Boutique Gives Personal Touch to Bride's Big Day

The music starts, the crowd stands, and everyone turns. All eyes in the room are on you. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect dress and this is its debut. You’re standing there in the dress of your dreams, a garment that’s become so sacred it’s tradition for the groom not to see it before this very moment. 

Some brides will wear designer brands and others will have lace and beads.  Whatever the brides desire, what they’re looking for can most likely be found at .

“This is the day that they always dreamed of, and it’s great to be a part of that," said co-owner Maureen Sanfilippo. "We try and work with everyone as much as we can, whether it’s with the budget or whatever they need. We want to do what we can to make it a memorable experience.”  

The boutique has been voted best bridal salon in The Knot magazine's Best of Weddings for two consecutive years, and it's a distinction Sanfilippo takes seriously.

“Winning the honor for two years is awesome” she said. “The award is based solely on customer feedback.  So they have to go on The Knot’s website and write us a good review. It’s a big deal, especially because there are a ton of bigger shops in the city.”

Bella Sposa sits in the middle of a Tinley Park strip mall at 9524 179th St. It carries seven designers and employs five people, an aspect that’s working to its advantage.

“We’re not a franchise--there’s only one of us.” Sanfilippo said. “I think people come here because we remember them. We give the customers a service satisfaction aspect versus the big warehouse-type feeling.”

It's a feeling that bride-to-be Jessica Kowalczyk appreciates. 

“We went to other places and they weren’t as attentive,” she said. 

But customer service is just one of the things that set them apart. 

“They are so very accommodating,” said Jackie MaeManasek, who was at the boutique with her daughter’s maid of honor, Shannon Quinn, to pick out the bridesmaids dresses while her daughter is out of town. 

“Two of the four bridesmaids are coming in two days before the wedding to get fitted,” MaeManasek added. “They will have their dresses ready in time for the wedding.  Most places wouldn’t take that extra step and they do. How’s that for accommodating?”

Sanfilippo said they are able to help more because of the relationship they form with customers. Every customer starts the process with an appointment that usually lasts an hour and a half. The bride works with the same employee for every appointment. Because it is a "network of friends," the staff works together to meet the needs of the bride.

“Its fun to see when they first come in all the way to the completion of it,” Sanfilippo said. “We get a lot of thank-you notes, a lot of pictures. We even get invited to the weddings sometimes. So it’s fun. You kind of become friends. When it’s over, its kind of sad because you don’t’ get to see them anymore.”

Taking the extra step is something owner Jamie Ruggio does both inside and outside of the boutique. When Eva’s Bridal had a fire in November, Ruggio was among the area bridal owners who reached out to help. Because Bella Sposa carries some of the same designers, it was able to give brides a credit for their dresses. Ruggio also has done fundraisers for multiple sclerosis and makes donations to both the fire and police departments.

“We love being in Tinley,” Sanfilippio said. “I feel like we’re filling a need.”