-- Number One Wedding Website in U.S. Expands into World's Largest Wedding Market with Ai Jie --

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Knot Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT, www.theknot.com), the leading lifestage media company with the #1 wedding website TheKnot.com, today announced the launch of Ai

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Jie (www.ijie.com), a multiplatform resource providing Western inspiration and local advice for weddings, relationships and pregnancy for the Chinese consumer. Ai Jie ("ai jie" is the Chinese term for "love knot") will incorporate popular features of TheKnot.com, TheNest.com and TheBump.com, including a large engaged community, interactive tools, expert content, and an extensive local vendor directory.

"China is by far the world's largest wedding market, with approximately 10 million weddings a year, which is five times the number of weddings in the U.S.," said David Liu, CEO and cofounder of The Knot Inc. "With the first generation of children from the One Child Policy marrying now, a wedding is a highly anticipated occasion for their parents and grandparents. This presents a huge opportunity in the China market, and our mission is to be the number one leader in bringing Chinese couples stylish inspirations, expert advice, and unique tools to help them plan their weddings and lives together."

Ai Jie (Ijie.com) Key Features Include:

• 2,000+ Inspirational Articles and Photos. From wedding dress and cake photos to relationship tips and pregnancy advice, Ijie.com provides Chinese women with exclusive expert advice that's tailored to them and premium local content that can't be found on any other Chinese website. From this multi-lifestage platform, Chinese women can find all the inspirations and advice they need to plan their weddings, homes and future families.
• Free Interactive and Localized Tools. Manage finances with a wedding budget tool. Organize RSVPs with a guest list manager and seating chart. Calculate ovulation with natal charts. Ijie.com offers nine interactive online tools, including personal wedding websites, checklists, and even inspiration boards, to help couples manage their lives together.
• Real Wedding and Relationship Stories, Blogs and a 24/7 Online Community. Find out what a bride really thinks about her future mother-in-law and get the inside scoop on how often (or rarely) newlywed couples are having sex. Discuss taboo topics that are typically off-limits in public on a "Whispering Secrets" message board. With a team of bloggers chronicling their real-life experiences and community message boards across all lifestages, Ijie.com provides a medium for Chinese women to easily connect with other like-minded women, anytime and anywhere.
• 600+ High-End Local Wedding Vendor Listings. Ijie.com is the only destination with an extensive directory of the top wedding vendors in each of the major Chinese cities - Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. From Shangri-La Hotels to Accor Group (Westin, Sofitel, Grand Mercure), Chinese women can search and book the best-of-the-best businesses to help them plan their big day, as well as share insider tips and honest feedback on the vendors they've used.
• Prime-Time Weekly Television Show Promotion. Ijie.com presents cross-promotional benefits for vendors with its partner "Da Jia Guang Lin," a weekly prime-time Chinese lifestyle television show. The popular 60-minute television show, airing Friday nights at 10pm, is one of the highest-ranked shows for the Guangxi satellite channel and will incorporate community and interactive features from Ijie.com.

Chinese Wedding Industry Statistics

Ijie.com provides U.S.-based businesses an opportunity to align with a premium trusted brand and access to a huge untapped bridal market. As the first generation of children from the One Child Policy enters the average marrying age, young engaged Chinese couples wield unprecedented wedding budgets and are increasingly incorporating Western traditions into their wedding ceremonies.

• Wedding industry: $57 billion (400 billion RMB) (Source: China Wedding Industry Development Report)
• Average number of weddings: 10 million couples marry annually (Source: China Wedding Industry Development Report)
• Average wedding spend: $12,000 (80,000 RMB), excluding the cost of the wedding ring, attire and honeymoon (Source: China Wedding Industry Development Report)
• 80 percent of weddings combine Chinese-Western traditions (Source: National Committee of Chinese Wedding Service Industry)

"More than 20 million women have turned to TheKnot.com, WeddingChannel.com, TheNest.com and TheBump.com to find all the resources and inspirations they need to plan their weddings, homes and new lives. With Ijie.com, Chinese women now have a destination to find the same type of community and experience that has made The Knot Inc. so successful and enabled us to capture 80 percent of the U.S. bridal market," added Liu.

About The Knot Inc.

The Knot Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT; http://www.theknot.com), is the premier media company devoted to weddings, pregnancy and everything in between, providing young women with the trusted information, products and advice they need to guide them through the most transformative events of their lives. Our family of premium brands began with the industry's #1 wedding brand, The Knot, and has grown to include WeddingChannel.com, The Nest and The Bump. Our groundbreaking community platforms and incomparable content have ignited passionate communities across the country. The Knot Inc. is recognized by the industry for being innovative in all media -- from the web to social media and mobile, to magazines and books, television and video. For our advertisers and partners, The Knot Inc., offers the consummate opportunity to connect with our devoted communities as they make the most important decisions of their lives. Founded in 1996, The Knot Inc. is made up of four major revenue categories: online sponsorship and advertising, registry services, merchandise and publishing. The company is publicly listed on NASDAQ (KNOT) and is headquartered in New York City.

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Contacts

The Knot Inc.
Jacalyn Lee, 212-219-8555 x1013
Public Relations Director
Jacalyn@theknot.com
or
Ai Jie
Stephanie Zheng, +86 10 59359130 x802
Director of Strategy and Operations
szheng@theknot.com

The Knot Inc. today announced the launch of Ai Jie (www.ijie.com), a multiplatform resource providing Western inspiration and local advice for weddings, relationships and pregnancy for the Chinese consumer. (Graphic: Business Wire)