David’s Bridal taps AI technology to turn first-party wedding data into a new B2B growth platform
David’s Bridal, a North American bridal and occasion retailer and Pearl, its AI powered platform, have announced the launch of Pearl Connect, pitched as the first AI vendor platform native to a couple’s wedding planning journey, putting everything a professional in this space needs to market, communicate and book into one touchpoint.
“Wedding professionals shouldn’t have to spend their days chasing emails, piecing together details and wondering which leads are actually worth their time,” says Kelly Cook, CEO at David’s Bridal. “We know what couples are planning, what they’re looking for, and where they are in their journey.”
“Pearl Connect puts that context to work for the businesses on the other side of the aisle. We’re simplifying all those disjointed ways of connecting into one place with the goal of removing any friction so wedding professionals can have a more meaningful, real connection with potential couples. It’s a very different way to think about a wedding vendor marketplace - it’s about vendor listings, it’s about creating real connections that can lead to revenue and growth for wedding pros.”
“Pearl Connect is designed around a simple idea: a vendor should know more than a name and an email when a potential client reaches out,” adds Elina Vilk, President and Chief Business Officer at David’s Bridal. “When a couple comes through Pearl, we can connect that inquiry to the context they’ve already shared - their date, venue, style, budget, and what they’re actually looking for. That gives both sides a better starting point.”
“The couple doesn’t have to start over, and the vendor doesn’t have to spend the first several exchanges figuring out whether the opportunity is a fit. Together, Pearl Planner and Pearl Connect create a wedding planning flywheel: couples plan and share intent, vendors gain context around that intent, and both sides get a simpler path to a real connection and tangible business growth.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
AI will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
