It's Time for Prom!

With the holidays quickly coming and going it will be prom season before we know it! As we did last year The Dress by Nicole is looking for young ladies that would like to become Prom Dressers for the 2011 season. There are all sorts of incentives for our Prom Dressers where they could potentially earn a free prom dress! Check out our website today for details and apply quickly! Only a few Prom Dressers can be chosen.

December Updates...

November came and went so quickly! I knew it would because I was fortunate enough to get to go on vacation for a week to Disney World, and a week later it was Thanksgiving. Anytime I can combine my two favorite things (dresses and Disney) is always a great thing! At Disney Hollywood Studios they had the costume Dame Judi Dench wore in Shakespeare in Love. The details in this were amazing! Right behind the castle in the Magic Kingdom there was a newly renovated princess shop where they had Cinderella's and Princess Aurora's dresses on display. I was a Disney cast member in the past in the costume department and it's so exciting to see what my friends have been up to at the parks creating gorgeous dresses like these.

Being in Disney for a week definitely put us in the Christmas mood when we came home. Just in time to get ready for the holidays.











We were busy decorating our window for the annual Christmas Lights parade in downtown Wheaton the Friday after Thanksgiving and the Holiday Open House that took place today, despite the first snow of the winter, people still came out for the sleigh rides and see the downtown shops!

I had the chance to check out the I Do! Chicago Ties the Knot at the Chicago History Museum. This exhibit is only around until January 3rd and if you love weddings as much as I do you HAVE to see it. It's a really great set up for wedding gowns from the 1850's to present day and I loved how they tied a lot of the traditions and origins back to Marshall Fields. I truly recommend it for a girls afternoon downtown.

 Tomorrow marks the end of our trunk show season with a collection from Saison Blanche. Every week now we are getting in our new 2011 dresses! We've been getting a lot in from Aire Barcelona and Enzoani the past two weeks. We're also been getting in bridesmaids, mom's and even prom! The prom dresses won't be out until February so that our Prom Dressers can get first choice before we put them out for the public. It's an exciting time of year when all the new gowns come in which means that the busy spring season is right around the corner.

It's the season for winter weddings and this time of year reminds me of how busy we were 4 years ago planning ours. Our anniversary is this Thursday, the 9th. I wish all our winter brides a beautiful winter wonderland wedding day!

Happy Halloween!

Downtown Wheaton had their annual Trick-or-Treat Friday from 3-5pm. Our Boston Terrier, Stitch had to get in the action with his spider costume. All the kids and even mom and dad loved to see him dressed up! He was so excited to meet all the kids! We even had some little brides come through so they were thrilled to come inside the shop.

We're finishing up our Kitty Chen Trunk Show tomorrow Oct 30th with her brand new 2011 collection. We are the ONLY store and the first in
the nation to show the new line! Our next trunk show will be Nov 19-21st for LaRichi Couture and don't forget our special hours on Sunday the 21st noon to 4!

Bridal Market and Trends for 2011

This weekend was bridal market for the new 2011 season. It's always exciting to see what the new styles and trends are coming up next. In wedding gowns, it's all about ruffles and layers. Mermaids and trumpets are still popular but I saw return of the full skirt or ballgown too! For accessories, everyone is showing feathers, flowers and Russian netting poufs or short bird cage veils! The biggest trend is BELTS! The more beaded the better! All different colors, widths and lengths! It's the perfect way to take that simple gown to the next level!
I got to see our friend, Kitty Chen, and her new 2011 collection that we will be the very first in the country to debut her new collection at our trunk show October 22-24th. The new collection has something for everyone and they are all gorgeous! While visiting LaRichi Couture I was lucky enough to meet the Mara the owner of Kleinfelds in NYC and her buyer Sandy. They actually spoke to me for a minute...very exciting! Hopefully we'll see some of our LaRichi Couture styles on Say Yes to the Dress on tv soon!

Another star sighting was that I got to meet Kathy Ireland! She is gorgeous in person and very nice. She chatted with us for a minute or two! Most of the new accessories we ordered should be in November/December and the wedding gowns will start arriving in December, January, and February. Don't miss our Hey Lady Shoes trunk show this weekend and see the new color options available as soon as January!

Time for Homecoming!!!

We now have homecoming dresses! We have long and short, poufy and straight, prints and solids! Homecoming ladies are choosing a mix of styles and colors from Faviana, Blush and other great designers that we carry. Just remember we won't sell the same dress in the same color to the same dance! We also have a great new selection of jewelry. Have a fun and safe 2010 Homecoming ladies!!!

Wedding Weekend Recap!

It was a wonderful whirlwind last weekend for Kelly and Christopher. It was a perfect day on Saturday and Kelly looked gorgeous as her dad walked her down the aisle. The elegant reception was complete with great food, signature cocktails and right next to the filming of Transformers 3!

The bride wore an amazing lace dress by Enzoani and a hand embroidered monogrammed veil and dress bodice panel by Kristina Eaton. Kelly chose a mix of perfect pink dresses by B2 and Belsoie. I wore a Belsoie one-shoulder style L3001. We had a great time and we wish the new couple a lifetime of happiness!

Shia Labeouf and Bumblebee during the filming of Transformers 3 right outside cocktail hour!

Very Busy Wedding Weekend!!!

Happy wedding week to our brides Alana M, Alisha B, Lissette I, Jenna and Kelly!!!! We wish you all a beautiful and perfect wedding day!

Jenna and Kelly are both from The Dress by Nicole's family and we couldn't be more excited for them! Jenna has had plenty of practice "being the bride" in our fashion shows and other events that we have participated in. Jenna and fiance Sam are getting married in the Wheaton area and she is absolutely stunning in her dress and her fabulous accessories!

The other wedding in our "family" this week is Kelly and her fiance Christopher. Kelly is one of my best friends and we have been waiting just over a year for her wedding, although Kelly and I have been planning it for years! Kelly has worked so hard making sure every detail is taken care of for her big day and I'm sure it will be amazing. I am a bridesmaid in her wedding and cannot wait for the festivities to begin! Kelly will truly look like a princess in her fabulous gown! It is very very "Kelly" :)

I want to wish all our brides this weekend a wonderful day! Enjoy every minute of it, it goes by so very fast!

We have an engagement in the house!!!!

Over the 4th of July our very own Chrystl and her boyfriend, Nick, got engaged! We are so excited for you to and wish you both the best! Chrystl will make a gorgeous bride next year!

Wedding Weekend!

I can't help myself but post a few photos from my friend Angie's wedding this past weekend. She designed her dress and it was one heck of a dress!!! I wore a Blush Prom dress 9025 and my other friend Kelly wore a chic dress from Nordstrom. It was a perfect day with the sun shining, beautiful flowers and modern reception. We were so excited to be included in Angie and Tommy's day. Congratulations you guys!

Happy Wedding Week!!!

Happy wedding week to our brides Debbie K. and Jessica P. I can't wait to see photos ladies!!!! Enjoy your week :)

Prom Dress Sale!

All in-stock prom dresses are 25% during the month of May! There is still a great selection of gowns so don't miss your chance to save! Also happy wedding week to one of our favorite brides Megan L!!! We wish you a beautiful day!

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress?

The annual Toilet Paper Wedding Gown contest took place recently check out the article and more photos...

Prom...they're going fast!

We are in the middle of prom season now and dresses are beginning to sell out at our designer's headquarters! So it's time to stop in an shop for prom if you're lucky enough to go to prom this year! I sure wish I could again! There is still time to order some of our gowns depending on when prom is too so don't panic yet! This has been one of my favorites this season...

Kitty Chen Couture Trunk Show

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we are hosting a Kitty Chen Trunk Show. We are excited to offer 10% to our brides that purhcase any Kitty Chen dress this weekend. This is a great chance to see almost ALL of Kitty's designs! Make your appointment today, we only have a few spaces left!

 

Nicole and Kitty, October 2009

Bridesmaids Dresses are Here!

We almost have all of our 2010 bridesmaid dresses from Saison Blanche, Love, Belsoie and B2! We finally have L3001 by Belsoie and it's gorgeous! We also got in B3045, it's super cute with pockets! Perfect for any bridesmaid looking to hide her tissues :)

Prom is here!

As of today our prom dresses are out for viewing! I think I have found a great variety of dresses this year that are all very unique! We have super poufy tulle princess dresses in fun colors and wild funky prints with gorgeous beading. We also have The Prom Dressers out in the schools passing out coupons for free garters and tote bags with the purchase of a prom dress so keep an eye out for one at your school! We will be updating our prom Facebook page often with new dresses, more store hours and promotions so become a fan today! We will not sell the same dress in the same color to the same dance! Stop by today or make your appointment to insure a fitting room, as space is limited!

We Made It....1 Year!

Friday, February 5th is The Dress by Nicole's 1 year anniversary. The time has flown by! The community of Wheaton has been so supportive of us and seem to love having a local place to shop for bridal, bridesmaid, mother of the wedding, prom, homecoming, turnabout or even a great casual dress for a fun party! It has taken a lot of work from family and friends to get us here and I thank everyone for their help! I'd also like to especially thank my husband, Brad, who spends countless hours updating our website, working on other marketing projects that keeps our customers coming in and hundreds of other little projects! I'd also like to thank my parents for all their countless hours of help and support. We are excited for year 2 and can't wait to see what it brings! We've gotten in most, not all, of our new 2010 dresses and our prom collections will be out February 9th be sure to stop by soon. Here's to another great year! Thank you everyone!

Wedding Cake...Yum!

Check out this wedding dress! My husband found this great article!

Aire Barcelona Trunk Show at The Dress by Nicole

Don't miss this chance to see the gorgeous Aire Barcelona 2010 collection! We were very lucky to receive the trunk show gowns a week early so we will have them between now and Sunday. So if you can't make the trunk show this weekend, be sure to come by during the week to see the gowns! This year's collection is a fabulous mix of vintage lace, modern textures, spanish ruffles, pleating and ruching details. We only have a few appointments left for this weekend so hurry and make yours today!