David’s Bridal is bringing tech to dress buying and wedding planning
David’s Bridal is bringing tech to dress buying and wedding planning
Publish Date: 2026-03-22 06:00:00
Source Domain: www.inquirer.com
Welcome to Sunday, Philly.
After David’s Bridal emerged from its second bankruptcy, the King of Prussia-based company’s new CEO is on a mission to create a one-stop shop for wedding planning, with help from artificial intelligence.
And Temple University’s Rome campus will soon offer four-year degrees, making it one of a few American-accredited universities to do so in Italy. The university is also eyeing the possibility of more international sites.
Plus, Ardmore’s train station is finally set to reopen, and more news of the day.
— Julie Zeglen ([email protected])
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
David’s Bridal, the country’s largest bridal retailer, wants you to think of it for more than white gowns, veils, and bridesmaid dresses.
The King of Prussia-based company still aims to be the place where brides on all budgets can find their dream dress at one of its nearly 200 locations. But its new AI-powered digital wedding planner called Pearl can also help them plan their weddings, complete with vision board, to-do list, and recommended products.
Pearl and other AI tools have helped the company be more efficient and cut costs after emerging from its second bankruptcy in five years, says CEO Kelly Cook, who took over in April.
As they experiment, the David’s Bridal team is also learning the risks of the technology in real time.
Consumer reporter Erin McCarthy has the story.
Temple University’s 60-year-old Rome campus, where more than 300 students study annually, will begin offering four-year degree programs next fall. The move would make it one of only three American-accredited universities to do so in Italy.
The school is considering more international sites for expansion, too, including India and Central America, Temple president John Fry told The Inquirer.
Its Japan campus is also expanding with a second site in Tokyo, and last year, the school opened a campus in Kyoto. Temple’s Japan enrollment has grown from 940…
