Image Courtesy of David’s Bridal
May 27, 2025
Has David’s Bridal Delivered What Gen Z Brides Want?
David’s Bridal has opened a new tech-supported concept, “Diamonds & Pearls,” aimed at reaching Gen Z brides seeking luxury without losing affordability.
The first Diamonds & Pearls location, officially opening on May 29 in Delray Beach, Florida, has around 2,000 square feet of selling space — significantly smaller than the typical 5,500-square-foot David’s Bridal store — to create a more intimate and personalized shopping experience, according to Business Insider.
The assortment is more curated, featuring about one-third of the SKUs typically found in a traditional David’s Bridal store, with a focus on the most on-trend styles and silhouettes. It’s also the only David’s Bridal location to offer couture bridal brands like Marchesa and Viola Chan.
Additionally, the boutique features velvet furniture, marble accents, and curtains separating the dressing areas, as well as amenities often found at upscale settings, including champagne and hors d’oeuvres as well as appointments with personal stylists. Exclusive trunk shows are also in the works, further enhancing the boutique’s luxe, fashion-focused atmosphere.
The concept differs from the typical independent boutique by emphasizing “affordable luxury.” Prices start at $400 to $500 and average just over $2,000. The boutique also incorporates large interactive touchscreens that allow brides to browse David’s full catalog.
The screens further enable brides to consult Pearl, the chain’s AI-powered wedding planning assistant that can generate recommendations based on Pinterest boards.
“Gen Z brides are tech-forward,” Elina Vilk, president and chief business officer of David’s Bridal and a former Hootsuite, Meta, PayPal, and Visa executive, told WWD. “They don’t start their journey in the store anymore. She’ll browse online first, then see it on social media. And she wants affordable luxury.”
With the oldest members of the cohort reaching 28, Gen Zers are starting to get married, and many are wondering how the first generation to grow up with social media will reimagine the wedding experience.
The Knot’s 2025 Wedding Trends to Watch Report found that 65% of Gen Z couples use social media as a leading source of inspiration, while around 20% use AI to help with planning. Some other emerging tech trends being embraced by Gen Z couples are betting apps for guests, augmented reality tools, glambots, video mapping, and laser shows.
The study found classic wedding traditions (i.e., cake-cutting, bouquet tosses) being embraced by Gen Z couples at higher rates than millennials, likely due to their younger age and family influence. Cultural trends Gen Zers expect will influence and shape weddings in 2025 include old money aesthetic, cottagecore, quiet luxury, demure and mindful, TikTok dances, and Western.
Discussion Questions
Does David’s Bridal’s “Diamonds & Pearls” concept appear to align with the shopping experience desired by many Gen Z brides?
What do you like about the concept? What concerns you?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
Pamela Kaplan
Principal, PK Consulting
Georganne Bender
Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking
Neil Saunders
Managing Director, GlobalData
Recent Discussions
More Discussions
Has Kroger Discovered the Limits of Automated Warehouses?
Kroger is winding down its relationship with Ocado, citing cost overruns and a reorganization of its…What Can Ross Do To Cement its Recent Success Story?
Ross has seen strong sales and projects this trend to continue. How can it best cement…Is Cyber Week Set To Smash Sales Records This Year, as Salesforce Suggests?
Salesforce suggests that Cyber Week will set records in terms of sales this year. Is this…
David’s Bridal works very hard to be customer centric and I think the new format is a big step forward in providing younger generations with the experience they need. The slimmed down selection, albeit backed by a wider digital assortment, is aligned with the Gen Z desire for simplified, edited choice. And the more personalized, elevated service taps into the need to provide an experience.
I would have liked to have heard about work on digital measurement + consistent sizing to reduce shipping costs, returns, and alterations for the product not immediately available in-store while also cutting lead times & increasing bridal party satisfaction. That’s the fertile ground for profit.
That (belated age) should send a chill thru the wedding industry…tho admiitedly not as much as not getting married at all would.
It sends a chill through me. Old.
I think this shows that David’s Bridal is trying to be as customer centric as possible, meeting Gen Z where they are at. I like that they are starting small with a smaller concept store and assortment, but also utilizing the resources that they have online. This will allow them to test the concept in a single market and adjust where needed.
I’m somehow amazed the company still exists, so management must work very hard to remain relevant through the changes in attitudes across generations. That’s probably the most notable thing about it.
Delray is an interesting place to try the concept. It’s kind of a hip little town, with money
The David’s Bridal experience wasn’t much of an experience the last time I was there with a bride-to-be to choose a dress. In fact, it was an underwhelming cattle call with four brides and their families sharing the same space and harried sales associate.
The Diamonds & Pearls model sounds a lot like the beautiful Vow’d wedding boutiques, but with more tech. I’m not sure every Gen Z bride puts tech at the top of the list when choosing a dress. Brides-to-be, regardless of age, still want a customized and unforgettably good experience.
David’s Bridal gets a lot right with its Diamonds & Pearls concept. The posh setting, personal attention, accessible pricing and in-demand assortment will help Gen Z brides feel pampered instead of overwhelmed by choice or price.
This is a great example of how retailers can meet evolving customer expectations by blending digital-tools with thoughtful in-store design. What’s smart here isn’t just the tech itself, but how it’s used to create a more personalized, curated, and elevated experience.