David’s Bridal Bets Strong Bond With Brides Will Save Retailer

David’s Bridal LLC’s chief executive officer is betting the retailer’s reputation with brides will help it find a rescuer in bankruptcy, even in an era of backyard weddings and scaled-down events.

David’s CEO Jim Marcum said in an interview that the company held discussions with private equity firms and potential strategic buyers since the retailer filed Chapter 11 and that he’s optimistic they’ll complete a sale to keep many of its nearly 300 locations open. Company advisers are fielding potential bids through the end of May, he said.

“We have quite a few NDAs signed; we’ve got people doing ...