From ‘Aisle to Algorithm': David's Bridal Unveils Digital-First Transformation to Become Wedding Industry's Leading Retailer and Media & Planning Marketplace

As brides' expectations evolve, David's moves toward an asset-lite model to invest in technology and strategically scale its retail media network, AI-powered planning platform and overall retail strategies

KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA / ACCESSWIRE / March 5, 2025 / David's Bridal, Inc. ("David's"), the nation's leading bridal and special occasion authority, is shifting to an asset-light, AI-powered business model integrating retail, media, and wedding planning. The "Aisle to Algorithm" business strategy aims to meet the evolving needs of new generations of shoppers and brides by prioritizing AI-driven personalization, first-party data, and an expanded retail media network, positioning David's as the dominant player across retail, digital and technology in the wedding industry. This asset-lite shift enhances the company's agility, scalability, and innovation, reshaping its in-store and e-commerce experiences while expanding its retail media network. Demonstrating confidence in the foundation laid towards the company's new strategic vision, David's has secured growth capital commitments to further expand and accelerate David's transformative strategy.

David's has built an unmatched industry legacy, dressing over 100 million brides and bridesmaids with over 300 million digital visits annually. Having approximately 90% of all brides enter David's ecosystem throughout their wedding planning journey, the David's Center of Excellence teams intimately understand and anticipate their needs and expectations from inspiration and planning to purchase. The company is leveraging this massive reach, data insights, and deep industry expertise to drive its "Aisle to Algorithm" asset-lite strategy. Amplifying its mission of how to best serve today's bride and consumer, David's Pearl Retail Media Network, soon-to-be-announced personalized planning platform, customer email communications and first-party data collection and analyses are all AI-powered, allowing the company to ensure it "marries" brides to the perfect wedding vendors, dresses, advertisements and more. Not only helping to fulfill the bride's wedding vision but also taking the stress out of planning and increasing the company's B2B funnel, David's proprietary algorithms, personalized customer journeys and retail/vendor marketplaces are propelling the brand to be the dominant technology, media and retail company across the wedding industry.

Revolving around a three-pronged strategy, David's new asset-lite business model will focus on addressing the evolving needs around:

• Inspiration: The Wedding Industry's Largest First-Party Retail Network & Media Content Engine

  • Launched in December, Pearl Media Network is an asset-lite, AI-powered commerce media platform serving thousands of ad-buying wedding vendors and adjacent brands, with the only first-party data in the market. Unlike any other platform, Pearl Media Network offers brands exclusive access to first-party data enabling hyper-targeted, high-conversion marketing campaigns across digital, social, VOD, linear, and in-store touchpoints, made possible by the recent acquisition of Love Stories TV (now Love Stories by David's.)

  • The acquisition has propelled David's as the dominant media network and content platform in the wedding industry. With brides consuming approximately 10 hours of content a week, David's is creating authentic and engaging content that 1. delivers exactly what brides want to see, where they want to see it and 2. connects brands with couples and vendors across digital, social, print, and in-store experiences.

• Shopping: Dominating All Price Points to Serve Every Bride, Budget & Desire

  • David's sells nearly one-third of wedding dresses in the U.S., and with demand unwavering, the company will expand into new categories throughout 2025, including menswear, accessories, swimwear, luxury and couture, as well as enhance in-store and digital experiences. With an 83% net promoter score, David's exceptional customer service, accessibility and quality will remain at the forefront of its retail offerings.

• Planning: AI-Powered Tools for a Seamless Wedding Journey

  • Since 2022, David's has been harnessing the power of AI, which drives 90% of its customer communications - fully customizing the shopping experience and delivering the diverse inspiration she seeks based on how she searches. With couples managing hundreds of wedding tasks, David's is further investing in a personalized AI-powered planning tool and marketplace to simplify the process.

  • David's is expanding its AI initiatives with a comprehensive platform for vendor discovery, task management, and seamless wedding planning. These tools enhance customer journeys while providing vendors with data-driven matchmaking to their ideal audience. More about this new AI-powered tool will be announced in Q2 of this year.

Alongside this transformative new strategy and business model, David's is also announcing an executive leadership evolution effective April 1, 2025 -

• Jim Marcum, currently CEO, will step into the role of Executive Chairman of David's in addition to his current position as Chairman of the Board of Directors

• Kelly Cook, currently President of Brand, Technology, and Finance, will be named David's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and will be a member of the Board of Directors

• Elina Vilk, currently Chief Business Officer (CBO), will be transitioning into the role of President & CBO, spearheading the company's "aisle to algorithm" strategy, including Pearl Media Network and Pearl Planner, reporting directly to Cook

• Bob Walker, currently Chief Operating Officer (COO),is being promoted to President & COO, and will now also oversee HR and supply chain to further strengthen operational excellence, reporting directly to Cook

• Heather McReynolds is being promoted to SVP of Merchandising, working closely with Jeff Zelenko, Executive Advisor, Merchandising, representing David's join venture supply chain partner, together leading the brand's evolution of merchandising strategies

• Additionally, Viola Chan, recently named Head of Couture and Design, will continue leading design for all categories and overseeing David's expansion into everyday fashions and couture

Under this new leadership, David's is poised for accelerated growth. Scaling its digital media, AI, and retail innovations and offerings, David's aims to expand past the $4.1B+ wedding dress market¹ and become an overall dominant player in the over $65B+ wedding industry² with a 6.8% CAGR over the next five years³.

"The Board and I have worked tirelessly to set the foundational blocks for this next critical phase of David's business - a culmination of many strategic initiatives we've implemented and steps we've taken over the last five years, such as bringing in incredible talent, such as Kelly, that make up the best team in retail. As I transition to Executive Chairman of David's, I have full confidence in Kelly's leadership to not only drive our strategic vision forward but continue to expand it," shared Jim Marcum, Executive Chairman of David's Bridal and Chairman of the Board of Directors. "David's remains steadfast in offering accessible, high-quality designs customers love while expanding into new retail categories and experiences to better serve today's evolving wedding and special occasion market. David's can now actively support every touchpoint for couples from engagement to honeymoon, solidifying us as the go-to destination for the entire wedding planning journey. I look forward to continue working alongside Kelly and our executive leadership team to help guide our long-term strategy and success."

"I'm truly honored that Jim and the Board have chosen me to take on the role of CEO at such an exciting and pivotal time for David's. I firmly believe in David's mission; the ‘love' business gets in your blood, and the excitement and passion we have for brides and bridesmaids is unparalleled. I am ecstatic for the evolution of David's into a dynamic and powerful tech-enabled retailer, marketplace and platform," added Kelly Cook, Chief Executive Officer of David's Bridal. "Seeing brides ring a bell in our store, there's simply nothing like it. When she walks down the aisle, we are walking with her. #happytears. Serving her is all we think about, that's why we call ourselves ‘Dream Makers.' We are poised to become the only player in the wedding industry with an integrated retail, loyalty, media, and planning ecosystem-backed by proprietary first-party data no competitor can match. We are redefining what it means to plan, shop, and celebrate life's most special moments for consumers and innovating how brands can authentically connect with consumers during these defining moments."

With the innovations of Pearl Media Network, the upcoming AI-powered wedding planning and task management platform, its expanded retail categories, foray into affordable luxury partnerships and new retail concepts, David's is solidifying its position as the number one destination for all things bridal and wedding. This evolution marks the beginning of a new era for David's Bridal-one where inspiration, shopping, and planning come together in a seamless, tech-driven ecosystem.

To learn more about David's, visit davidsbridal.com.

For additional assets, please see media kit here.

¹ The Wedding Industry Report
² U.S. Wedding Services Market Size, Share & Trend Analysis Report
³ U.S. Wedding Services Market Size, Share & Trend Analysis Report

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About David's Bridal

Celebrating 75 years of making dreams come true, David's Bridal is a leader in wedding and special occasion fashion. With over 190 stores across the U.S., Canada, and franchise locations in Mexico, David's offers a one-stop shopping experience for weddings, Quinceañeras, proms, and more.

David's Bridal is home to the industry's only loyalty program - Diamond Loyalty - boasting nearly 3 million members who enjoy exclusive perks, including deals from top partners such as The Black Tux, Shutterfly, Little Tuxedos and much more, and a chance to win a free honeymoon. Pearl Planner by David's, features wedding websites, a universal registry, planning tools, and a vendor marketplace that connects couples with top professionals.

Through Pearl Media Network, we provide brands with unmatched access to engaged consumers across web, social, podcast, streaming, and in-store channels. Love Stories by David's, our leading wedding media brand, reaches 20M+ monthly viewers with digital-first content, including the industry's only podcast network, top YouTube and TikTok channels, and a vast library of real wedding videos. To learn more about David's Bridal, visit www.DavidsBridal.com, download the Planning App, and connect on social media through Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn.