Loverly Jumps the Broom With Bed Bath & Beyond

When you’re in the wedding business, you exist and thrive on the firm belief love conquers all. And in the case of Loverly’s new partnership with Bed Bath & Beyond, there has never been a more urgent time to prove it does. During an unusual season in which wedding-planning platforms are making more game-changing decisions than the couples they serve, the company announced it recently hitched its wagon to the retailer as both look to attract millennial couples with modern design tastes—and augment their registry business. After a slew of cancellations in 2020 and 2021, experts anticipate the 2022-23 wedding season will be one of the biggest in nearly 40 years with over 2.6 million weddings planned. That number has the industry hoping to feel the love as well. For Loverly, which—like competitor Zola—recently underwent a brand refresh and secured funding from Shark Tank investor Daymond John, the opportunity to partner with a retailer that still holds a significant amount of real estate and name recognition presented a strong match. “We knew [Bed Bath & Beyond] would be a great partner, as they not only have a strong online footprint, but also their 700+ stores provide an omnichannel experience for not just couples but their gift-buying guests,” Loverly founder Kellee Khalil said via email. Khalil mentioned the company polled its audience to determine its need for registry assistance and found 46% of the couples had not yet started one. The findings spurred the decision to partner with the retailer and kick off a registry pilot program, which she said helps the platform learn more about couples’ needs—and drive their registry creations. “We ultimately decided to partner with Bed Bath & Beyond as they had a very strong authority in home retail, and with their recent leadership changes focused on innovating their brand and customer experience, they were very open to collaborating and learning together through our wedding registry pilot program,” Khalil said. An attractive proposal For Bed Bath & Beyond, the opportunity to betroth itself to a partner that could potentially bring in new customers and enhance a lucrative business in the form of young, upwardly mobile newlyweds looking to furnish their first homes together was an attractive offer. “Combining our ultimate registry experience with Loverly’s trusted and loved do-it-yourself wedding planning platform helps newly engaged couples create their perfect home and offers expanded tools—from inspiration boards to vendor recommendations—to help guide them every step of the way,” said Rafeh Masood, evp and chief customer officer at Bed Bath & Beyond, in a statement. The alliance may be a crucial one, as the retailer has struggled to maintain its dominance as a destination for home goods in the wake of rising competition from DTC and specialty retailers that adapted quickly to the new shopping landscape brought on by the pandemic. In recent months, both profits and share price have taken drastic hits, resulting in the ousting of its CEO, Mark Tritton, a former Target executive who oversaw an aggressive store revamp relying heavily on private label brands and lifestyle positioning, while doing away with the so-called “stack ‘em high and watch "'em fly” model of its heyday. The company also scaled back on the popular discount coupons, which were mainstays of any new address starter pack from the postal service. That said, the partnership with Loverly could potentially have a happily ever after. Loverly—a DIY wedding platform that helps engaged couples find vendors for every stage of their nuptials, from finding an engagement ring to securing transportation to and from the event—reports having reached over 20 million monthly users since its founding in 2012. Formerly known as Lover.ly, the company acquired the domain for Loverly.com in 2021 and adjusted the company’s name and offerings in the process. “We upgraded our free planning tools—the guest list manager and wedding checklist—and enhanced our real wedding galleries where we feature thousands of real weddings and vendors so our audience can be inspired and discover their dream wedding team,” Khalil said. The company has also beefed up its content, having recently launched the Loverly Wedding Podcast and a Wedding Planning Masterclass video series it promotes through Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok. In addition to the retail partnership, the platform has also partnered with luxury wedding stationary brand, Minted, which Khalil said will provide Loverly’s users with a “shopping experience that focuses on high-quality, customization and convenience.” “As we’ve seen online planning platforms pivot towards a more commerce-focused experience, we knew it was important for us to stay focused on what our couples really want: Wedding guidance and our trusted curation,” she added. “So rather than build expensive infrastructure to potentially provide a subpar product experience, we strategically partnered with best-in-class retailers.” Walmart and Getaway Want S’more Customers to Camp Out