Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabel Abreu.
Isabel, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My Story
Villa Bella Events
I was born in Brazil and moved to the United States when I was nine years old with my mother, father,
and my sister, Kelly. We left our entire extended family behind, and for me, the transition was incredibly
difficult. I didn’t speak any English when I arrived, so I had to learn a new language while adjusting to a
completely different life and culture.
Eventually, I found my footing. I went through school here and graduated from high school. But just as
the United States had started to feel like home, my life changed again. My parents decided to move back
to Brazil, and my sister, who was 16 at the time, went with them.
I chose to stay.
After already having to start my life over once, I didn’t want to do it again. I had built a life here, I wanted
to go to college, and I knew the United States was where I wanted my future to be. So while my family
returned to Brazil, I remained here and continued building my life.
I went to dental hygiene school, graduated in 2014, and began my career as a dental hygienist, a
profession I still work in part-time today. I built a stable life and career, but in the back of my mind there
was always another dream.
For probably 20 years, I dreamed about owning an event space.
At the time, though, it felt like exactly that – a dream. I didn’t feel like I had the support system or the
courage I needed to take on something so big, so I kept putting it off. But my love for events never went
away.
Around 2016, my sister, Kelly, and I started planning parties together for friends and family. Even though
she was living in Brazil at the time, she was still very much part of the creative process. We found ways
to plan and create together despite being in different countries. We loved coming up with ideas, putting
all the details together and watching a celebration come to life.
In 2018, I married my husband, Dan, and we had our wedding in Brazil. I went to Brazil for about two
weeks, chose what I wanted, and came back to the United States. The only thing I really brought with me
for the wedding was my dress. Kelly and my aunt took my ideas and handled everything else. When I
returned for the wedding, it was beautiful. That experience was another reminder of how naturally Kelly
and I worked together creatively, even while living in different countries.
My first daughter, Olivia, was born in 2019, and that was when our parties really started becoming more
elaborate. Suddenly birthdays weren’t just birthdays – we were creating themes, concepts and complete
experiences. My second daughter, Sophia, was born in 2021, and it continued from there. We planned
birthdays for my girls, parties for our friends’ children, baby showers and other celebrations.
I loved creating those moments. What I didn’t love was constantly trying to transform somebody else’s
space.
When I decorated restaurants, I had to design around whatever decor was already there. I would pack
everything into my car, transport it, unload it, realize something had been forgotten or find that something
had broken along the way. I could see exactly what I wanted an event to look like in my head, but I was
always trying to make that vision fit into a space that hadn’t been designed for it.
I kept thinking, I wish I had my own blank canvas.
In 2022, Kelly finally moved back to the United States. After so many years of having my sister in another
country, having her here again meant so much to me personally, but it also changed what felt possible
creatively. We had already been planning and designing things together for years from a distance. Now
we could actually do it side by side.
That was when I started talking to her more seriously about the dream I had carried for so long – having
an event space of my own. I even tried to convince her to become my business partner. Her response
was essentially, “No. This is your dream. You need to do it.” And she was right.
There was never going to be a perfect time. My daughters were still very young. I was still working as a
hygienist. Life was already busy. Starting a business on top of everything else seemed a little crazy. But I
kept coming back to one question:
If not now, when?
I had already spent so many years thinking about this dream. I realized that if I continued waiting until
everything felt perfectly aligned, I might spend another 20 years waiting. So I got the funds together, took
the leap and decided to go for it.
Finding Villa Bella
Olivia and Sophia were both with me the very first time I walked into the space that would eventually
become Villa Bella. We had toured other locations, and when we walked into this one, I still wasn’t
completely convinced. My girls, however, were immediately excited. They were walking through the
rooms, looking around and already imagining what the space could become.
Olivia was especially certain. She looked around and said, “Mommy, this is it. This has to be it. Look at
all the rooms. This is perfect for Villa Bella.” Sophia was just as excited, exploring the space with us and
sharing in that excitement from the very beginning.
I went home and kept thinking about their reaction, especially what Olivia had said. Finally, I thought,
Maybe they’re right. Maybe we just need to go for it. If it’s meant to be, it will be. In many ways, my
daughters helped choose Villa Bella with me.
Their love for the space has only grown since then. They’ve been there throughout this entire journey,
watching empty rooms slowly become Villa Bella. They get excited about the parties, the decorations
and everything we create there. It isn’t just Mommy’s workplace to them. They genuinely love Villa Bella,
and I love that they feel like they are part of it.
I signed the lease believing the hardest decision had been made. I had no idea what was coming next.
The Hardest Year of My Life
Before signing the lease, I had gone to the township because I wanted to make sure the space could be
used for what I envisioned. I believed the zoning would work. After I signed, however, I discovered the
approval process was much more complicated than I had understood.
Then the permit denials started. I was denied over and over again – probably eight times. My architect
had to draw at least seven different plans as we tried to figure out how to satisfy all the requirements.
Meanwhile, I was paying for a space that sat completely empty. Month after month, money was going
into something I couldn’t use, and I didn’t even know for certain whether I would ever be able to open.
There were many times when I wanted to give up. There were nights when I questioned whether I had
made the biggest mistake of my life. I had two young children, I was still working as a hygienist, and I
was pouring money, time and energy into an empty building with no guarantee that my dream was
actually going to happen.
It was the craziest and hardest thing I have ever done. But every time I thought about walking away, I
remembered why I had started: If not now, when?
Finally, in April 2026, I received the approvals. And then we got to work.
Built by Family
When I say there is blood, sweat and tears in Villa Bella, I mean that quite literally. My dad was
incredible during the construction. I pulled out carpet. I helped with the floors. I helped assemble
furniture. There were countless late nights and exhausting days.
Almost everything in Villa Bella has a reason behind it. I would sit down with my dad and explain
something I had pictured in my head. I would show him inspiration photos, sketch things out and tell him
what I wanted, and together we would figure out how to build it.
Even our signature Villa Bella tables came from that process. After years of decorating events, I knew
that standard tables often didn’t leave enough room for the tablescapes I wanted to create. I wanted
space for charger plates, glassware, beautiful centerpieces and all of the details without everything
feeling crowded. So I envisioned a wider table, explained it to my dad, and we created it.
Getting the approvals wasn’t the end of the challenges. There were fire-alarm requirements, plumbing
issues, changes to the prep area, the addition of a three-bay sink and countless other things I never
Villa Bella Events | 3
imagined I would need to learn about when I first dreamed of owning an event venue.
But somehow, whenever I felt like I couldn’t handle one more problem, the right person seemed to
appear. I truly believe God placed people in my life at exactly the moments I needed them.
And although Villa Bella began as my dream, it has never been something I built alone. This is truly a
family business.
My in-laws helped tremendously financially. Their belief in me and their willingness to support this dream
made a huge difference in our ability to bring it to life.
My husband, Dan, has been incredibly supportive. He went along with this crazy dream and supported
me through the stress, uncertainty, late nights and enormous amount of time it required.
My mother was one of the people who pushed me to actually follow my dream in the first place. And
once I did, she continued supporting me in every way she could, especially by helping with Olivia and
Sophia during the many late nights I spent working at Villa Bella.
My dad helped me physically build the space. My daughters have loved Villa Bella from the moment they
first walked through the doors, and they continue to be excited about everything we do there.
Two Sisters, One Vision
Kelly is the creative force behind so much of Villa Bella. She is a graphic designer and created our
brand. She has been beside me through every step of this process. To this day, there are very few
decisions I make without wanting to know what she thinks first.
Even though my name may be on the business license, I don’t consider Villa Bella mine alone. My sister
is as much a part of it as I am.
After spending so many years apart, there is something especially meaningful about getting to build this
together now. We’re sisters. We create together. We make decisions together. Sometimes I have the
idea, sometimes she does, and sometimes we completely disagree until we figure it out.
And most importantly, we’re having fun. After everything it took to get here, I think that is one of my
favorite parts.
Opening the Doors
On July 11, 2026, Villa Bella finally opened its doors.
Standing inside that space that day was difficult to put into words. For so many months, I had walked into
an empty building wondering whether I had made a terrible mistake. I had watched money disappear into
a space I wasn’t even sure I would be able to use. I had dealt with denial after denial, changed plans
repeatedly, worked late nights, worried, cried and considered giving up more times than I can count.
And suddenly, it was real.
I was able to celebrate that day surrounded by my friends, my family and the people who had helped me
get there. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.
Today, when I walk through Villa Bella, I don’t just see an event venue.
I see my sister in the branding and every creative decision we make together. I see my dad in the tables,
the floors and the things we built with our own hands. I see my mom in all the times she encouraged me
to keep going and stepped in to help with my girls. I see the faith my in-laws placed in me. I see my
husband, Dan’s, patience and support.
And I see Olivia and Sophia. They were there when Villa Bella was just an empty space. They were
excited before there was anything to even be excited about. They’ve watched it change, grow and
become part of our family’s life, and their love for the space makes it even more meaningful to me.
I especially think about that first day – walking through an empty building with my two little girls and
hearing Olivia tell me, “Mommy, this is it.” She was right.
Villa Bella began as my dream, but somewhere along the way it became our family’s dream. And maybe
that is what makes it so special to me.
I came to this country as a nine-year-old girl who couldn’t speak English and had to learn how to start
over. Years later, I made the decision to stay here and build a life. I built a career, became a wife and a
mother, and carried this dream quietly for years before I finally found the courage to take the chance.
Opening Villa Bella taught me that courage doesn’t necessarily mean knowing everything is going to
work out. Sometimes it means being terrified, questioning yourself, facing one obstacle after another –
and continuing anyway.
For years I wondered when the right time would come. Eventually, I realized I had to stop waiting and
ask myself: If not now, when?
So I took the leap.
And Villa Bella is what happened when my entire family took that leap with me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Opening Villa Bella was probably the craziest and hardest thing I have ever done.
When I signed the lease, I genuinely thought the process would be fairly straightforward. Before committing to the space, I had gone to the township to make sure it could be used for what I wanted to do, and I believed the zoning would work. After signing the lease, I learned that getting the approvals was going to be much more complicated than I had anticipated.
My permits were denied over and over again—probably around eight times. My architect had to create at least seven different plans as we tried to meet all of the requirements. During that time, I was paying for a completely empty space without knowing for certain whether I would ever actually be able to open.
That was probably the hardest part emotionally. I was watching money go into this dream month after month while questioning whether I had made the right decision. There were many times I wanted to give up. At the same time, I was still working as a dental hygienist and raising two young daughters, so trying to balance my family, my career and everything involved in opening Villa Bella was exhausting.
When we finally received the approvals in April 2026, a whole new set of challenges began. We had construction to complete, fire-alarm requirements, plumbing issues, changes to the prep area, a three-bay sink to install and so many other things I never imagined I would need to learn about when I decided to open an event venue.
I was very hands-on throughout the process. I pulled carpet, helped my dad with the floors, assembled furniture and spent countless late nights working on the space. There is truly blood, sweat and tears in Villa Bella.
What got me through it was my family and the people who seemed to show up exactly when I needed them. I truly believe God placed the right people in my life throughout this process. My family supported me financially, physically and emotionally, and there is no way I could have done it alone.
There were plenty of moments when I questioned myself, but I kept coming back to the same thought: If not now, when?
Looking back, the obstacles made opening our doors on July 11, 2026 that much more meaningful. What was once an empty space that I wasn’t even sure I would be allowed to use became the place I had been imagining for years.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Villa Bella Events is an intimate event venue created for people who want to enjoy their celebration without having to manage every detail themselves. Our philosophy is simple: we handle the details, you enjoy the moment.
What makes Villa Bella different is that we are much more than a venue rental. We help our clients bring the entire event together—from the initial concept and design to the tablescape, décor, catering coordination, staffing, bar service, desserts, entertainment and all of the little details in between. We work with trusted vendors and different caterers so that each celebration can be personalized to the client rather than forcing everyone into the same experience.
We specialize in intimate celebrations such as first birthdays, milestone birthdays, baby and bridal showers, baptisms, communions, engagement celebrations and other special gatherings. Our space was intentionally created as a beautiful, neutral canvas that can transform from one event to the next. One weekend it can be soft and whimsical for a first birthday, and the next it can become an elegant setting for an adult celebration.
Because of my background in designing parties before opening Villa Bella, I thought about the space from the perspective of someone actually creating an event. Even our tables were custom designed and built with my dad to be wider than traditional tables, giving us enough room for beautiful centerpieces, charger plates, glassware and a complete tablescape without making guests feel crowded. Those details may seem small, but they make a big difference in the finished experience.
I think what I am most proud of, though, is how personal Villa Bella feels. We are a family business, and our clients aren’t simply handed a space and left to figure everything out. My sister Kelly and I are personally involved in the creative process, and we genuinely get excited about each celebration. We want to hear the ideas, see the inspiration pictures and figure out how to make the event feel like that particular family.
As a mother myself, I also understand how quickly these milestones pass. Whether we’re celebrating a baby’s first birthday, a baby shower or a major family milestone, these aren’t just parties to the people walking through our doors. They’re memories their families will carry with them.
That’s what I want Villa Bella to be known for: beautiful, thoughtful celebrations where our clients can actually be present and enjoy the people they’re celebrating instead of spending the entire event worrying about the details.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I didn’t really have one specific mentor when I started Villa Bella. In many ways, I was figuring things out as I went, and I learned very quickly that you cannot build a business completely on your own.
What has worked best for me is simply being willing to talk to people and ask questions. I’ve met other business owners, vendors and professionals along the way who have been incredibly generous with their knowledge. Sometimes one conversation with the right person can answer a question you’ve been struggling with for weeks.
I also learned not to be afraid to say, “I don’t know how to do this. Can you help me?” When you’re starting a business, you suddenly find yourself dealing with things you’ve never had to know about before. I had to learn about zoning, permits, construction, fire codes, catering, staffing, marketing and so much more. I certainly wasn’t an expert in all of those things, so building relationships with people who knew more than I did became extremely important.
My advice for networking would be to be genuine about it. Don’t approach every relationship thinking about what someone can do for you. Get to know people, support their businesses, refer them when you can, and look for ways you can help them too. Some of the best relationships I’ve made through Villa Bella have happened organically.
I’m still very early in my own journey, so I’m still looking for people I can learn from. I think that’s important too—you never reach a point where you know everything. Sometimes mentorship isn’t one person formally guiding you. Sometimes it’s a collection of people who each teach you something along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Villabellaevents.com
- Instagram: @villabellanj
