Wedding planning giant The Knot Worldwide acquires rival site Zola

Wedding planning giant The Knot Worldwide has acquired top rival Zola in a deal announced Wednesday – even as the company faces scrutiny on Capitol Hill over its alleged mistreatment of mom-and-pop business owners.Zola will operate as a standalone business for the time being under The Knot Worldwide’s umbrella of brands, which already includes The Knot, WeddingWire, WeddingPro, Hitched and several others, the companies said in a press release.The deal’s financial terms were not disclosed.The Knot and Zola each offer similar services to couples, including wedding registries and personal websites as well as connecting to vendors like florists, DJs and dressmakers.Zola co-CEO Shan-Lyn Ma sought to reassure vendors about the deal in a memo obtained by The Post, asserting that the transaction will help “will unlock greater visibility and new opportunities” for small businesses reliant on the wedding sites to reach customers.“We know an announcement like this naturally brings questions about what this means for your business, and how you work with us,” Ma wrote.

“We want to reassure you: maintaining continuity and stability for your business is our highest priority.”Ma and fellow co-CEO Rachel Jarrett will “continue to lead Zola” and will eventually join The Knot Worldwide’s executive leadership team once the deal closes, according to the memo.Zola pledged to provide “clear advance notice” to small business owners “long before introducing any new cross-platform opportunities or updates.”The deal will be subject to “customary closing conditions, including any required regulatory clearances,” the companies said.

It’s unclear if the FTC or Justice Department’s antitrust unit will scrutinize the transaction.A Knot Worldwide spokesperson declined comment.Zola did not immediately respond.The Knot is led by CEO Raina Moskowitz, a former Etsy executive who has focused on overhauling the company’s platform with AI-powered planning tool...