Commentary

A Corporate "I Do"

From afar, it looks like a marriage made in heaven: Brides and grooms looking to save cash, partner with companies looking for some publicity, and before you know it, you're invited to a wedding sponsored by advertisers.

But is it worth it for a company to get its name in front of 300 wedding guests? Maybe. Online florist 1-800-Flowers provided $3,000 worth of red roses to a couple from Queens who held their nuptials during a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game. For the past six years, marketers have jumped on NBC's "Today Show" annual wedding extravaganza, offering couples rings, dresses, trips, and wedding cakes.

The trend is so hot, companies are increasingly being ambushed by hundreds of couples vying for sponsorship of their special day. Yet couples quickly learn that to snag a top sponsor, they need to guarantee their union will result in national coverage. Companies have been picky: AirTran Airways honored only four out of the nearly 230 requests for sponsored weddings last year.

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