WeddingWire Announces Acquisition of Wedding Planner
Expansion into Europe and Latin America establishes WeddingWire as Worldwide Category Leader
WeddingWire, Inc., the leading vertical marketplace for the wedding and events industry inNorth America, announces the acquisition of Wedding Planner, S.L., the corresponding category leader acrossEuropeandLatin America.
Through the acquisition, WeddingWire accelerates its international expansion into 12 countries, includingSpain,Italy,France,MexicoandBrazil, with market leading brands such as Bodas.net, Matrimonio.com, Mariages.net, Bodas.com.mx and Casamentos.com.br. The combined company creates a global marketplace that serves 10 million unique users each month across mobile and web.
«We are thrilled to welcome Wedding Planner to the WeddingWire family», saidTimothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. «This acquisition joins two of the most successful online wedding marketplaces, but we still have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us. Planning a wedding represents a universal milestone in any couple’s life, but wedding planning can be extraordinarily frustrating.This is precisely why we created WeddingWire eight years ago – to bring clarity and transparency to a global industry that accounts for 40 million weddings and more than$200 billioneach year.In Wedding Planner, we found a like-minded team of repeat entrepreneurs that share our vision, have built strong brands and innovative products, and have helped millions of users plan and execute their important life event».
Today, the two rapidly growing companies empower engaged couples with more than 2.5 million detailed reviews of 400,000 local businesses and online planning tools. Furthermore, the combined company extends its leadership position to more than 45,000 paying merchant subscribers who utilize the company’s purpose-built advertising and software solutions to help grow their wedding and events businesses. In just three years, WeddingWire has grown from 150 employees to over 650, while maintaining profitability.
«We’re excited and confident about our future as part of the WeddingWire family», saidNina Perez, CEO of Wedding Planner, SL. «We have admired WeddingWire’s product innovation and growth for many years and are thrilled to join forces as global thought leaders. With our combined scale, resources and industry knowledge, we can accelerate our shared vision to be the largest global destination for online wedding planning and deliver increased value to our business partners».
The Wedding Planner executive team will continue to lead the daily business operations across all international properties, providing invaluable market development and cultural expertise, withFrancesc Baldrich, Founder and Chief Product Officer, Wedding Planner, joining WeddingWire’s Board of Directors. The combined company will maintain itsUnited Statesheadquarters inWashington, DCand European headquarters inBarcelona, Spain.
