16w in our Unforgettable Plus Size Collection.

Style 123 from the Bonny Classic Collection - Fall 2011

There is a fee involved for using the Borrow a Bonny program. In the beginning, we always charged the stores a shipping and handling fee and often times the store would not charge the customer. They would order the dress, get it into their store and then never hear from the customer again! Some stores didn't want this to happen so, they stopped using the program and we didn't want that to happen! This is such a great program for our stores and brides! So, we figured the best way to deal with this was for the stores to charge the bride the shipping and handling - that way the bride had an investment - it showed she was A. a serious buyer and B. that she would come back to see the dress. This worked successfully and it has been the way the program has worked for the past 11 years!

Style 1114 from our award winning plus size collection, Unforgettable - Fall 2011

Each store does decide how to use this program. Our suggestions are just guidelines. The Borrow program and the fee can vary from store to store so, we do suggest that you talk with your local Bonny Bridal retailer and ask questions! Because our research has shown this program to be an overwhelming success (most brides who see the dress in person love it even more!) we do suggest that our retail partners credit back the fee to the customer - as a gesture thanking them for their businesses. Also, there is always that slim chance that the dress is not the one! This is very rare, but, it has happened. We think it's nice that the bride still be able to have a store credit towards any other item in the store (or maybe to use to bring in another dress she loves!) Only 1 dress is shipped at a time using the Borrow program.

Style 2122 from the Bliss Modest Collection - Fall 2011

We hope this explains the Borrow a Bonny program in more detail! Like we said, this has been a program we have had a HUGE amount of success with for over 12 years! Most brides want to be able to see the dress before they buy - and we get that! We strive to make programs like this - to help you! We are always open to new ideas, too! If you think we can make this program better, please leave a comment below! Have you used this program? Leave a comment! Let others know your experience with it! We value all your comments and opinions!

Sneak Peek! Spring 2012

As you know, we have wrapped up 10 amazing days shooting our Spring 2012 Catalog. The Spring line is always larger - for many reasons. Some stores only like to buy one season and with Spring they get more to choose from. Also, the dresses will not ship to stores until January 2012 - which means that they are getting new merchandise....just at the time the bridal season kicks off! Our Spring Collection also includes all the dresses from our Mystique Collection - dresses for prom, homecoming, winter/spring formals and really....any special occasion! So, here are the Sneak Peeks for Spring 2012 we have released (some you may have seen...some are totally new!)

Sizing: Every collection, which the exception of Unforgettable Plus Size, is available

 in sizes 2 - 32. Unforgettable is cut in Women's Sizes: 16w - 32w

Bonny Classic Collection: I suppose one could call it our answer to Catherine's dress. This gown was already in production, prior to the Royal Wedding, but having a comparison to her gown could never be a bad thing! It was a beautiful, timeless dress. We love that lace, a staple in wedding gown designs, will be seeing a surge, thanks to the Duchess of Cambridge. This gown, which features an all lace back with covered buttons is  made of dotted swiss tulle and Alencon Lace. The lovely sash is featured in the color Antique on this Ivory gown. This gown will be in our Bonny Classic Collection as style 213

We will have a selection of dresses we are debuting this season called Bonny Informals. These gowns are perfect for an informal wedding, beach wedding, boat wedding, 2nd wedding or really just a fun wedding where the big, ball gown formal dress is just not what you are looking for. An early favorite is style 218 - it's shown in dramatic Ivory and Black. We have BIG PLANS for this lovely dress so, stay tuned!

Unforgettable....oh how we love this Collection! It is our award winning plus size collection and this year we have continued to give our curvy brides the dresses they have asked for. Oh yes, we listen to you (always!). We love the feedback from our brides because, when it comes to plus size brides they know what looks good - where you should emphasize and where you should minimize. Elegant, stylish dresses that accentuate your body. As soon as you put them on you know your wedding day will be unforgettable!

Of course White and Ivory will always be the main colors in bridal gowns but, sometimes a little color goes a long way. Let us introduce you to "Copper" our gorgeous color fit this gown perfectly! This dress is AHHHH-MAZING! Take a chance...try it in this beautiful color, we know you will be just as smitten as we are!

Another special collection we have is Bliss. The Bliss collection started off as a simple, modern line of modest dresses but, recently the entire concept of Bliss took off! Being modest was chic and stylish and the dresses needed to be too. Brides flocked to this collection because it was what they were looking for...and so much more! Stylish, young and affordable! We knew that the modest community had different needs and we met them - allowing the sleeve length and necklines to be changed to accommodate different religious requirements was not a problem! Brides found their perfect Bliss for their big day!

Couture. Elegant. Daring. Different. These are just words but, when you bring them together you have a bridal collection that says high fashion - it is Essence....

Next up....a sneak peek of Mystique Prom...

Bonny Bridal Launches New Website!

We've got some BIG news today!

Our new website has finally launched! Check it out and let us know what you think.

Our completely new and improved website is LIVE after months of preparation. The new site features many useful tools, such as an interactive chat feature, better search features: you can now search by:


SILHOUETTE
WAIST 
NECKLINE
BACK 
SLEEVES
FABRIC 

We have also changed the way you can view the dresses - you can view all on one page, there is a zoom feature and also we have added an interactive catalog! 

We invite our friends and fans to sign up for our promotions and contests! Be the first to know about what is going on! You will find a newsletter section, a re-designed "About Us" and so much more! 

For our retailers: We are still working on improvements to your area! We have listened to your feedback and we are making things a lot easier for you! Stay tuned for more information. 


This was a huge undertaking and we know there are bound to be some kinks to work out - so if you notice something please make sure you let us know...we value your feedback and have tried really hard to create the website you all have been asking for so, we hope you love it!

Check out the new and improved Bonny Bridal today!

 http://www.bonny.com

Wish Upon a Wedding - Lisa and Doug - Part 1

We have been waiting to share this story with all our friends and fans! We heard about Wish Upon a Wedding when they were first starting out and immediately knew that this was the charity we wanted to partner up with! We signed up as a "wish granter" for our local Southern California chapter. Lisa and Doug were the 2nd couple to be granted a wedding wish by our local chapter. Wish Upon a Wedding grants wedding wishes to couples who are facing life altering circumstances, including terminal illnesses. You can read more about Lisa and Doug's story here or learn more about Wish Upon a Wedding here. 

On April 19th we saw that WUW had granted their 2nd wish to Lisa Tso and Doug Wang. We immediately contacted them to see if Lisa needed a dress for the wedding, which was taking place on May 26th, to coincide with World MS Day.

We got our first email from Lisa on April 20th and she wrote, in part, "A wedding gown is probably the most important aspect of every girls wedding. We are so excited to be getting married and for you as my bridal consultant. Every gown on your website is stunning and beautiful." Lisa was going to come into our showroom on May 2nd to try on gowns. We had a few gowns for her to choose from:

034 White - This is a very elegant, popular style right now! Anything with flowers (this dress has small 3-dimensional flowers) is in style right now. The draped bust line is also very elegant and a classic button down back.

045 Ivory - A simple Halter gown with an overlapping pleated empire bodice and banded waist.


052 White - Chiffon is a very nice flowing fabric and wouldn't require the use of a full crinoline slip.


0101 White - The sheer illusion strap that leads into the back is very elegant!


0720 Antique - This gown is certainly made for a princess!! The color is very unique - it's Antique (kind of like a rum-pinkish).


2021 Ivory - This gown is from our Bliss collection. This is our modest collection, which means all the dresses have sleeves and a higher back and neckline that our other dresses.


We had asked Lisa to bring in heels similar to what she would be wearing on the day of the wedding - because she is petite and was definitely going to need a hem. Lisa was already a step ahead - she had already bought her shoes for the wedding! 

We tried on style 034 first and everyone agreed it looked "nice" but, there wasn't a feeling of "Yes! This is the one." Next, we tried style 720. I personally love wedding gowns in different colors and was happy that Lisa was willing to try this gown - even though it wasn't in the traditional white or ivory. This is when we had a "bridal moment". Lisa had on her wedding shoes - a cute heel that had a ruffle detail but, what made them unique was the beautiful color! When I pulled out style 720 to show her - the color of the dress was a PERFECT match to the shoes! We put the dress on her and immediately she knew, we all knew, it was THE ONE.  In the next post, we will get to the wedding pictures and Lisa's own words about her experience on her wedding day!

Retire List: Effective June 30, 2011

Each season we need to retire dresses from our collections to make room for the new styles coming in! We have our retire list ready and we want to make sure everyone knows about it - just in case your favorite dress is scheduled to be retired! We get emails from brides all the time saying "I have had my eye on this dress for years and now I don't see it on your website" - we do what we can to locate retired dresses for brides through our network of retail stores but, it's always best to make sure you get the dress you love by ordering through your local retail store! So, effective June 30, 2011 the following gowns will be retired. Special orders will be honored up to July 15, 2011:

Essence: 8002, 8005, 8006, 8007, 8806, 8906, 8907, 8908

Bonny: 011, 014, 015, 018, 020, 024, 025, 028, 029, 030, 035, 039, 047, 048, 049, 050, 051, 638, 641, 703, 823, 911, 924, 936, 937, 943

Unforgettable: 1000, 1001, 1003, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1012, 1013, 1015, 1017, 1019, 1020, 1710, 1900, 1902, 1905, 1911, 1918

Bliss: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2718, 2803, 2915

Quinceanera: 5000, 5001, 5003, 5004, 5005, 5006, 5010, 5013, 5015, 5016, 5803, 5814, 5913, 5914

Special Occasions: 7000, 7001, 7003, 7005, 7009, 7012, 7013, 7015, 7016, 7018, 7019, 7020, 7021, 7022, 7024, 7025, 7027, 7028, 7036, 7038, 7042, 7725, 7810, 7906

Dresses that flatter your body shape: Apple or Inverted Triangle

Today, we wanted to continue our discussion on body shapes and more importantly which dresses look best on your body shape! We started this series on the rectangular shape. If your body shape is an Apple, also referred to as an inverted triangle, you will have a larger torso and broad shoulders. You will have slimmer legs and hips in proportion to your upper body. Again, we would like to state that every body is different and while we are given these shapes as a guide, not every body will fit 100% within these guidelines. 

So, what dresses will work with an Apple shape? Scoop neckline or a V-neckline will work perfectly on this shape! These necklines make the torso appear longer and therefore slimmer! You should also try to find a dress with minimal details on the top (very little beading or lace detail). If you have a lot going on, on the top half of the dress, that is where the eye will automatically focus. 

This is style 1022 from the Unforgettable Collection. We like this dress for an apple shape. The V-neckline is perfect! The beaded detail has a criss-cross pattern which will give the waist line some definition and then the gown finishes off with a A-line skirt. 

Here are two Bliss styles (style 2722 on the left and style 2817 on the right) that would also work well with the apple body shape. Both have scoop necklines and also have shirred waist lines. These two styles are more narrow at the top and then have some flare toward the bottom - these dresses even out the body and give illusion of a balanced shape.

The Fall 2011 Collection is HERE! Brand New Wedding Gowns for Fall Weddings: Bliss Modest Collection

Our entire Fall 2011 Collection can now be seen on our website: http://www.bonny.com! Every bride has her own style. Some wear modest wedding dresses because it is part of their religion or culture. Looking for a conservative gown doesn't mean you do not want to have a stylish gown! Take, for example, the recent Royal Wedding. Tradition states that the wedding gown worn must be modest it doesn't say it can't be MODERN! Conservative brides want style and elegance and that is what we call the perfect Bliss...

Style 2112

Style 2113

Style 2114

Style 2115

Style 2116

Style 2118 

 

Style 2119

Style 2121

 Style 2122

Real Bride - Janelle

Janelle and Christopher

November 6, 2010

Photos were taken by Aevum Photography in New Jersey

We have been so lucky to have so many brides tell us their story and share their special day with us! Today, we bring you Janelle's story! On November 6th, 2010 she married her husband Christopher. Janelle chose Bonny Bliss style 2011

Janelle shared with us, "One of the most exciting parts of wedding planning was the search for the dress. The very first gown I tried on was a Bonny gown. It took a little while to choose but I finally decided on style 2011 from the Bliss collection. I fell in love with the silk flowers and beading all over the dress and train. It also had a huge skirt that was so much fun to twirl in! It was exciting to find a line of dresses that had sleeves yet remained modern and elegant!"

Your smile that day says it all, Janelle! Congratulations to you both!!!

Style 2011

Real Brides - Destiny

Meet Destiny....and her new husband Willie! 

Destiny and Willie were married February 20, 2011!! Destiny contacted us on Facebook and we got to know her a little - and we enjoyed reading about her engagement (Willie...you did a great job!!). We are still waiting to hear about her wedding but, we couldn't wait to share a photo will all our friends! Destiny chose Bliss style 2101 as her wedding dress and we think she rocked that dress out!!! Congratulations you two! We can't wait to see the rest of your wedding pics and read about your wedding on our Bonny Brides page!

Bliss Style 2101

Sneak Peek - Fall 2011

Click on the image below to get a complete sneak peek!