What is the National Bridal Sale Event? A Guide for Bridal Store Owners

Kylie Punke

No Time for Crickets

Summer’s here, but that doesn’t mean your sales floor should sound like an episode of Planet Earth. Let’s be real—the sun is a hypnotist. Under its spell, you’re convinced that lemonade is an elixir and that your store will pull through this slow season as per usual. But what if your bridal store could do more than just pull through? What if your slowest month became one of your most profitable? That’s exactly what thousands of bridal store owners have discovered by participating in the National Bridal Sale Event (NBSE)—a major, once a year business opportunity you don’t want to miss.   

What is the National Bridal Sale Event?

NBSE is an annual, nationwide movement that drives brides into stores and inventory out the door. Traditionally held in July, this event is designed to not only increase foot traffic within bridal boutiques but to also establish unity within the bridal industry. This year’s sale event will be held from July 12th-20th. During this week, bridal store owners across the United States and Canada will offer exclusive discounts to their brides. The best part? You’re in control. There’s no set discount—just do what makes sense for your business.

Think Black Friday: you endure the crowd chaos, long lines, and early morning hours not because every store is offering the same deal, but rather that every store is offering some sort of deal. NBSE operates on the same concept. There are no hidden fees or charges to become part of the united sale—it’s free to register and claim your profile page. Brides can use geo-locating to see the when, what, and where of deals near them. Free widespread awareness for your bridal boutique? I think yes, and you should too—click here to register your bridal store!

How Did the National Bridal Sale Event Come to Be?

Once upon a time in a land far, far away—just kidding, it was actually South Jersey about nine years ago. That’s where Sue Maslowski of Jay West Bridal had a brilliant idea to offer brides their dream dresses at dream prices. Drawing from the iconic Black Friday itself, NBSE started out as a day-long sale event in North America—called National Bridal Sale Day. It didn’t take long for the event to grow into the week-long celebration you know and love today. A single day just simply wasn’t enough time for the demand that this event generated across the nation.    

In late 2023, SYVO—a well-known name in bridal tech—acquired the event from Sue, aiming to honor and expand her original vision for the sale.     

Why Should You Participate in the NBSE?

The better question is: why shouldn’t you participate in the NBSE? It’s truly a no-brainer since there are few strings attached. You have the opportunity to boost mid-summer sales during a traditionally slow retail period, and you get to do so with total control. Whether your store needs to clear out old inventory with a sample sale or needs to assess the performance of new inventory with a trunk show, you can still participate and reap the benefits. If you’re stuck deciding between the two, check out our Bridal Event: Trunk Shows vs. Sample Sales blog.

Another added bonus of participation is that you gain unparalleled visibility through the National Bridal Sale website and give your marketing team something to create local buzz about. Many stores choose to market this as their biggest event of the year!   

Our Top 5 Tips for NBSE Prep

Whether you host a sample sale or trunk show or offer a flat discount on all gowns or a complimentary package upgrade, it’s important to stay organized and intentional. 

1. Start Planning Early

The more lead time, the better your inventory, marketing, and staffing will be. 

• Decide what your promotion is and get the word out 6-8 weeks in advance. 
• Work with your marketing team to create a marketing calendar.
• Order signage, prep your dresses, and make sure your systems are in check.

2. Curate Your Inventory Carefully

Brides want a deal, but they also want options that feel intentional, no leftovers.

• Evaluate current trends to include dresses that will excite brides.
• Include a wide scope of sizes, styles, and colors—the more inclusive, the better.
• Use an easy-to-follow tagging system so your staff knows what’s on sale and brides know they’re scoring a deal.

3. Make it an Event, Not Just a Sale

Your brides love and deserve an experience—build excitement and generate FOMO.

• Partner with local vendors (florists, caterers, etc.) to level up your event.
• Add some special in-store touches—think photo backdrop, centralized racks, etc.
• Offer swag bags or a mini gift for brides that purchase their dress during your event.

4. Promote Like Crazy (Then Promote Some More)

Brides can’t come if they don’t know it’s happening. Get the word out! 

• Post teasers, sneak peeks of dresses on sale, and a countdown to the event.
• Send marketing emails to leads and past brides who didn’t purchase.
• Share your details as a Facebook event and in local Facebook groups.

5. Use Technology to Your Advantage

Chaos kills customer experience. You need smooth systems and seamless processes.

• Use your bridal software (like Poppy!) to manage appointments, contracts, inventory, and checkout.
• Create a QR code for customers to scan upon entering your store so they’re reminded of the event T&C’s before shopping. 
• Prep your team to use your tech effectively before, during, and after the event.

Use Poppy to Power Your Event

Running a stress-free, high-volume sales event starts with the right tools—and that’s where Poppy comes in.

How Poppy Bridal Software Can Streamline Your Event Before, During, and After:

• Inventory Prep: Choose the right gowns and the right prices.
  • Utilize Poppy reports to identify your top performers and non-performing inventory. Go a step further in reports to analyze budget and spend trends for pricing insight.
• Appointment Scheduling: Handle high booking volume with less chaos.
  • Utilize Poppy’s integrated scheduler to confirm your appointments and organize your calendar. Set your available time slots and bridal suites, then let Poppy do the rest.
• Customer Contacting: Touch base pre-appointment and follow up post-sale.
  • Utilize Poppy’s automated flows feature to connect with your brides via text and email. Save time and effort without sacrificing personal relations.
• Checkout Process: Simplify transactions at every level, from front desk to software.
  • Utilize Poppy’s barcode scanning and label printing feature to manage your inventory efficiently and effectively. Increase the transparency of your discount for your customers and your staff.

The National Bridal Sale Event isn’t just about marking down gowns—it’s your chance to create buzz, move inventory, and win over new brides. With the right planning, team energy, and tools like Poppy, you can turn a summer slump into one of your busiest weeks of the year. Next month, don’t just participate—make it your store’s best event yet.

Not sure where to start with prepping your NBSE inventory? Poppy’s here to help. Book a demo or start with our Get Started form.