Rocking a New Ring in the New Year?

David's Bridal Offers Helpful Wedding Planning Advice & Provides Insight via
Second Annual 'What's On Brides' Minds' Survey

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- With an extra twinkle in her eye
and sparkle on her finger, it's no wonder the bride-to-be has a contagious
glow. For the bevy of brides who got engaged between Thanksgiving and New
Year's -- 26% do so according to Conde Nast Bridal Media's American Wedding
Study -- now's the time to begin the exciting, yet sometimes hectic task of
planning their special day.
To better understand the preferences and attitudes of today's brides and
offer the most relevant wedding planning advice, the second annual "What's on
Brides' Minds" survey was conducted by Leflein Associates, Inc. for David's
Bridal, the nation's leading bridal authority. The revealing survey found that
while some bridal traditions continue to withstand the test of time, times are
definitely changing. On the traditional side, men are still most likely to pop
the question (78%), and 63% of brides continue to wear something old,
something new, something borrowed and something blue for their big day. A
popular new trend has emerged, with 38% of today's brides considering the
option of buying more than one gown for their wedding day. Nearly half of
these respondents (47%) said they would select a second, more casual style for
the reception, while nearly 40% cited they would change dresses so that they
could move freely on the dance floor. When it comes to attendants, most
weddings include at least one bridesmaid. Perhaps indicative of the laid-back,
informal attitude of the West coast, brides in this region are less likely to
have large bridal parties than brides in the Northeast and South, who are
twice as likely to have more than four bridesmaids. As a sign of the times,
brides admitted that they are more likely to consult with friends (55%) or
bridal websites (53%) for wedding planning advice, over their own mother
(40%)!
Since today's modern bride clearly marches to the beat of her own drum,
David's Bridal offers a multitude of up-to-the-minute planning tips to help
each woman achieve her own unique wedding style, without breaking the bank:
-- Keep an Eye on the Bottom Line: Establishing a budget is the first and
most important step when planning a wedding. Determine which aspects of
the wedding are most important, and scale back on items that are not a
top priority. Almost two-thirds of survey respondents said that the
wedding dresses they found were too expensive. To keep finances in
check without sacrificing quality or style, try shopping for wedding
attire at a store like David's Bridal that offers an unparalleled array
of elegant bridal gowns ranging in price from $299-$1200. The survey
also revealed that engaged couples are shifting their spending plans to
extend beyond the wedding day and into the future: 40% of brides agreed
that putting money toward the down payment of a house was their highest
priority when making purchases before the wedding. With the affordable
luxury of designer collections from Oleg Cassini, Monique Luo and
Galina, David's can help you plan for the big day and save for happily
ever after.

-- Location, Location, Location: Destination weddings are a popular trend,
however the survey found that three-quarters of brides will be hosting
their weddings close to home. Whether near or far, the location (and
season) will influence everything from the floral arrangements and
color scheme, to the all-important wedding dress. Reinforcing this
notion, nearly two-thirds of brides said that their wedding locale
would shape their gown choice. Brides will save time and effort if they
determine their location and overall theme before heading to a store to
look at gowns. For example, a formal hotel venue provides the perfect
backdrop for a dramatic ball gown or sophisticated, slim silhouette,
while a beachside setting may call for a tea-length dress or long,
flowing gown.

-- Online Oasis: The internet is a wonderful planning tool and a great
time-saver, so it's no surprise that respondents ranked wedding
websites as a top resource (53%) for useful wedding planning advice,
tips and ideas. Today's brides shop for a variety of wedding products
online; invitations were cited as the most popular item (49%), followed
by favors (44%), bridal accessories/jewelry (41%) and bridal gowns
(40%). However, when it comes to placing the actual order, the online
purchase categories shift to wedding favors (33%), honeymoon travel
arrangements (31%) and invitations (29%). There are numerous e-commerce
sites that cater to brides, such as davidsbridal.com, which offers more
than 4,000 unique wedding related items and services, including
exclusive collections that make it easy to coordinate the entire
wedding day. The new db Online Collection offers stylish dresses
designed to suit any size, budget, and timeline (sizes 2-26W, starting
at $99). The site also boasts Dress Your Wedding, an online tool that
allows brides to create their own "virtual" wedding, experimenting with
colors, dresses, accessories and backgrounds; perfect for the 84% of
brides who said they want to visualize what their bridal party will
look like prior to the big day. Interestingly, while blogs are
prevalent, almost two-thirds of brides-to-be indicated that they don't
feel that they are credible or helpful in planning their dream day.

-- Time is on Your Side: 63% of recently engaged women give themselves
less than six months before the wedding to purchase their gown, while
38% wait until the final three months. Think that's not enough time to
buy a gown? Think again. For those who planned their nuptials in less
than six months, many found their gown at a bridal shop where they were
able to try on the dress and take it home either that day or within a
short timeframe. This is good news for the 37% of brides-to-be who
indicated that one of the biggest obstacles when shopping for a wedding
dress was that their gown of choice was not available to try on in
their size. If you are planning on getting married under a tight
timetable, visit a store like David's Bridal that stocks gowns in size
0-26W, as well as special plus (28W & 30W) and petite (0P-16P) sizing
options, to get a sense of what the gown will look like on you. To
ensure all wedding preparations are timely and within budget, David's
also provides a great savings booklet with each bridal gown purchase,
amounting to $1,000 towards future purchases at the store and with
preferred partners, such as MW Tux, JCPenney and Liberty Travel.

-- Consult the Experts: When searching for a dress, brides should take
advantage of bridal consultants' advice, as they can provide great
insight into the gowns' quality, fit and construction. In fact, more
than 4 out of 5 brides agreed that their consultant positively affected
their shopping experience. Consultants are constantly helping brides
choose gowns and are most familiar with the inventory, so they are best
prepared to suggest a style that may be "the one." In addition to these
gown gurus, it's a good idea to bring along a friend or family member
to provide honest feedback, as well as an extra set of hands to help
with full skirts and lace-up bodices. But don't expect today's bride to
ask her fiance for his opinion: the majority of respondents (53%)
confessed that they don't plan on showing the dress to their beloved
before the wedding day, while only one-third said they will ask his
advice on planning the wedding at all. Another expert you might want to
consult is a dance instructor to fine-tune the highly anticipated first
dance. Surprisingly, as much as people love watching their favorite
celebrities on Dancing with the Stars, 87% of engaged women said that
they do not plan on taking professional dance lessons before the
wedding. So even if you won't be learning any fancy footsteps, have fun
with it and try not to step on each others' toes!

-- Customization is Key: If you're looking for ways to let your
personality shine through without paying a hefty custom price tag,
you're not alone. Over 60% of brides would like to customize their gown
to reflect more of their personality, but 40% felt that it would be
difficult to do so without costing a fortune. To help with this all-
too-common bridal dilemma, try to find a bridal shop that offers cost-
effective solutions for personalizing your wedding dress. David's
Bridal allows you to choose from a variety of sleeve options that can
be easily added to strapless gowns to create a unique style that is all
your own, without blowing your budget. For additional ways to tailor
your look, add a colorful sash or sparkling crystal brooch to your
gown. For the perfect finishing touches, don't forget to ask your
consultant about coordinating accessories: from tiaras and veils to
handbags, shoes and jewelry, you can never go wrong by selecting pieces
that complement your dress and personal style.

-- Obliging Bridesmaids: For the second year in a row, the top issue
brides found with dressing their bridal party was agreeing on one style
to fit all different body types (63% vs. 65% in 2006). Coordination is
still in vogue, with almost three-quarters of respondents wanting their
bridal party to wear the same color or color scheme, and 34% planning
to have their bridesmaids wear the same dress in the same color. The
desire for identical bridesmaid attire is stronger among brides in the
Northeast compared to those in the Midwest (42% vs. 27%). Whatever your
preference, it's a good idea to try a nationwide store that carries a
large assortment of styles in a range of sizes to ensure the bridal
party looks and feels their best. David's Bridal offers an impressive
selection of stylish dresses, available in an expanded 30 color
palette, to create a figure-flattering look, no matter what your size
or style. They also recently introduced the new "Dress Up Your Dress"
collection which boasts two versatile dress silhouettes, a sash and
peek-a-boo slip, all available in 31 colors to mix and match, for the
ultimate in personalization. These are just a few ways to choose
wear-again options for bridesmaids, a perfect fit for the 39% of
respondents who cite this as a concern when choosing bridesmaid
dresses.

-- Showcase Your Style: Even though we live in a celebrity-obsessed
culture, 96% of brides-to-be said that they will not emulate the recent
wedding of a Hollywood starlet, but instead plan on showcasing their
own unique style. To create a seamless look, visit a one-stop-shop and
choose a personalized color scheme that makes it easy to coordinate all
aspects of their big day. From save-the-date cards and invitations to
ceremony and reception items, right down to the icing on the cake,
David's Bridal offers a wide array of coordination options, available
both in-store and online, to create a cohesive event. Always keep in
mind that your wedding is a time to celebrate your union as husband and
wife and the start of your new life together. While advice from loved
ones is important, take their suggestions into consideration, but
ensure that your wedding is still all that you envisioned it to be.
After all, it is your day!

"The recent survey reinforced what we already know: today's brides-to-be
are looking to personalize and coordinate their special day, but don't want to
spend a fortune for the custom look," said Robert Huth, President and CEO of
David's Bridal. "As the only national bridal retailer, we listen to the
feedback we receive from our brides and pride ourselves on responding to their
preferences. We're pleased to be able to offer such a wide assortment of
affordable, high-quality and fashion-forward bridal and bridal party fashions,
accessories, gifts and favors -- both in-store and online -- to meet the needs
of today's brides and help make the wedding of their dreams a reality."
While finding the love of her life is up to the bride, following these
simple steps will help ease the wedding-planning process and make it more
enjoyable. So when the big day finally arrives, her only responsibility will
be to enjoy herself as she dances the night away.
Methodology
This Internet survey was conducted by Leflein Associates, Inc. from
October 19-22, 2007. A total of 504 surveys were completed among a national
panel of women (age 18+) who were recently engaged. This study has a margin of
error of plus or minus 4% at the 95% confidence level.
About David's Bridal
With more than 50 years of bridal experience, David's Bridal understands
the importance of providing brides-to-be with a vast selection of exquisitely
crafted dresses, available at affordable prices. Today, with more than 280
locations nationwide, David's Bridal continues to expand its retail store
locations, while maintaining its philosophy of superior quality, value and
service. To locate a store nearby, consumers can call 1-877-693-BRIDE or
visit http://www.davidsbridal.com.
SOURCE David's Bridal

Maris Callahan of LIPPE TAYLOR, +1-212-598-4400, ext. 164,
mcallahan@lippetaylor.com