Reports Say Get Married Looks to Get Out

By Paul Pannone

Reports say Get Married may be looking to get out, shopping itself to wedding publications and web companies that could use portions of their business to enhance what a would-be buyer already has.

Get Married started out as a digital internet project and added print later on.

Anita Brady gave a positive forecast earlier this year saying, ” As Get Married enters its 5th year, I’m pleased to say that our multiple media streams have never been more vibrant. Traffic and page views on our website increased nearly 60% last year. We also achieved the largest newsstand distribution ever of our national print magazine and the highest number of ad pages. Our video production capabilities supported our promotions and activities, and helped our partners reach their audiences in compelling new ways. And millions followed and watched Get Married in Times Square, the amazing live wedding Get Married planned and hosted on New Year’s Eve — the first official ‘l do’ at the biggest party in the world.”

 eWedNewz has been watching the progress of the company since Brady took over as CEO in June 2010. eWNz began asking questions like who actually owned Get Married in 2009 that caused the company, owned by the Taylor Corporation, to become very defensive. In our investigation ex-employees and high-level officials alleged the Get Married Magazine was nothing more than a catalog to sell Taylor products to consumers– while taking advertising dollars from local companies they would compete with.

A tip from an ex-Get Married source alleges the company bought web traffic to boost web site metrics in order to empower sales people to capture dwindling advertising dollars. When eWedNewz began asking questions to see if the allegations were valid Brady selectively gave general answers and has since fallen silent.

Limited exchanges with Brady told eWedNewz, ” We are always trying new things. We have focused on strengthening the synergy between print and online, which has increased our exposure for www.getmarried.com in the magazine.

We have invested in a new website, working with a world-class user experience expert.  Have you checked it out? I am sure you can see we have exponentially increased our social media presence.  We have over 20000 fans and growing everyday,” she told eWNz last month over emails.

Repeated attempts for a more in-depth conversation over the telephone were not acknowledged so far.

Recently, eWedNewz learned Get Married is contacting organizations in both the print and digital sides of the wedding business to see if there is any interest of a possible sale. Sources familiar with the Taylor Corporation and Get Married find the information doubtful.

“Taylor doesn’t typically sell they buy. If a project doesn’t work out they tend to shutter a business, rather than offload. The only company that I think may be interested in them would be Wedding Wire and that’s because of the magazine; however the local traffic wouldn’t be strong enough for a purchase.

Perhaps something similar to what the Brides deal looks like, where local listings are delivered by Wedding Wire; and Wedding Wire would pay out per click to brides. Perhaps there would be a content exchange which would help Wedding Wire with page views and be able to sell national banners– which they struggle with now since they left the Martha Stewart circle ad network. 

Basically Wedding Wire wants the local traffic and are willing to pay for it. They also want a print outlet where they can sell listings. I cannot however imagine Wedding Wire buying them outright; that deal wouldn’t make sense,” according to sources familiar with Get Married and how they operate.

eWedNewz continues to investigate this story. Attempts to reach Anita Brady remain ongoing.

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