The Four Questions-Carley Roney, The Knot

December 1, 2005

Carley Roney, Editor-in-Chief of The Knot


The Knot Inc. was founded in September 1996 by four partners intent on establishing a wedding resource. Its website (www.theknot.com), launched in July 1997, now draws 2.1 million unique visitors monthly. The first issue of The Knot national magazine bowed in 2002. “Today we have a circulation of 660,000 annually (330,000 semiannually),” says Co-Founder and Editor- in-Chief Carley Roney, adding that the largely photo-driven magazine is sold via newsstands, bookstores and The Knot website. The local Knot Weddings, sold in 18 cities, is “more of a planning book with generally longer articles, some of which are localized to each market,” she explains. The company, which in recent years has launched separate websites targeting the prom market and first-year newlyweds, now has expanded its portfolio to include singles, with the acquisition of Internet dating site, www.GreatBoyfriends.com.

Q. For the estimated 2.5 million couples who wed each year, June is widely considered the No. 1 month for weddings. What are the runners up?
A. Fall has become an increasingly popular time for weddings. In fact, September and October now equal June in the percentage of couples getting married – 9% and 10%, respectively.

Q. The Knot Inc. has figured in a business task on The Apprentice and has helped plan wedding events for Today, fantasy weddings for The View, and Oprah’s “Fantasy Wedding Show.” Any thoughts of maybe doing your own spinoff TV or cable program?
A. Of course! We have a show on Oxygen called “Real Weddings from The Knot” that follows the drama of the week before a real couple’s wedding. We’ve also created our own 24/7 streaming broadband channel online. We think that’s where all TV is headed, so we skipped over creating another show and just created our own channel! We also have a weddings-only channel on Comcast on Demand. As if it weren’t enough to have a website, magazines and books, we now produce shows about bridal fashion trends, wedding style stories and more real-couple dramas.

Q. A Fairchild Bridal Survey in September found that one in 10 engaged couples this year will opt to pack for trips outside their hometown – even the country – not just for their honeymoon but for the wedding itself. Why do you think destination weddings are catching on?
A. Destination weddings have become a great way for couples to be different – to host the ultimate party in a unique, memorable setting where their guests can have a great time. Another reason is that the bride and groom increasingly come from different cities. So, with guests already scattered around the country who have to travel anyway, why not have them travel to a fabulous locale? Lastly, despite what it may seem, a destination wedding can be economically efficient. The guest list is automatically small, and many hotels and resorts offer destination wedding packages.

Q. Entrepreneurs seem to be latching on to new trends – from wedding-cake topper figurines for interracial couples to wedding invites on CD. Any other hot items coming from entrepreneurs – like maybe a magazine for runaway brides? Seriously, how common is the runaway bride phenomenon – and what’s the main reason behind it?
A. Brides are always looking for something new and different, so vendors are always trying to come up with the best new thing – unique handmade favors, custom wedding websites, cake toppers designed to look exactly like the couple and cartoon renderings of the couple on engagement announcements. As for the runaway bride phenomenon, weddings have become high-pressure events. For some, being the center of attention and having a perfect wedding can be too much to bear. Add to that society’s pressure for women to be married. To spare herself the stress and embarrassment of calling off a wedding she’s not completely convinced she’s ready for, she convinces herself that all’s well until the last minute, then boom! The night before, she cracks.