David’s Bridal featured a same-sex couple in an ad for the first time, and we have heart eyes

After nearly 70 years in business, David’s Bridal finally included a lesbian couple in a bridal ad. The historic moment appeared in the bridal giant’s new television spot called “Rewrite the Rules,” which also featured several interracial couples and a couple with a baby. To us, these relationships look like the ones we see every day around us, but we’re glad David’s Bridal has caught on.

"We wanted to make sure this spot represented what we see from brides today," David’s Bridal’s chief marketing officer Liz Crystal told Ad Age. "We value every type of bride."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUMyaamGxgY?start=30&feature=oembed

This news comes after David’s Bridal filed for bankruptcy in November 2018. Reports indicate that the long-running bridal juggernaut was feeling the pressure from bridal start-ups like Floravere and more millennial-minded retailers like BHLDN. Perhaps the brand’s new push for diversity and inclusion will help revive the business.

We’re happy to see David’s Bridal be more inclusive in their ads, because representation matters and, frankly, there aren’t many giant bridal retailers featuring queer couples either. Zales highlighted a lesbian couple in a 2016 ad, luxury diamond brand Real is a Diamond ran an ad in 2017 featuring a woman buying an engagement ring for her future wife, and last year, Las Vegas tourism produced a long-form commercial featuring a queer wedding. Hopefully other brands will understand the importance of inclusion and follow in their footsteps.

From same-sex couples to brides with babies, it’s nice to see giant retailers acknowledging at last that weddings aren’t the virginal hetero-patriarchal institutions of yesteryear.