Dive Brief:

• David's Bridal on Tuesday announced the launch of a loyalty program, dubbed "Diamond, Loyalty Program by David's" offering different gifts to consumers at various levels, according to a press release emailed to Retail Dive. Users will earn 1 "diamond point" for every $1 spent. 

• The program allows customers to receive items such as a free honeymoon, luxury handbags and accessories as well as gifts from the Ritz-Carlton Spa, The Spa at the St. Regis Hotel and Marriott Spa Hotels, among others, the company said. Customers can also share their loyalty number with others to help earn points toward their free honeymoon.

• When new users sign up, they will receive welcome coupons that can be shared with others via text and email from their phones. The loyalty program is free to join, and customers can access exclusive offers through Popwallet after signing up, the company said.

Dive Insight:

David's Bridal's loyalty program is part of the company's overall effort to introduce new ways to better serve its customers, David's Bridal CEO Jim Marcum said in a statement. The goal behind the program is to help customers get more value with David's Bridal than at other retailers and find more ways to save, access the company's partners and potentially win a getaway, Marcum said. 

The loyalty program is among a growing list of services the retailer has rolled out this year. Beyond forming a partnership with Popwallet, which is being used to distribute mobile offers as part of the retailer's reward program, David's Bridal this year also began offering installment payments through Affirm, set up virtual styling appointments, introduced AR and 3D dress shopping and virtual wedding planning tools, and introduced a chatbot. The bridal retailer also recently acquired the Rustic Wedding Chic website. 

Bridal retailers continue to vie for a spot in the shrinking wedding market, and while some have seen success even with the pandemic, others have not made it. Brideside abruptly shut down in November due to economic uncertainty and wedding cancellations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Macy's partnered with Zola on wedding registries, and Jared released its own wedding planning tools. It remains to be seen whether technology can save the declining wedding retail market.