David's Bridal acquires wedding site

Dive Brief:

David's Bridal has acquired the online wedding site Rustic Wedding Chic, the retailer announced on Tuesday. Maggie Lord, founder of the site, will join David's Bridal as head of strategic partnerships and will report to Kelly Cook, chief marketing and IT officer.
David's Bridal said it decided to acquire the company because it served as a source of inspiration for brides. Under the leadership of David's Bridal, the site will continue publishing wedding photography, wedding planning articles, DIY projects and other nuptial resources, per the company statement.
Since launching the site in 2008, the blog has developed relationships with more than 5,000 vendors, the company noted.

Dive Insight:

Rustic Wedding Chic said in its own statement that readers can now access David's Bridal's digital offerings, including its planning tools and wedding checklists, and can also book appointments with the retailer through its website.

Jim Marcum, CEO of David's Bridal, said that the acquisition was part of the company's digital revamp to guide couples through the wedding process from the beginning until they tied the knot. "It is clear that our transformational framework, which is focused on digital and innovative solutions to allow us to be with her along her entire journey, is spot on and accelerates our strategic goals," Marcum said in a statement.

The wedding retailer has continued to introduce new tech before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to appointing a new chief technology officer in July, the company teamed up with Popwallet to market to consumers via their mobile wallets. In August, the company partnered with Affirm to provide customers with an installment plan option for their purchases.

With the coronavirus pandemic sparking in-store shopping concerns, David's Bridal has been using digital features to connect with consumers from afar. Earlier this month, the retailer enlisted the help of Vertebrae, an AR tech company, to better help customers virtually shop for gowns and bridesmaids dresses.

The wedding retail sector was in trouble prior to the pandemic, and a few months before the coronavirus forced most retailers to temporarily close, David's Bridal negotiated a deal for $55 million in capital to turn itself around. But it's unclear whether tech innovations will be enough to save the wedding retail segment.