Harry Rosen launches Marry Rosen to help couple overcome wedding shortages

After years of pandemic postponements, wedding bells are ringing louder than ever in 2022. But this wedding season has been marked by a scramble to secure venues and vendors, leaving many couples disappointed. That’s why Harry Rosen, Canada’s leading luxury menswear retailer, launched their Marry Rosen contest to help one lucky couple celebrate their wedding in style.

Randy Coles and Justin Hughes-Jones were married on 11th August in a fashionably appointed ceremony. The occasion was set atop the retailer’s flagship store in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood with all expenses paid by Harry Rosen. Both grooms were outfitted in designer tuxedos they chose themselves, following their successful selection from the contest run on Harry Rosen’s Instagram feed.

Randy and Justin were among many facing the challenge of planning a wedding during one of the busiest wedding seasons in history. Weddings in Ontario are expected to be up 46% in 2022, making it hard to secure venues,1 and the cost of a wedding could increase by 20% or more this year.2

Harry Rosen has been helping men look and feel their best for their weddings for nearly 70 years, so it was only natural that the retailer would step in to help.

“Our Marry Rosen winners are just one of many couples who have faced the challenge to find the perfect place to celebrate in the midst of unprecedented demand,” said Ian Rosen, Harry Rosen’s President and Chief Operations Officer. “We’ve been so privileged to be a partner in helping men get ready for one of life’s most important moments. We feel honoured to take it one step further this season, partnering with Rebecca Chan to give one couple a truly one-of-a-kind celebration in our Bloor Street flagship.”

“2022 has seen unprecedented demand for weddings,” says Rebecca Chan, founder of Rebecca Chan Weddings and Events. “The wedding industry has seen supply chain issues, shortage of staff, and a huge demand for dates, venues and vendors. Anyone planning a wedding right now knows how hard it is.”

The idea was developed by creative agency Zulu Alpha Kilo. “Weddings are a pivotal expression of one’s style, but they need a runway to show that off. The backlog this year has been felt everywhere, yet we found a clever new way to at least make one couple’s desire to get married an easy reality. All the puzzle pieces came together and it was a beautiful event,” says Wain Choi, Executive Creative Director at Zulu Alpha Kilo.

Zulu Alpha Kilo designed the look and feel and supported the event with social assets.