Lee Enterprises - Western Region Bridal Guide 2025 | 5
Karla believes the store’s success and its caring, committed staff are a blessing from God. “I have the most amazing staff. They all get along well, and they all care about the brides,” she said. Her right-hand assistant is Dana Abramson, the manager, who has been at Bridal Isle for 18 years. She does a bit of everything, from answering the phone to taking inventory to managing the books and more. Abramson, who has three grown sons and two grandsons, joked that her job at Bridal Isle “is my girl time.” “Dana has an amazing brain that doesn’t forget anything,” Axtell said. The staff also includes 10 consultants, who assist brides in finding the perfect dress, along with two full-time and four part-time seamstresses. Best sellers Bridal Isle sells gowns of all sizes, from petite to plus. Its three main brands are Allure, Morilee and Stella York, but it offers others, too. Popular fabrics right now are silk, satin or soft crepe. “Ball gowns are coming back again. Everything old is new again. When my mom got married in 1952, her dress had a basque waist. Now that is coming back,” Axtell said. Basque-waist dresses have a slightly dropped waistline and a dramatic V-shape to the bodice, which creates a focal point at the center of the body. Bows are back, too, especially on the shoulder or the back of the dress. Pearls often accentuate today’s gowns as well. Veils are replacing headpieces. Many
brides want cathedral-length veils, often with pearls. “Some brides choose gowns that are more simple, and then pick a more elaborate veil,” Axtell said. She opened the door to a cozy room full of veils of all sizes. Brides can have their names and wedding dates painted on the veil, or have them adorned with wee flowers or other designs. When Axtell bought the store in 2015, the average cost of a wedding gown was $900. That price now ranges from $1,500 to $1,700. Advance planning Ideally, a bride should order her gown nine months ahead of her wedding. That allows four to six months for it to arrive at the store and three months for alterations. “A lot of brides come in six months ahead of the wedding. That’s harder to figure out if we have to order a dress, but we assure her she will have a fine dress,” Axtell said. Some brides shop just a few months or even a week or two before the wedding. Bridal Isle has gowns that can be purchased off the rack. The store also sells jewelry and shoes for the big day. Many brides are choosing shoes by Converse. “They go for comfort now,” Axtell said. Mothers of the bride Axtell caters to mothers of the bride, too. The Bridal Isle carries 800 mother-of- the-bride dresses. “It used to be that mothers wanted neutral colors, but people began asking for bright pinks and greens, deeper greens, so I’ve started ordering deeper
colors,” Axtell said. Recently, one mother selected a black dress. That was once a no-no for the mother of the bride, “but she looked beautiful. It’s no longer a faux pas to wear black,” Axtell said. As far as tuxedos and bridesmaid dresses, the bulk of that is now handled online. Attendants come into the store to get fitted, but ordering is all done online. Items are shipped directly to members of the wedding party. “This saves us time and headaches for the bride. After the wedding, the men ship the tuxes back to the company,” Axtell said. Even the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t hurt Bridal Isle. Despite closing for three weeks, 2020 turned out to be one of Axtell’s busiest years. “Brides did a lot of rearranging of wedding dates that year. Some ceremonies were postponed, while other brides had smaller weddings than they had planned, but brides still had to come in for fittings,” Axtell said. At the store’s entrance, she has placed a flowery chalkboard that says, “Isle start my forever in this dress.” That’s the store’s mantra. As its website says, “Every bride deserves to feel beautiful on her big day.” If you go Bridal Isle is located at 315 Commerce St. in Loomis, just south of Highway 23. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday. Book your appointment online at bridalisle.com or call 308-876-2583.
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