Zola provides wedding streaming service
Couples getting married who are concerned about hosting a large event now have a virtual alternative.
Digital wedding registry Zola is unveiling a free “virtual events” feature for its customers. Couples can now host any wedding event, including ceremony or shower, directly on their Zola wedding website.
Couples connect their Zoom account, add a virtual event to their Zola wedding website schedule, share the wedding website URL with their guests, and then start their event when it's time. The event is directly embedded into the couple's personalized Zola wedding website, as opposed to a conference call. Zola wedding websites can also be password protected.
In early March, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic became widely recognized in the U.S., Zola introduced a number of digital features and services, including a new chat feature in its mobile app called the Zola Registry Advisor.
The retailer also enabled customers to sync existing registries and add gifts from anywhere with the "Add to Zola" button. Artificial intelligence (AI)-equipped planning tools enable users to set up a registry with personalized recommendations based on a couple's interests, ideal price point and guest count.
According to Zola, more than three-quarters (76%) of its customers with wedding dates between July - October 2020 are still planning to have a wedding ceremony on their original date, and over one-third (37%) are considering streaming their event. Additionally, over one-third (35%) of Zola couples are considering streaming a pre-wedding event, such as a wedding shower or bachelorette party. Zero couples are canceling their wedding.
"Zola's mission to take the stress out of planning has become more important than ever,” said Shan-Lyn Ma, Zola's co-founder and CEO. “Couples are searching for safe ways to celebrate without compromising any of the joy and togetherness that they expect to feel on their wedding day. No matter how, when or where events happen, the experience of getting married and attending a wedding should feel personal, authentic and magical. We've dedicated the past few months to supporting our community in every way. Our heart goes out to all of our couples who have had to postpone their plans and navigate this time."