Press Releases | OneWed

OneWed.com Unveils Top Wedding Trends for 2011 on 3rd Annual Matrimony Monday

Azure — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:31:40 -0500

To Celebrate the Year’s Biggest Day in Wedding Planning, OneWed Forecasts What’s In and Out for the New Year

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 3, 2011

OneWed.com, the ultimate online resource for wedding planning, welcomes the year’s biggest day for wedding planning, January 3, 2011, which OneWed has declared “Matrimony Monday." To celebrate, today OneWed released their predictions for 2011’s top 10 wedding trends. Based on industry research, expert opinions from wedding vendors, and a year’s worth of trend-spotting, OneWed expects a resurgence of sophistication, dramatic ballgowns, outdoor venues high on personalization and ethnic-infused nuptials.

“2010 was quite a year for the wedding world,” says OneWed Editorial Director, Azure Nelson. “Prince William and Kate Middleton made a royal engagement announcement. Vera Wang announced she’d design a line for David’s Bridal. Retailers like The Limited and Urban Outfitters decided to take a dip into bridal design. And Katy Perry’s Indian wedding captivated the world. We were there to watch it happen and have placed our bets on what will be hot (and what will not) for 2011 weddings.”

OneWed’s Top Wedding Trends for 2011:

1. Sophisticated Elegance Returns
It’s back to basics with elegant, sophisticated style in 2011. Wedding decor will be understated with modern design elements trumping DIY touches. Scripted calligraphy, custom monograms and classic wedding cakes embody this trend. Brides will wear pearls and grooms will ditch the Converse in favor of more tasteful wedding day kicks.

2. Outdoor Venues—Where It’s At
Couples will gravitate toward outdoor ceremony and reception venues. The raw, minimal backdrop of an outdoor setting leaves room for personalization and customization, a major perk for creative, hands-on nearlyweds.

3. Grey is the New Black, Crazy for Navy
Gloomy no more, grey is the neutral it color. Organic and natural shades of charcoal, slate, stone, oyster and shell will be paired with vibrant hues to make the colors pop! And while grey remains the talk of the town for 2011, Prince William’s upcoming royal wedding has put navy, sapphire, and royal blue back on the map.

4. Mad for Metallics & Bold Color Palettes
Gilded gold, shimmery silver, and sparkling champagne will stand out alongside vibrant accent colors like yellow, purple and teal. Metallics and brights make such a bold statement that couples will scale back over-the-top decor in favor of a more simple style aesthetic.

5. Big Ball Gowns are Back
Wedding dress designers draped, ruched, and layered clouds of tulle, power netting and chiffon to fashion whimsical wedding dresses with limitless volume this runway season. The outcome? Fairytale-inspired bridal style and whimsical wedding dresses for 2011 I Dos.

6. Grooms Take a Walk on the Stylish Side
Guys will choose formal looks to represent their unique style; bow ties will replace classic long neckties, and embroidered dress shirts, engraved cuff links, stylish lapel pins and the color of the season—grey—will be donning the white aisles.

7. Wedding Invitations Go Green
From totally paperless wedding invitations and save-the-dates, to stationery printed on 100% recycled paper, invitations have truly gone green. Couples can find all they need with sites like WeddingPreParty.com enabling online RSVP and party planning and Nearlyweds.com offering coordinating stationery and wedding websites.

8. Luxurious Textures—from the Dress to the Tablescape
Opulence abounds with wedding dresses featuring 3D appliques, layered light fabrics, romantic ruffles and illusion fabric with eye-catching beading. Textured linens, embroidered and beaded chair covers, and branch-like centerpieces will captivate wedding guests.

9. Ethnic Influences, Cultural Wedding Details
Whether it’s a religious wedding ceremony ritual, traditional wedding day garb, cultural cuisine infused throughout the reception dinner, or wedding decor with bold, ethnic prints, you can’t help but embrace the unique cultures and ethnicities of couples in 2011.

10. Revved-Up Wedding Receptions
Who wants the best day of their lives to end? Not couples and guests in 2011--that’s certain. Couples will plan a post-reception after party lasting into the wee hours of the night with drinks, entertainment, dancing and snacks so wedding guests can party all night long!

To read more about OneWed’s macro and micro wedding trends for 2011, including what’s OUT, visit OneWed’s Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog.

About OneWed:
OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding. WeddingPreParty.com is the first social network for all things weddings, connecting the couple with friends and family. The site’s popular wedding dresses gallery, wedding checklist, free wedding websites, award-winning wedding blog and largest directory of local wedding vendors-- 235,000 nationwide--attracts nearly 500,000 people monthly. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

Nearlyweds and OneWed Tie the Knot to Accelerate Innovation in Wedding Industry

Jen N — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:09:03 -0400

Merger Expands Product Offerings and Provides Brides and Wedding Professionals Simpler, Social Wedding Planning and Less Wedding Mania

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) October 28, 2010

Nearlyweds, online providers of gorgeous, fun, easy-to-use wedding websites, announced today that it has acquired OneWed, a leading online wedding planning resource and home of WeddingPreParty.com, the only social network for all things wedding.

The combined company, Nearlyweds Inc., will pair the technology expertise of Nearlyweds with OneWed’s growing loyal network of exceptional local wedding businesses to create practical, honest, socially driven wedding content and tools to simplify the wedding planning process for engaged couples.

Nearlyweds will continue to offer gorgeous, design-focused wedding websites and matching wedding stationery for today’s engaged couples while adding access to OneWed’s nationwide directory of 235,000 local wedding vendors. OneWed’s daily dose of essential wedding ideas, inspiration, advice and imagery will remain, as well as the site’s cutting edge Wedding Pre-Party social networking platform and largest online vendor directory. Stay tuned for exciting advances from the combined Nearlyweds-OneWed...as with any marriage, the best is yet to come!

“Engaged couples have repeatedly told us that their weddings are consumed by event planning, not the marriage. We’re here to change that, to simplify planning, make it more social, and return the focus to the celebration of marriage,” says John Scrofano, CEO of Nearlyweds. “OneWed has unmatched content, including one of the web’s most visited wedding dress galleries, a top wedding blog, superior customer service, and burgeoning traffic. This combination will be a tremendous leap forward and will create one of the strongest players in the wedding industry.”

“We are delighted to join the Nearlyweds family. OneWed has always believed that weddings should be about marriage, not the planning,” says Jennifer Napier, CEO of OneWed. “With Nearlyweds, we can truly stop the madness of wedding planning by connecting brides and wedding professionals with the answers and tools to make planning for the future easy and enjoyable.”

Nearlyweds is currently closing funding from well-known Seattle investors including Seattle-based Founders Co-op (the seed-stage fund run by Chris DeVore and Andy Sack, also sponsors of TechStars Seattle), Jon Kelly the CEO of ThisorThat.com, BuddyTV CEO Andy Liu and founder David Niu, Kelly Smith of Curious Office and Inkd, and Seattle-based Summit Capital.

About Nearlyweds:
Founded in 2007, Nearlyweds is the leading provider of highly customizable, design-focused wedding websites for today’s engaged couples. The Nearlyweds’ platform provides wedding stationery designers with a web based tool to create and sell wedding websites that match their wedding invitations and stationer y. Brilliant members of Nearlyweds Design Studio include Wedding Paper Divas, Feterie, Merryment Designs and Green Kangaroo.

About OneWed:
OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding. WeddingPreParty.com is the first social network for all things weddings, connecting the couple with friends and family. The site’s popular wedding dresses gallery, wedding checklist, free wedding websites, award-winning wedding blog and largest directory of local wedding vendors-- 235,000 nationwide--attracts nearly 500,000 people monthly. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

OneWed Launches Partnership With Rent the Runway for New Designer Twist on Group Renting for Weddings

Jen N — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:12:11 -0400

Wedding Planning Website Offers Group Renting of Designer Fashions for Brides, Bridesmaids and Wedding Guests

CHICAGO, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- OneWed.com, the ultimate resource for online wedding planning and the home of WeddingPreParty.com, has teamed up with Rent the Runway, the leader in online dress and accessory rentals, to bring designer fashion to weddings everywhere.

The exclusive partnership, designed specifically for brides, bridesmaids and wedding guests, will offer a 10 percent discount on dress rentals to all wedding guests with the potential to earn free dress and accessory rentals for the bride herself. With each additional wedding guest who rents from Rent the Runway, the bride will earn credits toward free dress and accessory rentals. Not only will guests be able to rent designer dresses for the day of the wedding, the bride and bridal party will also be able to rent for all occasions leading up to the wedding, including the engagement party, bachelorette party and rehearsal dinner among other occasions. On Rent the Runway you'll find must-have pieces from over 120 top designers, including Proenza Schouler, Herve Leger, Catherine Malandrino, Helmut Lang, Lela Rose, and many more.

"OneWed's Wedding Pre-Party has always offered the most innovative social wedding planning tools connecting the bride with her wedding guests. Wedding Pre-Party members can now reap the benefits of social shopping and renting with exclusive Rent the Runway discounts," said Jennifer Napier, CEO of OneWed. "We are so excited to partner with Rent the Runway to offer our OneWed brides and guests access to gorgeous dresses from today's hottest designers at unbelievable prices. It's not just about wedding dresses anymore."

Jenny Fleiss, President of Rent the Runway added, "We're thrilled to partner with OneWed to give brides and their guests access to the ultimate fashion closet. Every woman wants to look amazing on her big day as well as at the many events leading up to her wedding. By sharing Rent the Runway with her friends and family through OneWed, she'll now have that opportunity."

To receive 10 percent off designer rentals and earn credits toward free dresses, each bride can simply create a Wedding Pre-Party and share an exclusive promo code with her bridal party and wedding guests. Join now at http://www.onewed.com/rent-the-runway/.

About OneWed:

OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. WeddingPreParty.com, is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network. OneWed boasts the largest directory of local wedding vendors with 235,000 nationwide. Additionally, the site features OneWed's Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding flowers to wedding dresses. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

About Rent the Runway:

Rent the Runway is the premier online destination for dress and accessory rentals. With a revolving roster of over 120 top designers, 15,000 of the season's hottest dresses, and 4,000 accessories, Rent the Runway is designer fashion delivered to her doorstep for a fraction of the price. For all of life's special occasions, www.renttherunway.com provides the Cinderella experience for women everywhere.

OneWed Announces Official Sponsorship of Gems Among Us Contest

Marta — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:38:09 -0400

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) September 14, 2010

OneWed.com, the ultimate resource for online wedding planning and the home of WeddingPreParty.com, is thrilled to announce their sponsorship of Jewelry Information Center’s Gems Among Us Contest. The nationwide contest, running September 13th through October 25th, offers engaged couples the chance to nominate loved ones who make their lives special.

The grand prize winner will receive a $5,000 jewelry shopping spree for herself, and the nominated “Gem” will receive an all-inclusive getaway to the Aventura Spa Palace in the Riviera Maya. The top ten nominees and nominators will also win custom gemstone jewelry.

To enter:
• Couples can visit OneWed’s special entry page at http://www.onewed.com/giveaway/gems-among-us-contest where they can start by creating their own Wedding
Pre- Party, OneWed’s cutting edge suite of wedding planning tools and social network dedicated to all things wedding
• Upon completion of their Wedding Pre-Party page, couples will be directed to Jewelry Information Center’s website, jic.org, to submit their essay
• On October 29th, ten couples will be selected as finalists, based on the originality, inspiration and creativity of their essay
• From November 1 through November 22, 2010, the general public can cast their votes for the grand prize winner. The contest will conclude with the announcement of the
winning individuals on November 23rd, 2010.

“This Thanksgiving, we are excited to reward those very special Gems Among Us,” said Jennifer Napier, VP of Sales and Marketing for OneWed.com. “At OneWed, we know that no bride does it alone and we love giving our brides the chance to thank their nearest and dearest in this spectacular fashion.”
Contest sponsors include Jewelry Information Center, Jewelers of America, Jewelers Mutual, Cosmopolitan Magazine and OneWed.

About OneWed:
OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. WeddingPreParty.com is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network and suite of wedding planning tools. OneWed boasts the largest searchable directory of local wedding professionals with over 235,000 wedding vendors nationwide. Additionally, the site features OneWed’s Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding dresses to honeymoon planning. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

VFM Leonardo Powers Visuals of Hotel Wedding Venues on OneWed.com

Marta — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:02:55 -0500

Toronto, ON and Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 25, 2010 -- VFM Leonardo, leader in online visual content distribution for hotels, today announced its partnership with OneWed.com, the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning. Under this agreement, OneWed is now part of the VNetwork™ - the largest online visual content distribution network for the global travel industry. VFM Leonardo hotel customers listed on OneWed will now be able to better merchandise their hotels with content (photos, virtual tours, videos and written descriptions) in VFM Leonardo’s embedded Multimedia Viewer to attract more wedding and honeymoon bookings. With access to extensive visual and written content for hotels on OneWed, couples can do the majority of their wedding venue and honeymoon research without leaving the comfort of homes.

"As the ultimate online source for wedding planning, we are pleased to have multimedia content available on OneWed making it easier for couples to research wedding venues,” said Jennifer Napier, VP of Marketing, OneWed. “Couples can find their ideal venue by searching a library of photos, virtual tours and videos without ever leaving their computer.”

“We are glad to enhance the wedding venue research process for engaged couples. With content for hotels nationwide on OneWed, we are confident that couples are able to better visualize potential wedding venues and decide which should make their shortlists,” states Paolo Boni, President and CEO, VFM Leonardo.
"Further, with a niche website like OneWed.com as part of the VNetwork, we are giving hotels that invest in online merchandising the opportunity to attract more wedding and honeymoon bookings,” states Boni.

Hotels that wish to enhance their listings on OneWed must do so through VFM Leonardo. To make photos available on OneWed, hotels can register for VBrochure Standard (free of charge) here. To make rich media available on OneWed, hotels can contact VFM Leonardo here.

About OneWed
OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. The site’s newest platform, WeddingPreParty.com, is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network. OneWed boasts the largest searchable directory of local vendors with over 225,000 wedding vendors nationwide with honest ratings and reviews. Additionally, the site features OneWed’s Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding flowers to honeymoon planning. OneWed can be found online at www.OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

About VFM Leonardo
VFM Leonardo is a technology leader in online visual content management and distribution for the hotel industry. VFM Leonardo's VScape® and VBrochure™ products leverage the distribution capabilities of the VNetwork™, the most universally accepted and largest online visual content distribution network for the global travel industry. VFM Leonardo offers the most effective digital asset management and online merchandising systems available today with over 1,000,000 visual images (photos, virtual tours and videos) for 90,000 hotels worldwide currently in distribution across the VNetwork. All four global distribution systems (GDSs) - Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, Worldspan - as well as Pegasus source hotel visual content exclusively through VScape. Tens of thousands of travel-related channels including online travel agencies, travel research and supplier web sites, search portals; Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline, Tripadvisor, Yahoo! Travel, Kayak, Google and more also source visual content through VScape, many exclusively. For more information about VFM Leonardo, visit www.vfmleonardo.com. Follow us on Twitter @VFMLeonardo.

OneWed Announces Official Sponsorship of Ultimate Proposal Contest

onewed.com@ourwishingwell.com — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:17:45 -0500

Leading Wedding Planning Website Joins Forces with Jewelry Industry Leaders to Award One Lucky Couple a Dream Trip and Luxury Prizes

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 15, 2010 -- OneWed.com, the ultimate online resource for wedding planning and home of WeddingPreParty.com, today celebrates their official sponsorship and kick-off of the Jewelry Information Center’s Ultimate Proposal Contest. The contest is a nationwide search for the best proposal story and runs from the day after Valentine’s Day, Monday February 15, to April 30, 2010. The grand prize winner will win a trip for two to Santorini, Greece, and platinum jewelry courtesy of Platinum Guild International, USA.

To enter:

* Couples can visit OneWed’s special entry page at http://www.onewed.com/giveaways/proposal-contest/ where they can start their submission by creating their own Wedding Pre-Party. Unlike traditional wedding websites, WeddingPreParty.com is a private, invitation-only, personalized wedding planning social network where the wedding party and wedding guests chat with and help plan the wedding with the bride and groom before the big day.
* Upon completion of their Wedding Pre-Party page, couples will be directed to Jewelry Information Center’s website, www.jic.org, to share their unique proposal story.
* On April 15, 2010, ten couples will be selected as finalists, based on the originality and creativity of their proposal story.
* From April 19 through April 30, 2010, the general public can cast their vote for the grand prize winner. The contest will conclude with the announcement of the winning couple on Friday April 30, 2010.

“We’re excited to be involved with the Ultimate Proposal Contest and look forward to continuing to help newly-engaged couples begin their planning,” said Jennifer Napier, VP of Marketing, OneWed.com. “At OneWed, we love unique proposal stories and engagement rings, are we’re thrilled to share in the excitement of the newly engaged couples across the country through this contest!”

Contest sponsors include Jewelry Information Center, Platinum Guild International, GE Money, Jewlers Mutual Insurance Company and OneWed.

About OneWed
OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. The site’s newest platform, WeddingPreParty.com, is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network. OneWed boasts the largest searchable directory of local wedding vendors with over 210,000 vendors nationwide with honest ratings and reviews. Additionally, the site features OneWed’s Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding flowers, to honeymoon planning. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

ONEWED ANNOUNCES TOP 10 WEDDING TRENDS FOR 2010

Jen N — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:39:59 -0500

Leading Wedding Planning Website Shares Forecast for the New Year and Celebrates Launch of New Dress Gallery

Chicago, IL (February 9, 2010) /PRNewswire/ — OneWed.com, the ultimate online resource for wedding planning and home of WeddingPreParty.com, today released their predictions for the top ten wedding trends for 2010. Based on industry research, polling and trend-spotting by leading wedding vendors, wedding experts and OneWed’s editorial team, OneWed anticipates a return to vintage style, an upswing in backyard receptions and a combination of tech-savvy, eco-friendly weddings.

“We studied the wedding landscape to forecast what the next 12 months will hold for brides, grooms, vendors and wedding industry professionals,” says OneWed VP of Marketing, Jennifer Napier. “We are excited to share our findings for top trends across planning, fashion, technology, venues, and cuisine. We’re pleased to continue to provide a wealth of wedding planning tips and tools at OneWed.com-- and we look forward to a great year ahead!”

OneWed’s Top Wedding Trends for 2010:

1. Screw the Trends - Be Yourself

The top wedding trend for 2010 is personalization. Instead of a cookie-cutter ceremony and reception, the new focus is on customizing the big day for the bride, groom and wedding party. Do you and your future hubby share a special hobby? Whether it’s exotic travel or tennis, find a way to make your passions part of the celebration. Also, the emphasis on individual style includes your bridesmaids. Instead of clones wearing the same dress, shoes and identical updos, try picking a color scheme and giving each bridesmaid the opportunity to choose a dress that shows her personality… and complements yours.

2. Bright Color, Black Backdrop

For the latest wedding look, the only thing white should be the bride’s wedding dress. Black accents and bright, bold colors are in, for everything from bridesmaid dresses to flowers to table linens. However, if you want a timeless dress for your bridal party, you can always do classic black with vibrant accessories and bouquets.

3. Earth-friendly “I Do’s”

You can have a sustainable love and a sustainable wedding. Eco-conscious nuptials are all the rage, featuring pre-owned and vintage wedding dresses, LED lighting, recycled paper invitations and locally–grown food and flower choices. Couples are making a commitment to each other and the environment with green weddings!

4. Groomed for Success

Today’s groom not only rocks a tux, he dives into the planning process… and a little man-scaping along the way. As a fashion-conscious guy with a vision for his wedding (or at least a few worthy ideas), he’s jumping online and searching blogs like: The Man Registry, The Plunge, Temple of the Groom, The Groom Says, and Ben the Groom. It’s wedding planning with a healthy shot of testosterone and a great distraction while you go dress shopping.

5. Everything Old is New Again

Maybe it started with Mad Men, or with the desire to wear a pillbox hat, or a fixation with a fabulous birdcage veil. Brides are catching vintage fever and falling head over heels for retro looks like Depression era glass and tea-length dresses. On the upside, vintage looks are not only classic but eco-friendly and affordable. Brides can channel old-school glamour with a modern twist… and keep budget worries in the past.

6. You Can Go Home Again

Backyard rustic chic is the best way to describe the newest wedding venue - your own backyard. Whether the wedding actually IS in your own backyard, a local park, beach, barn or even the “backyard” of a fabulous resort, the idea is to invite just your nearest and dearest to a wedding that’s long on comfort, charm and love, but low on artifice, pretension, and unnecessary extras. Low heels, casual dresses, and a tent in case of rain are all you need!

7. Mix and Mingle

Instead of a traditional sit down dinner, experiment with a new twist on wining and dining. To get your guests mingling, try an extended cocktail hour, lounge-style seating or a family-style meal. Anything you can do to shake up the format will give your guests a chance to socialize more freely… and avoid the awkward introductions at the table with assigned seating. Also, couples want to maximize their time with guests and are taking advantage of first-look photo sessions (to cut down on photo time after the ceremony), pre-wedding festivities and after-parties to keep the celebration going.

8. Return to Romance

Forget the “perfect day.” Now couples are letting go of the pressure and creating a “perfect for us” wedding. Romance is in the air with special engagement photo sessions, videotaped proposal stories to capture the memory (and possibly share at the reception) and a renewed focus on marriage. A few other romantic touches include the abundance of lace and tulle on the bridal runway for 2010 dress trends and the continuing popularity of deeply emotional vows and toasts.

9. Food You Can Eat

We all cheered when wedding menus expanded beyond chicken, beef and fish, but let’s face it, infusions, foams, mousses and “bites” left a lot of us speed-dialing for delivery after a wedding reception. Fortunately, today’s wedding receptions are serving upscale comfort food at sit down meals, buffets and as late night snacks. Desserts are getting a make-over, too, as hard-to-eat fondant is upgraded to butter cream icing on wedding cakes (softer and sweeter) and the cakes are paired with palate-friendly sweets like pies, brownies and cookies.

10. iDo

Tech-savvy couples are embracing online wedding planning to save time and money…and tweeting about it along the way. Aside from status updates, brides-to-be are experimenting with LED lighting, iPod DJ’s and digital cameras to complement their professional wedding vendors. WeddingPreParty.com is also a top destination for Facebook-friendly couples who want to bring their friends and guests into the planning process.

Additionally, OneWed is also proud to announce a newly enhanced and expanded wedding dresses gallery with more than 2,000 dresses and 3,000 images. Brides can search a vast array of styles, designers, prices, fabrics, necklines, lengths, embellishments, colors and silhouettes. As an added bonus, the new gallery features popularity ratings by dress and sharing functionality through social networking. Visit OneWed’s wedding dress gallery at http://www.onewed.com/wedding-dresses/.

About OneWed

OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. The site’s newest platform, WeddingPreParty.com, is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network. OneWed boasts the largest searchable directory of local wedding vendors with over 210,000 vendors nationwide with honest ratings and reviews. Additionally, the site features OneWed’s Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding flowers to honeymoon planning. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

OneWed Announces Recipients of “Best of 2009” Awards

Jen N — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:16:45 -0500

Top Wedding Planning Website Honors Wedding Professionals with Annual Distinction

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 13, 2010 -- OneWed.com, the ultimate online resource for wedding planning and home of WeddingPreParty.com, today announced the recipients of their “Best of 2009” awards. The program honors the best wedding planning and service professionals in the wedding business among the 225,000 wedding vendors listed on OneWed.

The wedding professionals selected for this prestigious acknowledgment are an elite group of vendors who have received the most positive reviews based upon OneWed's 5-Star rating system. Each year, the coveted award is only given to the most highly-rated OneWed wedding vendors as voted by couples themselves.

“Online wedding planning today is extremely social, and brides and grooms increasingly seek advice from their peers. Couples place a high priority on recommendations from those who have wed before them and value their first-hand feedback,” says Jennifer Napier, VP of Marketing. “We are thrilled to recognize the wedding experts who have earned rave reviews from newlyweds who valued their contributions.”

OneWed reviews are tailored to each of 22 specific vendor categories, from florists to caterers to reception venues. Based on the broad offering, engaged couples flock to OneWed for detailed ratings, valuable answers to their most crucial questions, and robust descriptions of past clients’ experiences.

During 2010, OneWed will continue to provide its community with the best in wedding planning resources, with the launch of the following new features: free customizable wedding websites with hundreds of designs; wedding flowers to purchase and ship directly to the couple or wedding venue from Weddings by FlowerPetal; virtual tours of wedding venues courtesy of VFM Leonardo; a recently expanded gallery of wedding dresses with specialized search options; and a party planning tool to organize and host any wedding-related celebration.

About OneWed:
OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. The site’s newest platform, WeddingPreParty.com, is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network. OneWed boasts the largest searchable directory of local wedding vendors with over 225,000 vendors nationwide with honest ratings and reviews. Additionally, the site features OneWed’s Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding flowers to honeymoon planning. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed

###

OneWed Kicks-Off Prime Wedding Planning Season on 2nd Annual Matrimony Monday

Jen N — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:34:22 -0500

In Celebration of the Year's Biggest Day of Wedding Planning, OneWed.com Toasts New Brides-to-be on January 4, 2010

Chicago, IL (December 16, 2009) /PRNewswire/ — OneWed.com, the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, once again welcomes the year's biggest day for wedding planning: January 4, 2010, the day OneWed has declared "Matrimony Monday." According to TheWeddingReport.com, approximately 35-40 percent (550,000-650,000) of engagements in the US take place during the winter holiday season between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day*. Thanks to the romantic nature of the holiday season, the majority of proposals take place between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, making the first Monday back at work the peak time to start searching online for planning ideas and inspiration.

"The holiday season traditionally attracts more proposals than any other time of the year," says OneWed VP of Marketing Jennifer Napier. "As soon as these couples get engaged, they are anxious and excited to start researching for wedding dresses, venues, wedding vendors, honeymoon locales, and everything in between. OneWed knows that January 4th is a pivotal day for online research and we're ready to help as their ultimate wedding resource."

To celebrate the whirlwind of wedding planning activities, OneWed.com is thrilled to treat brides-to-be with a special wedding giveaway, with a grand prize featuring items that typically aren't included in traditional wedding budgeting charts. The "Off-the-Chart" Wedding Giveaway, running through the month of January, provides future brides with the opportunity to win approximately $15,000 worth of wedding essentials like a honeymoon from Sandals Resorts, wedding bands from Whiteflash.com, dresses from The Dessy Group, and many more wedding essentials. Brides can automatically enter by simply creating their own Wedding Pre-Party, OneWed's social wedding planning tools and platform connecting the couple, wedding party, wedding guests and vendors.

Just in time for Matrimony Monday, OneWed is excited to launch several new offerings:

* Wedding Websites: New free wedding websites that can be easily customized and personalized to reflect any couple's personality and their specific needs for information sharing.
* Wedding Flowers: A partnership with Weddings by FlowerPetal that brings bridal and bridesmaid bouquets, centerpieces, corsages and boutonnieres direct to brides or their venues. With OneWed and Weddings by FlowerPetal, couples can browse hundreds of wedding flowers and styles, purchase online, and ship directly to you and your venue.
* Wedding Venues: A partnership with VFM Leonardo, a technology leader in online visual content management and distribution for the hotel industry, offers couples access to photos, videos and virtual tours of over 10,000 wedding venues nationwide.
* Wedding Dresses: Newly expanded wedding dress gallery searchable by designer, silhouette, neckline, length, fabric, embellishments, color, and price.
* Party Planning: Plan, manage and throw any wedding-related celebration from engagement parties to wedding showers to bachelor parties.

As always, couples can turn to OneWed's Savvy Scoop wedding blog, which provides daily planning advice, trend reports, expert commentary, wedding fashion round-ups, and more. Find this and a wealth of helpful planning tips and tools at OneWed.com.
About OneWed

OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. The site's newest platform, WeddingPreParty.com, is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network. OneWed boasts the largest searchable directory of local wedding vendors with over 225,000 vendors nationwide with honest ratings and reviews. Additionally, the site features OneWed's Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding flowers to honeymoon planning. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

*Statistics courtesy of TheWeddingReport.com

ONEWED PARTNERS WITH SHEKNOWS.COM AS PRIMARY WEDDING CONTENT PROVIDER

Jen N — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:40:28 -0500

Wedding Planning Website Offers Expertise and Planning Tools for Brides-to-Be

Chicago, IL (December 8, 2009) /PRNewswire/ — OneWed.com, the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, announced today their new partnership with SheKnows.com as their primary wedding content provider. In addition to providing specially created OneWed content for SheKnows Weddings, OneWed will also provide SheKnows readers with direct access to their extensive Vendor Directory of over 230,000 local wedding vendors nationwide. Visitors to SheKnows Weddings can choose from over 23 categories of wedding professionals and services, and simply enter their desired city, state or zip code to begin their search.

“OneWed is thrilled to share our wedding expertise and planning tools with SheKnows readers,” said Jennifer Napier, VP of Marketing for OneWed.com. “We have information on the latest wedding trends, money-saving tips, bridal fashion advice and honeymoon planning help. Our goal is to be the ultimate wedding resource for brides-to-be and prepare them for every aspect of their wedding.”

Ongoing topics to be covered by OneWed on SheKnows include:

* Proposing and Getting Engaged: Finding the perfect engagement ring and sealing the deal
* Planning Your Wedding on a Budget: Top tips for saving money on your big day
* Wedding Fashion & Style: All you need to know about finding the perfect wedding dress
* The Wedding Party & Wedding Etiquette: What to spend, what to toast, how to register
* Planning Your Wedding Day: From hiring a photographer to planning a destination wedding
* Honeymoon Planning: From checklists to packing lists

“SheKnows is a one-stop-shop for every woman, no matter what her age or stage in life – brides-to-be are no exception. That’s why we’re so excited about this new partnership with OneWed, which will allow us to expand our offerings with content that blends beautifully with the SheKnows spirit,” said Alison Bills, Managing Editor for SheKnows.com. “Our philosophy is simple: To make life easier and more fun for readers by providing up-to-date trends, budget-friendly ideas and a fresh perspective on life. We are proud to align the SheKnows brand with OneWed.com, a leader in the online wedding world and an excellent resource for brides. We are confident it will make for a happy marriage – for both us and our readers.”
About OneWed

OneWed is the ultimate online source for the truth in wedding planning, providing couples with a wealth of tips, advice, and creative suggestions to help personalize their wedding experience. The site’s newest platform, WeddingPreParty.com, is a virtual way for couples to start the celebration early and keep in contact with guests through a social wedding planning network. OneWed boasts the largest searchable directory of local wedding vendors with over 210,000 vendors nationwide with honest ratings and reviews. Additionally, the site features OneWed’s Savvy Scoop Wedding Blog, online wedding checklist, free wedding websites and ideas for everything from engagement rings to wedding flowers to honeymoon planning. OneWed can be found online at OneWed.com, facebook.com/Wedding.Planning, and twitter.com/OneWed.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.
About SheKnows

Getting to the heart of what it really means to be a woman, SheKnows (www.sheknows.com) attracts more than 12.5 million unique visitors. With editors dedicated to providing daily content for women seeking advice, information and a fresh fun take on life, the site is the authoritative source for women ages 18 to 54. The SheKnows audience gains access to exclusive content on entertainment, parenting, health and wellness, money and career, dating, beauty and style and more, and are offered a stimulating, well-rounded online experience enhanced with a vibrant message board community, free games and activities, and captivating blogs.

As one of the fastest growing destinations on the web, SheKnows is consistently one of the top 10 properties for women, generating over 150 million page views each month. For advertisers, opportunities for sponsorship and creative integration go well beyond the banner and make marketing messages an uninterrupted part of the user experience. The company is based in Los Angeles with offices in New York, Scottsdale and Chicago. SheKnows is part of Atomic Online (www.atomiconline.com), a diversified online media company.

Press Contact:
Amy Kaske
Dig Communications
312.377.4130
akaske@digcommunications.com