As many of us know, brides have a lot on their minds while planning their wedding. From finding the perfect venue, the right photographer, and managing friends and family stressors, brides have a lot to juggle. And one aspect of shopping that should be fun but almost always isn’t is dress shopping. It’s already hard to find the dress that is everything a bride has ever wanted, and then it’s even harder when brides have to pay extra for accessible, size-inclusive styles. David’s Bridal is here to change that.
Customers go to David’s Bridal to find gowns in sizes 0-30W with prices that are often more affordable than other stores. David’s Bridal will now offer the same price for gowns of the same style, regardless of size as part of its new price parity program.
David’s Bridal is now committed to paving the way in the bridal industry and price fairness is their first mission. Price parity means eliminating the markup seen when a gown moves from traditional straight sizes (usually gowns size 14 or below) to plus sizing. All gowns, including bridesmaids’ dresses, will retail for the same price regardless of size.
According to Bridal Guide, plus size gowns are often more expensive than traditional sized options because manufacturers charge more for fabric, beading, and lace. This is sometimes referred to as the fat tax. It’s important to realize that the wedding industry isn’t alone in this phenomenon.
David Bridal’s CEO Jim Marcum spoke with Bustle about the decision to equalize shopping prices. “We’ve immersed ourselves in our customer. What is our customer telling us? What does our customer feel? What does our customer think about us? Price parity was an issue that came rising up to the top. It’s an emotional issue,” Marcum says. “As we are doing everything we can to bring the consumer back to the center of everything we do, we felt this was an incredibly important issue that we take on.”