David’s Bridal Preps For Post-COVID Events Surge

Of all the many aspects of daily life disrupted by the pandemic, few have been as disappointing and costly as the wholesale cancellation of weddings, which are often planned and paid for more than a year in advance. Now that the vaccine rollout is progressing and infection rates are trending down, hopes are rising that a return to normalcy may finally be at hand — and along with it, a rebound in weddings and related events that have been largely on hold for the past year, albeit with a bias towards smaller, more intimate and casual events.

“There has been an evolution in wedding events due to the impact of COVID, with a rise in ‘mini-monies’ or ‘micro weddings’ with some brides,” said Nancy Viall, chief merchandising officer at David’s Bridal, in an email to PYMNTS. 

In fact, as the bride-to-be of the future reinvents the space, the segment-leading operator of over 300 stores is itself undergoing a transformation to not only capture consumers’ changing styles and tastes, but to also serve those consumers in a modern manner in which they commonly like to shop: online. 

Behold the Little White Dress

In a clear hat tip to the women’s fashion essential, the “little black dress,” David’s has just announced the launch of its Little White Dress Boutique, a hybrid in-store and online shopping option that was designed to address current trends in the wedding industry.

“Inherent in our brand ethos is ensuring our customer is at the center of everything we do, and with the launch of the Little White Dress Boutique it was important that we create an integrated omni experience, both to inspire her as well as for ease based on her shopping preferences,” Viall said. “We want to be available to our brides anywhere they need us.”

The new initiative marks the latest move in a broader strategic transformation for David‘s, a 70-year-old retailer with stores in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Mexico, which has also embraced 3D and augmented reality (AR) technology to enable virtual styling and appointments.

In addition, Viall said that David’s has introduced an array of other innovations and brand-enhancing services to improve the overall customer experience, including a buy now, pay later (BNPL) partnership with Affirm, a try-on-at-home pilot and a new loyalty program, as well as a full suite of digital destinations ranging from its website to social media outreach through Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn.

“We are focused on enhancing awareness for our exclusive house of brands,” Viall said. “We want to position David’s as the premier dress destination for all of her ‘magical moments.’”

The Wedding Wardrobe

Another new bridal trend that David’s is looking to accommodate involves the curation of a more extensive wedding wardrobe. Not only is there a little (or big) white dress to buy for the wedding itself, but Viall said it is becoming more common for brides to assemble multiple looks and outfits for “the big day” itself, as well as for the bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, reception and after-party.

In addition to this cross-selling opportunity, David’s has just announced an expanded partnership with men’s formalwear retailer The Black Tux. “Both David’s Bridal and The Black Tux are rapidly rethinking every step of the customer experience and shopping journey,” the two companies said in a joint press statement. The new deal is said to allow David’s to expand upon its digital competencies and also position it as a comprehensive wedding and special occasion destination. At the same time, the arrangement will provide enormous retail opportunities for The Black Tux, which will have a dedicated presence in 300 new retail locations.