Lots and Lots of wedding business stories in the media lately! A sure relation to the recession-proof wedding industry and therefore highly desirable target for any business!! Here is a piece from today's issue of MEDIAWEEK with some interesting observations/insights from WE-TV:

Here Comes The Bride: WE courts buyers with data on spend-happy viewers

Anthony Crupi >> acrupi@mediaweek.com
APRIL 14, 2008 -

For many women in the 18-49 demo, weddings are pretty much the Oscars and the lunar landing all wrapped up in taffeta and tulle, representing the ne plus ultra of romance and oversized cake. As it prepares to walk down the upfront aisle, WE TV is readying a new research pitch that will give clients fresh insight into the values held by its core viewers and how those beliefs influence their buying habits.

According to findings in a new study conducted on behalf of the network by Frank N. Magid Associates, 49 percent of WE viewers can be characterized as "I Do-ers," a segment that includes women who respond positively to the trappings of matrimony, have an interest in wedding-themed shows and report that they are in the midst of a major lifestyle transition.

The latter condition refers specifically to what WE defines as "accumulation stages," distinct periods that tend to coincide with increased consumer spending. When a woman gets married, has a baby or buys a home, such milestones are very often commemorated with big-ticket purchases.

As the so-called I Do-ers are avid consumers and more likely to watch WE's bridal-related programming (the network has sprinkled wedding fare throughout its prime-time schedule like so much flung rice), this segment is particularly attractive to WE's advertisers.

"Weddings are a 'life passion' for women, and they respond to them in the same way that men associate with sports," said Kim Martin, executive vp and general manager of WE. "And it's not limited to a participatory interest either. Only 5 percent of women 18-54 get married every year, so the appeal goes beyond just women who are in the middle of the process."

In order to sate the wedding-hungry horde, WE is expanding its bridal lineup with a fifth season of Bridezillas and a third order of Platinum Weddings. (Both series return June 1.) Also on the calendar is Amazing Wedding Cakes, a new six-part series debuting in September.

According to Scott Collins, senior vp, ad sales at WE, I Do-ers are particularly interested in nonendemic categories, a finding that could help broaden the network's client base.

"I Do-ers are buying gaming systems and MP3 players, which flies in the face of the notion that women aren't interested in gadgets," Collins said. "And while beauty and cosmetics are obviously a good fit for the brand, we're also talking to KFC."

"What I tell the media companies is… show me something that further dimensionalizes your viewers," said Lyle Schwartz, managing partner of research and marketplace analysis, Mediaedge:cia. "This is a great example of the kind of insight we're always looking for."