The repetition problem

Brides tell their date, budget, venue and preferences to a planner, then repeat the same information to every florist, photographer and caterer they contact.

Vendors are equally disconnected

Wedding businesses receive inquiries through email, texts, contact forms and social media, while appointments and follow-up sit in separate systems.

Pearl Connect launches

David's Bridal launched Pearl Connect, an AI-powered platform that connects to Pearl Planner, its consumer wedding-planning platform.

“We couldn't solve the problem from just the bride side. To really solve this problem, we had to solve it from both sides of the house.”

Local businesses need more than leads

Vendors participating around David's Bridal stores wanted customers, but also needed help with the work surrounding customer acquisition.

Weddings are getting more individual

Some couples extend planning to 24 months to afford their dream wedding. Others cut costs with backyard weddings. Neither compromises on individuality.

“The thing they don't compromise on is individuality.”

Context matters more than names

A photographer needs more than a name. Location, budget, date, style and where the couple stands in planning determine whether an inquiry is relevant.

Small businesses struggle with tech

Many wedding vendors don't have websites and rely on Facebook pages. Some receive hundreds of emails weekly and struggle to determine which require responses.

“You are a florist. You love flowers. You go into the business because you love flowers.”

One hub for all communications

Pearl Connect puts communications into a common hub. AI identifies whether inquiries concern pricing or timing, flags conversations and drafts responses.

Pricing and verification

Pearl Connect offers a free option and paid subscriptions at $49 and $119 monthly. Businesses must prove legitimacy with a business license to participate.

Beyond weddings

Florists, photographers, venues and caterers serve customers beyond weddings. The platform could become an operating system for these businesses more broadly.

“I see this as a much broader platform than for weddings.”