The wedding advice circle is broken. Bridal magazines and wedding experts are shouting advice, but it's clear that no one's listening. We're in Facebook groups and Slack channels every day seeing the same questions about weddings—and when we see a problem, we want to fix it. So since you asked... listen to our take.
In this joyful and heartfelt episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Jo Silver sits down with Kelly Keneally, beloved Store Manager at David’s Bridal in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, to uncover what really goes on during a wedding dress appointment—and why the in-store bridal experience is pure magic.
With over a decade of experience helping brides say “yes,” Kelly shares the behind-the-scenes moments you don’t see on TikTok: navigating family dynamics, celebrating with the emotional bell-ringing ceremony, and helping women of all sizes feel beautiful and confident.
Rachel and Kelly dive into the emotional rollercoaster of finding the one—the dress, that is—and why nothing compares to trying it on IRL. They also chat about how social media inspires but doesn’t dictate bridal decisions, what brides are loving in 2025 (spoiler: dusty sage, dreamy barn venues, and coordinated bridesmaid palettes), and how David’s Bridal is expanding to serve every kind of wedding vision, from glam couture to prom and graduation.
Whether you’re a bride, a bridesmaid, or just love weddings, this episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and feel-good moments from inside one of the most iconic names in bridal.
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On this episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Jo Silver, GM of Media at David's Bridal and founder of Love Stories TV sits down with Elina Vilk, President of David’s Bridal, for the official launch of Pearl Planner—a revolutionary, AI-powered planning platform that’s about to change the way couples plan their weddings.
Born from David's 70 years of firsthand experience with brides and a passion for solving the real, anxiety-inducing pain points of wedding planning, Pearl Planner replaces your binder, your spreadsheet, and your stress with a personalized, intuitive tool to guide you from “Yes” to “I do.”
Elina breaks down how Pearl Planner streamlines every step, from building your wedding vision board and timeline to surfacing vendors based on your style, location, and budget—plus, it's 100% free.
Whether you’re Type A or totally overwhelmed, planning with a pro or flying solo, Pearl meets you where you are and helps you create the wedding you’ve always imagined—minus the burnout.
Episode Highlights:
• The Wedding Planning Problem: Why even one task (like engagement photos) is actually 10 hidden tasks—and how Pearl helps.
• AI, But Make It Romantic: How generative AI powers a fully customizable planning experience that updates in real time.
•Social Media Meets Sanity: Why pretending wedding pressure doesn’t exist is unhelpful—and how Pearl helps you stay grounded and inspired.
•Vendors Win, Too: High-intent lead generation for local wedding pros—so no one wastes a single red cent on advertising again.
•This is David’s Bridal’s love letter to every bride in America—and a game-changer for the entire industry.
Pearl Planner is now launched in beta. Learn more and request early access at pearl.davidsbridal.com
On this episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Jo Silver, Founder of Love Stories TV and GM of Media for David’s Bridal, sits down with Kelly Cook, CEO of David’s Bridal, to unpack a topic that’s top of mind for everyone in the bridal industry: tariffs. Kelly pulls back the curtain on how David’s Bridal remains resilient in a changing global economy and continues to deliver stunning gowns and exceptional value to every bride, no matter what challenges arise behind the scenes. From a deep dive into their vertically integrated supply chain to the artistry behind every hand-sewn bead, this conversation reveals how David’s stays flexible, innovative, and unwaveringly committed to brides and boutique owners alike.
Episode Highlights:
• Tariff Resilience: How vertical integration protects brides from unexpected costs
• Around the World: 36 production centers and expert artisans ensure quality and flexibility
• Handcrafted Magic: Why David’s gowns are meticulously hand-beaded and custom-designed
• Beyond Bridal: How category diversification fuels the brand’s growth and partnerships
• Supporting Small Businesses: How David’s scale helps boutique owners thrive
In this episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Jo Silver, Founder of Love Stories TV and GM of Media for David’s, sits down with Lisa Jammal, visionary Co-Founder and CEO of Social Agent, to explore how her groundbreaking new app is changing the way we capture and create content.
Rachel and Lisa talk about how Social Agent is giving individuals and - businesses affordable, on-demand access to certified content creators, also known as “agents,” who can arrive in 30 minutes to film, photograph, and edit. The result is that you can finally put your phone down and enjoy the moment.
Topics include:
How Lisa’s PR and social media background inspired the idea for Social Agent
- Why everyone today is a content creator, even if they are not trying to be
- How Social Agent’s real-time model delivers instant gratification
- What makes their agent certification process so unique and trustworthy
- Use cases from weddings and kids’ birthday parties to real estate and restaurants
- Why UGC editing is part of their mission and how they are scaling nationwide
Tap the link below to pre-download the Social Agent app now
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/social-agent-on-demand/id6670620131
In this episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Jo Silver—Founder of Love Stories TV and GM of Media for David’s—is joined by Grace Stewart, Founder and CEO of Unbox the Dress, to talk about the emotional and sustainable magic of upcycling wedding gowns into modern heirlooms.
Rachel and Grace explore how Unbox the Dress is revolutionizing the bridal industry by turning dresses from any era into robes, accessories, and keepsakes that celebrate family, fashion, and storytelling.
Topics include:
- How a mother-daughter moment led to a lightbulb business idea
- Why modern brides are embracing dress repurposing
- The most unique items they've created from old gowns—including Renaissance fair capes!
- How Unbox the Dress partners with David’s Bridal to make this accessible for more brides.
- The “dress box” system that makes the upcycling process seamless from start to finish.
Whether you're a wedding pro, a soon-to-be-bride, or newlywed, this episode will give you the tools—and inspiration— on how to turn a wedding dress into a meaningful heirloom.
Learn more at David's Bridal and follow @unboxthedress for tips, tools!
In this episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Silver—Founder of Love Stories TV, GM of Media for David’s, and CPO of David's Pearl Media Network—is joined by Elizabeth Sheils, Co-Founder of Rock Paper Coin and Founder of Bridal Bliss, to talk all things weddings, tech, and how to make wedding planning way less stressful.
Rachel and Elizabeth dive into the real challenges couples and wedding vendors face when it comes to contracts, payments, and planning tools—and how Rock Paper Coin is changing the game by making the business side of weddings easier and more efficient for everyone involved.
Topics include:
- How a decade-plus of wedding planning led Elizabeth to build tech that simplifies every step—from onboarding to final payments.
- Why modern couples are expecting digital-first solutions—and how planners and vendors can level up.
- The surprising overlap between wedding planning and financial wellness (yes, even prenups came up).
- Elizabeth’s own wedding stories, from planning her big day to helping thousands of other couples do the same.
- The power of vendor relationships—and how Rock Paper Coin helps streamline them without losing the personal touch.
Learn more at rockpapercoin.com and follow @rockpapercoin for tips, tools, and planner-approved advice!
In this episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Silver—Founder of Love Stories TV, GM of Media for David’s, and CPO of David's Pearl Media Network—is joined by Emma McIlroy, Founder and CEO of Wildfang, to celebrate the launch of Wildfang’s exclusive collaboration with David’s Bridal.
Rachel and Emma explore what it truly means to show up as yourself on your wedding day—and every day. From the story behind Wildfang’s signature suits to Emma’s own wedding, this episode dives into how style, comfort, and community are reshaping the bridalwear landscape.
Topics include:
• Why more brides are ditching the dress in favor of tailored suits—and how the new Wildfang x David’s collection makes that possible.
• The emotional power of fit: how clothes that feel right can change everything.
• Emma’s viral TED Talk, fossil hunting as a 7-year-old, and the link between curiosity and entrepreneurship.
• How customer feedback helped shape the perfect wedding suit—and why rewearable pieces matter.
• Building a brand rooted in badassery, inclusivity, and social impact—and how Wildfang has raised over $1 million for women-centered nonprofits.
Plus, Emma shares real stories from her own wedding planning journey—including what she’d do differently and why spreadsheets were her secret weapon.
If you're a bride, a fashion lover, or someone who believes weddings should reflect who you are, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to hear how Wildfang and David’s Bridal are redefining bridalwear—and helping people everywhere feel like themselves on the most important day of their lives.
Shop the Wildfang collection now at https://www.davidsbridal.com!
In this special episode of Love Stories Radio, host Rachel Silver, GM of Media for David’s and CPO for Pearl Media Network is joined by Kelly Cook, President, Brand, Technology, & Finance and Co-Chair, Pearl Advisory Board for David’s Bridal and Elina Vilk, Chief Business Officer for David’s Bridal, for an insightful discussion on wedding trends and consumer behavior.
Through a fun and data-driven game of “Trend or False,” the trio dives deep into the latest industry insights—backed by David’s Bridal’s unmatched first-party data. With over 190 stores, 74 years of expertise, and interactions with 90% of U.S. brides, David’s Bridal has a pulse on what’s really happening in weddings.
Topics include:
Plus, an inside look at David’s Bridal’s evolving role in the wedding industry, including expanding product offerings beyond bridalwear and the success of its Diamond Loyalty Program, which has already awarded thousands of free honeymoons.
If you're a wedding industry professional, retailer, or marketer, this episode provides essential consumer insights to help you understand where the wedding market is headed. Tune in now to stay ahead of the trends shaping weddings in 2025!
We’d love to hear from you! Send us your wedding questions or share your favorite trends at [email protected].
It's Official! David’s Bridal, the nation’s leading bridal, wedding planning, and special occasion authority, today announced the launch of Pearl Media Network and the acquisition of Love Stories TV, the top wedding media brand taking a digital-first approach to wedding content and inspiration with over 20M viewers per month across content platforms and a library of over 30,000 real wedding videos. Taking the next step in becoming the ubiquitous leader in all things wedding, this strategic move transcends David’s from the wedding industry’s leading retailer to the industry’s rising tech and media company helping brides, grooms and anyone looking for wedding inspiration connect the dots under one brand.
On this episode of Love Stories Radio, Rachel Silver the new GM of Media for David’s and CPO for Pearl Media Network interviews Kelly Cook, President, Brand, Technology, & Finance and Co-Chair, Pearl Advisory Board for David’s Bridal and Elina Vilk, Chief Business Officer for David’s Bridal. In this conversation the three share how the new partnership came together and their joint vision for how David's Bridal will continue to serve brides and expand its offering for wedding vendors, SMBs, and enterprise partners.
Learn more here: https://pearl.davidsbridal.com/inspiration/press/davids-bridal-launches-love-stories-by-davids/
WHAT IS LOVE STORIES TV? Love Stories TV is a media and entertainment company delivering heartwarming stories, superstar experts and amazing weddings to a passionate audience. FOLLOW US: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovestoriestv https://www.instagram.com/lovestoriestv https://www.facebook.com/lovestoriestv https://www.pinterest.com/lovestoriestv https://www.snapchat.com/add/lovestoriestv
In this episode of Love Stories Radio, Founder and CEO of Love Stories TV, Rachel Jo Silver, sits down with Rachel Liverman, the CEO of Glowbar. As a third-generation esthetician and beauty industry expert, Rachel shares her journey of founding Glowbar, a first-to-market 30-minute customized membership facial concept. Tune in as they discuss the importance of professional skincare for brides, why monthly facials are a game-changer, and how Rachel successfully navigated launching a business just before the pandemic. Plus, get tips on how to prep your skin in the months leading up to your wedding day!
Follow @glowbar and @lovestoriestv for more!