Sezzle and David’s Bridal Bring "Love in Times Square" to Life, Championing Love and Financial Wellness
Rhea-AI Summary
Sezzle (NASDAQ:SEZL) partnered with David’s Bridal and the Times Square Alliance to sponsor the annual “Love in Times Square” celebration on February 17, 2026.
The event highlighted accessible payment options for engaged couples, featured cast members from Tell Me Lies, live weddings, gown giveaways, and brand activations promoting financial wellness for wedding planning.
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Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
SEZL was up 3.21% while credit-services peers showed mixed moves: BFH, LU, WU, and QFIN were down slightly, and ENVA was modestly positive. Momentum data flagged LU and UPST moving up, but overall action does not match SEZL’s move, indicating a stock-specific reaction to company developments rather than a broad sector rotation.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 02 | Earnings date set | Neutral | +0.8% | Announced Q4 2025 results release and investor call schedule. |
| Jan 29 | CFO transition | Positive | +1.7% | Named new CFO with long tenure and profitability track record. |
| Dec 18 | Product usage milestone | Positive | +2.9% | MoneyIQ crossed 1,000,000 completed lessons and 200,000 users. |
| Dec 15 | Share repurchase program | Positive | -5.9% | Authorized new $100M buyback after completing prior $50M program. |
| Dec 09 | Index inclusion | Positive | +2.4% | Announced upcoming inclusion in the S&P SmallCap 600 index. |
Recent news has generally seen positive price alignment, with a notable divergence on the buyback authorization, which was followed by a negative move.
Over the past few months, Sezzle has highlighted several milestones, including joining the S&P SmallCap 600, authorizing a new $100 million buyback after completing a $50 million program, and reporting strong engagement in its MoneyIQ financial literacy offering with over 1,000,000 lessons. Governance and communication have been active, with a CFO transition and a scheduled Q4 2025 earnings release on February 25, 2026. Today’s branding-focused partnership news aligns with this pattern of visibility and engagement updates.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights Sezzle’s collaboration with David’s Bridal and the Times Square Alliance to promote financial wellness and flexible wedding budgeting, reinforcing its positioning as a purpose-driven payments platform. In the broader context of recent milestones—MoneyIQ engagement, index inclusion, and a newly authorized $100 million buyback—this event continues a theme of brand visibility. Investors may watch the Q4 2025 earnings release on February 25, 2026 for more concrete financial updates.
Key Terms
point-of-sale financing financial
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
The immersive experience took over Times Square with a special appearance from cast members of Tell Me Lies
Minneapolis, MN, Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sezzle Inc. (NASDAQ:SEZL) (Sezzle or Company) // - Sezzle, the purpose-driven digital payment platform, and David’s Bridal, the nation’s leading bridal authority, teamed up this week with the Times Square Alliance to sponsor the annual "Love in Times Square" celebration on the world’s biggest stage.
With recent data indicating that financial stress affects nearly half of all engaged couples—often outweighing the stress of guest lists or pre-wedding jitters—the event served as a high-visibility platform to highlight accessible payment solutions.
Empowering Couples Through Financial Flexibility
David’s Bridal partnered with Sezzle to help couples navigate the realities of wedding budgets without sacrificing style or joy. By breaking payments into manageable installments, they’re ensuring financial stress never overshadows one of life’s most meaningful moments.
"Love in Times Square celebrates meaningful milestones," said Charlie Youakim, CEO of Sezzle. "We love being a part of enabling such an important celebration, and we’re proud to support couples with tools that help them plan responsibly and focus on what matters most."
Tell Me Lies Cast Makes an Appearance
The event drew in guest appearances from Alicia Crowder, Branden Cook, and Katherine Hughes, stars of the hit Hulu series Tell Me Lies. The gang participated in a Q&A session around red flags in both romance and finance—noting that financial tools are a helpful way to keep the focus on the relationship rather than the receipts.
"We had a blast hanging out with everyone for Valentine’s Day! It was so fun to see proposals and weddings happen in the middle of Times Square," Katherine and Branden shared. "And it’s cool to see Sezzle bringing financial tools into the wedding world. Anything that helps couples stress less about the budget and enjoy the moment more is a win in our book."
Creating an Immersive Experience
David’s Bridal transformed the high-traffic location into a full-service wedding venue for the day, providing curated gift bags, photo activations, and gown giveaways. In a testament to the brand's commitment to its customers, David’s Bridal CEO Kelly Cook stepped in to personally officiate one of the live weddings.
“Today’s couples are redefining tradition, writing their own rules, and creating moments that reflect who they truly are - nothing says that like getting married in Times Square!” said Kelly Cook. Getting to personally officiate the start of someone's happily ever after, is the personification of David’s promise to show up for couples at every stage and help bring their special moments to life”
About Sezzle Inc.
Sezzle is a forward-thinking fintech company committed to financially empowering the next generation. Designed to support users throughout every stage of their financial journey, Sezzle’s all-in-one app enables users to shop, earn, and learn in a seamless experience. By offering point-of-sale financing and digital payment services, Sezzle enhances purchasing power while connecting millions of consumers with its global network of merchants. Centered on transparency, inclusivity, and ease of use, Sezzle empowers consumers to manage spending responsibly and build lasting financial independence.
For additional assets and news on Sezzle please visit https://my.sezzle.com/news/
Follow Sezzle on social media: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook| Twitter
About David's Bridal
With over 75 years of experience dressing people for all of life's special occasions, David's Bridal exists for magical moments. Since its "Aisle to Algorithm" strategic pivot, David's has evolved from iconic bridal retailer to wedding technology company, media powerhouse, and marketplace platform transforming how people plan, shop, and celebrate life's biggest moments. From assuming full production of Vera Wang Bride to launching Diamonds & Pearls, a curated couture boutique experience, David's entrance into this new era marks a pivotal moment for retailers going beyond traditional scopes and expanding into new categories.
At the center of David's technological and retail evolution is Pearl by David's, Pearl Planner and Pearl Media Network - the all-in-one digital wedding destination connecting consumers with everything from AI-powered planning tools, inspiration and vendor directories, expanded retail categories and leading content, while enabling brands to tap into David's unmatched market reach to authentically connect with consumers through media across the web, social, podcast, streaming, video, in-store and more.
Under the Pearl Media umbrella is Love Stories by David's, the top wedding media brand taking a digital-first approach to wedding content and inspiration with over 20M viewers per month across content platforms, including the wedding industry's sole podcast network, streaming TV and Snap Discover channels, and largest YouTube and TikTok channels, and a library of over 30,000 real wedding videos. Each video comes equipped with wedding data and details, contributing to a marketplace of over 60,000 wedding professionals to help couples better dream about, research and plan their big day.
With more than 190 stores across the U.S., Canada, and franchise locations in Mexico, David's Bridal offers the convenience of one-stop shopping for every magical event in her life, including weddings, Quinceañeras, graduations, proms, communions, or simply making the world her runway and beyond. To learn more about David's, sign up for Pearl Planner, and connect on social media through Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
David's Bridal
mediarequests@dbi.com
Sezzle:
Erin Foran
Tel: (651) 403-2184
Email: erin.foran@sezzle.com
Attachments
Erin Foran Sezzle 6514032184 erin.foran@sezzle.com
FAQ
What did Sezzle (SEZL) announce about the Love in Times Square event on February 17, 2026?
How did Sezzle and David’s Bridal aim to reduce financial stress for couples at the SEZL event?
Which Tell Me Lies cast members appeared at the Sezzle and David’s Bridal SEZL event?
What activations and services did David’s Bridal provide at the SEZL-sponsored Times Square celebration?
How does Sezzle describe its role and mission related to events like Love in Times Square (SEZL)?
