The way brides find their dream dress is changing - and bridal retailers need to adapt. With couples now discovering suppliers across websites, social media, directories and search engines, visibility alone is no longer enough. The brands that stand out are those that build trust, show personality and create a clear sense of the experience they offer. Zoe Burke, Head of Brand at Bridebook, shares her insights into modern bridal search behaviour and the strategies that will help boutiques connect with the next generation of brides.

From your perspective, how has the way couples discover and choose wedding suppliers changed over the last few years?

It’s changed a lot and has been changing over time, but I think we’ve seen a real acceleration in recent years. There are more avenues than ever before when it comes to finding and booking vendors, and couples no longer reliably flow through one funnel. They will look at your website, your socials, your listings, to glean as much information as possible. There is so much choice, so they want to make sure they’re making the right one. Being visible in the right places is essential to getting the right bookings.

We often tell bridal boutiques that their biggest asset is their service and experience. From your expert point of view, how important is storytelling and personality for retailers today?

I think it’s essential, and your service and your experience is directly tied to it. Wedding planning is so deeply personal, and couples want to feel like their wedding team is exactly that, a wedding team that’s excited for them, trustworthy and on their side.

They are looking for vendors that are aligned with their values and personal style, so make sure you clearly display yours. It will also help you ensure you’re attracting and working with the right clientele, as they’ll naturally go where they feel the most connected. This doesn’t mean you have to do TikTok dances if that’s not your thing, but think of ways to showcase your expertise, highlight the experience you offer and build a connection with the couples that come to you.

When a bride starts searching for their dress or a boutique, what does that journey actually look like now? Where are they looking first?

Couples start their searches primarily online. They’ll look on social for inspiration – whether that’s from celebrities, influencers or even their friends – and then use this info to inform their dress search. Whether that’s searching by a particular designer they’ve identified, or by a style of dress they think they want. Searches tend to be led by dress type and style, rather than by location - we know brides are often willing to travel to track down the dress that they think could be the one.

I personally think Google struggles a little with deciphering the intent behind wedding dress searches. When most people search fashion-related terms, it’s because they’re looking to compare and shop online. With wedding dresses, it’s a whole different thing - shopping for your wedding dress online still isn’t hugely popular, but Google doesn’t have much nuance when it comes to niche terms. I’ve seen it flit between showing brands and showing boutiques on page one over the years as it can’t quite map user behaviour in line with how users search and interact with other fashion terms online.

What are some common mistakes you see bridal retailers making, especially digitally, when it comes to their visibility or marketing?

I see a lot of retailers feel pressured to keep up with social media content trends. I think it’s easy to think that going viral is a measure of success, and in lots of ways, it is, but is it the right thing for your business? Does getting hundreds of thousands of views help you to book in more brides? If you are feeling the pressure to create social content, I would always recommend thinking about how many brides you want to book in with your content and work backwards from there. Create content that’s designed for your end goal - bookings, brand awareness, followers etc. and tailor the content to suit that goal. It means you can go way easier on yourself and focus on a smaller audience that’s right for you.

There’s a lot of pressure for brands to ‘be everywhere’ online. Do you think that approach still works, or is it more about showing up in the right places at the right time?

Visibility is really important - but you can still be selective. Choose channels and platforms that work for you and that align with the audience you want to attract. For example, if Pinterest doesn’t deliver much for you, don’t feel the need to be on there. It’s better to pick a couple of social platforms, one or two directories that align with your brand and your target audience, and your website as your priorities to maintain and update.

If you had to give bridal retailers one piece of advice to help them get found, trusted and chosen more consistently, what would it be?

Decide who you want to attract, and lean into that. Work with your team to create a brand tone of voice - it can be as simple as three words to sum up your brand, that you try to convey in everything you do. It will help you to be consistent, to build trust and to attract the nearlyweds that are right for you.

What do you think the most successful bridal brands will be doing differently in the next 2–3 years?

It will be the ones that recognise that couples are desperate for a personal touch. Any customisations they can offer, from how the dress looks, to how they tailor their appointments, will be key. I think as we move more and more towards an AI powered world, that desire for personal touches and tailored details will become essential. No one wants to feel like they’re just another item on a conveyor belt - especially not when they are planning their wedding.

Words: Zoe Burke