David's Bridal bankruptcy sparks jitters among brides-to-be: 'I am a little freaked out'

By Parija Kavilanz, CNN

Delaney Dickson is now anxious about her upcoming appointments at David's Bridal after the retailer filed for bankruptcy this week.

Her wedding is set for mid-August and she has a second alteration appointment at a David's Bridal store.

"The appointment is in early May," said Dickson, an office manager and veterinary assistant based in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

"My bridesmaids have also ordered their dresses from David's Bridal. And I still haven't gotten everything that I need for my wedding from there," she said. "I'm really worried."

David's Bridal, which claims that one in every four wedding dresses sold in the United States is purchased from its stores, set off alarm bells among brides-to-be by announcing a mass layoff on Friday of over 9,000 employees, the majority of its workforce.

On Monday, the retailer filed for bankruptcy for the second time in five years, but said it would keep its 300 stores and its website operating and would continue to fulfill customer orders as it searches for a new buyer for the company.

In the event that doesn't happen, it could have to close all stores and liquidate, the company said, blaming its situation on changing trends among consumers that favor less traditional, simpler and less costly weddings.

Tessa Brown's wedding isn't until next year, but even so, she's not taking any chances on David's Bridal.

"I'm not taking another risk," said Brown, a senior pharmacy technician who lives in Warren, Pennsylvania, a small city of about 9,000 residents. "I've waited 10 years for my fiancé to propose, so I want everything to go smoothly."

David's Bridal was her first choice for her wedding dress, and now Brown has started looking elsewhere, even though she says it won't be easy.

"I live in a very rural area. There aren't many options here for affordable dresses other than David's Bridal," said Brown. The nearest David's Bridal store, she said, is almost an hour-and-a half drive to Erie, Pennsylvania.

Although she's pivoting to online for her bridesmaid dresses, Brown said she won't do the same for her gown. "I will only go into a store to look for my dress," she said. "It is a very special one-time experience and I want to share it with my family and friends."

But one large online seller of bridal and wedding party dresses and accessories said it is seeing a jump in customer inquiries and sales this week because some nervous brides are looking online for their dresses.

"Many of the customer service inquiries are coming from David's Bridal customers. We're seeing some panic," said Ranu Coleman, chief marketing officer of Azazie, which, like David's Bridal, sells affordable wedding gowns priced between $200 to about $1,100 and bridesmaid dresses from $80 to about $200.

"We're trying to be helpful. Luckily, we have a wide assortment of colors, styles and affordable prices," she said. However, what the brand doesn't offer is the in-store social experience.

Even so, Coleman said some women prefer the comfort and ease of shopping for their wedding dress from the comfort of their homes.

"A lot of women don't like having a sales person around trying to sell them on a style they may not like, or they're self-conscious about trying on their dresses in front of strangers," she said.

Coleman said Azazie's try-on program lets customers order up to three dresses at a time for $10 to $15 each, including two-way shipping. "You can keep the dress you like and return the others," she said, adding that brides can still hold try-on parties at home with their bridesmaids.

Alura Schaum, a college student in Lexington, Kentucky, bought her David's Bridal dress a few weeks ago and is nervously waiting to see if she gets it.

"I am a little freaked out because I don't have my dress yet," Schaum told CNN. She called the David's Bridal location near her but hasn't yet heard back.

Schaum's wedding is also next year, but she said she could do with less anxiety because she's juggling other issues, including trying to lock in a wedding venue.

"So many weddings were postponed because of the pandemic and now venues are booked up," she said. She's also thinking about her bridesmaids.

"David's Bridal is such a big name to not be around. So many women today, and in the future, need it to buy their wedding dresses. This is not ideal," she said.