Shopping With... The Knot Founder Carley Roney

By Chris Frey
May 6, 2010

Carley Roney has built an empire on life’s most daunting rites of passage—weddings, new marriages, pregnancy and parenthood. As the visionary force behind The Knot and it’s companion sites The Nest and The Bump, she’s created a virtual, all-encompassing guidebook for newly minted grown-ups (or those aspiring to that status). Roney launched The Knot in 1996 with her husband, David Liu, now CEO, and a couple of friends. Their idea was to use the emerging technology of the internet to link brides- and grooms-to-be with all the tools and resources they might need to navigate the challenges of getting hitched, be they personal (like writing vows) or practical (staying on budget). The site even offered the first of its kind full service online gift registry.

What started as a portal with 10 message boards is now a multi million-dollar brand, with a staff of 500, national and regional print magazines, books (twelve to date, including The Baby Bump, to be published this year) and partnerships with Travel + Leisure, The Four Seasons and American Express. Along the way, Roney has acquired new sites (Breastfeeding.com, Wedding Tracker) launched others (PartySpot), and extended her reach into internet and broadcast television, with the 2005 launch of The Knot TV and the 2006 acquisition of The Wedding Channel Inc.

Roney herself is not far behind her brands in the race for global ubiquity. Chances are you have seen her on Oprah, The View, the Today Show or, most recently, on Regis and Kelly honoring Earth day with a how-to on container gardening. She’s been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Vogue and Self and is a mentor for many young female entrepreneurs as well as a frequent speaker at industry events. Roney’s expertise and advice is also available through her “Ask Carley” column, which appears in over 70 newspapers nationwide.

Various print publications from The Knot and its companion properties.

The Inside Source recently got its own personal “Ask Carley” session, when Roney joined us to talk work, home, and eBay shopping.

The Inside Source: These days, it’s hard to imagine weddings, early marriage and first time parenthood pre-The Knot, The Nest and The Bump. Were the sites created out of your own personal experience?

Carley Roney: Absolutely! David and I had a pretty disastrous wedding experience (although it made it that much more memorable) and wanted to create a central location for couples to find local vendors, creative inspiration and a sense of community during their planning process. At the time, the Internet was an emerging technology, so it all made perfect sense. The Nest seemed a natural next step in our company’s growth and another untapped market of newlyweds looking for advice and community. [With The Bump] being a parent is the most important job in your life and the one you’re least prepared for. I needed my own questions answered, and I knew that there were millions of other moms in a similar situation. It’s all a shared experience.

TIS: You live in DUMBO and recently renovated your loft. What is it about living in Brooklyn vs. Manhattan that works for you?

CR: I love Brooklyn for two main reasons: 1) I feel like when you cross the Manhattan bridge [to Brooklyn], you’re going on vacation. But you’re going home. And 2) We have a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline. I feel like I live more in the “city” by being able to see it, rather than being crammed inside it. And in addition to all the open green space, everything is just cooler in Brooklyn!

TIS: Tell us a little about your renovation?

CR: Considering the main visual interest of our apartment is 36 windows, we wanted to keep everything else simple, white, and modern. It’s a very cool, lofty, industrial space that we’ve softened and finished.

TIS: Do the kids have distinct styles that you make work in the grand scheme of your home? (Roney’s children are ages 2, 5 and 12)

CR: Most definitely. It’s a challenge to make Star Wars meld with pre-teen shabby chic with a toddler’s stuffed animals. Thankfully, they each have their own space to make their own, and they all share a mutual interest in Kid Robot figurines. David and I even have a Kid Robot/Visionaire collaboration project displayed in our bathroom.

TIS: Are heirlooms and family photos part of the decor?

CR: We set aside an entire wall dedicated to stick men and splatter paintings from the kids. It’s nice to have it all in one colorful location.

TIS: Do you have gifts from your wedding that still excite you today?

CR: We still use this screwpull wine opener every day; it’s a lovely reminder of our wedding. I also have displayed a gorgeous vintage photo album that my friend bought at a flea market in England.

TIS: Your life is incredibly busy. How do you maintain balance between work and family?

CR: When you’re at home, don’t feel guilty for not being at work. And when you’re at work, don’t feel guilty for not being at home.

TIS: Do you have health and beauty staples or routines that you can't live without?

CR: I’m obsessed with Natura Bisse, and I can’t leave my house without my Giorgio Armani shaping foundation and Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara.

TIS: Your “Ask Carley” column is respected and beloved. What questions come up again and again that feel most pertinent to women today?

CR: So many of our brides need confirmation that their creative ideas are okay. Their main audience is mothers, aunts, relatives. We like to be there to help them know it’s alright to express themselves and to encourage their personal style. More and more we’re getting questions like, “Can I have my best guy friend in my bridal party?” and, “How do I politely invite only guests 18 years of age and older?” It’s your wedding! Do what makes sense to you.

TIS: Any new projects in the works?

CR: We’re pumped about our three new iPhone apps: The Knot Wedding Dress Look Book (in addition to our existing Wedding 911 app), The Bump Pregnancy 411 and The Bump Baby 411, which all just recently launched. It’s our mission to make sure brides, newlyweds and moms fulfill the happiest moments in their lives; to relieve any unnecessary stress and to help them simply enjoy this time. That means connecting them with advice and tips whenever and wherever they need it. Another exciting project that will launch in the next month is our Wedding Channel review engine. Users will be able to search, sort and review local vendors, creating an even easier-to-use platform to choose vendors. And finally, The Nest national magazine debuts on newsstands this summer!