The Knot Editorial Policy

About The Knot Editorial

Who we are, what we do and how we do it.

Our Team

Mission Statement 

Celebrations are a core part of every human experience. The Knot's mission is to enable everyone to celebrate the moments that make us. Our vision is to ensure all couples are empowered to create celebrations that are most authentic to them. 

About Us 

As one of the nation's leading multiplatform wedding brands, The Knot offers a seamless, all-in-one planning experience—from finding local vendors to creating and managing your wedding registry, invitations, personalized wedding website, to serving up the best wedding ideas and inspiration. 

Our guiding principle is simple: We support all couples. Whoever you are, whatever your background, whomever you love, you are welcome here and we're dedicated to helping you on your wedding planning journey. 

Editors

As an Editorial team, we bring you the latest from the runway and the jewelry store. We cover topics that range from serious to stress relief. We test registry products and try on wedding guest attire. We feature real weddings, highlight amazing wedding professionals and showcase city guides for every event from proposals to honeymoons. We are just as comfortable sharing first person narratives as we are first dance recommendations. 

 We're a team of in-the-know wedding experts. We tell it like it is and we have a damn good time doing it. 

Learn more about the people behind the bylines below. To make sure you don't miss any of the content coming from this team, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media: @TheKnot on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook.

Lauren Kay the knot wedding expert
Lauren Kay
Executive Editor, The Knot + The Bump
  • Lauren manages, writes and contributes to the strategy of The Knot’s print editorial content.
  • Lauren oversees The Bump’s editorial strategy and execution.
  • Lauren has a degree in magazine journalism and lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
marykate callahan the knot
MaryKate Callahan
Director, Content Strategy
  • MaryKate oversees The Knot’s affiliate and e-commerce content strategy
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, MaryKate worked as a copywriter for a boutique ad agency
  • MaryKate has a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Communications from Fairfield University
Esther Lee - Deputy Editor, The Knot
Esther Lee
Deputy Editor
  • Esther is the Deputy Editor of The Knot. She currently leads all content on The Knot Wellness, focusing on financial, relationship, and mental wellbeing.
  • She oversees The Knot's travel vertical (honeymoons, destination weddings, bach parties), as well as overarching features and trends.
  • She proudly serves on the Advisory Council of VOW For Girls, focusing on ending the injustice of child marriage around the world.
Hannah Nowack The Knot Senior Weddings Editor
Hannah Nowack
Senior Editor
  • Hannah writes and edits articles for The Knot Worldwide, with a focus on real wedding coverage.
  • Hannah has a passion for DE&I and plays an integral role in ensuring The Knot content highlights all voices and all love stories.
  • Prior to The Knot Worldwide, Hannah was the Social Media Editor at Martha Stewart Weddings.
Emily Platt - The Knot Senior Manager, Commerce Content Strategy
Emily Platt
Senior Manager, Commerce Content Strategy
  • Emily is a strategist and editor who specializes in shopping content
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Emily wrote for Martha Stewart Weddings
  • Emily has a bachelor's degree from Vassar College
cathryn haight the knot
Cathryn Haight
Editor
  • Cathryn is an editor at The Knot, where she focuses on all things planning—from inspiration and design, to traditions, to invitations.
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Cathryn spent years as a food editor
  • Cathryn holds a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and a certificate in publishing from Columbia University
sarah hanlon entertainment and celebrity editor the knot
Sarah Hanlon
Entertainment & Celebrity Editor
  • Sarah is the Entertainment & Celebrity Editor for The Knot, with special focuses on pop culture and celebrity wedding news.
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Sarah was a contributing writer for Bravo at NBC Universal.
  • Sarah has a degree in journalism and resides in New York City.
chapelle johnson the knot associate editor
Chapelle Johnson
Associate Editor
  • Chapelle writes articles for The Knot Worldwide. She covers all things wedding-related and has a personal interest in covering traditions and history.
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Chapelle was an editorial intern for Subvrt Magazine.
  • Chapelle has a degree in English writing from Loyola University New Orleans.
emily rumsey the knot editor
Emily Rumsey
Assistant Commerce Updates Editor
  • Emily helps maintain and update e-commerce content for The Knot
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Emily worked as a website editor and manager for The Paleo Diet®
  • Emily holds two bachelor's degrees in Journalism and International Affairs with a Chinese minor
sofia deeb headshot
Sofia Deeb
Assistant Fashion Commerce Editor
  • Sofia writes and edits articles for The Knot Worldwide with a specialty in fashion and e-commerce.
  • Prior to The Knot Worldwide, Sofia was a writer for Santa Barbara Life and Style Magazine.
  • Sofia studied cultural anthropology and journalism at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Editorial Policy

The Knot Worldwide champions diversity and representation across its communities, including through its global team members, network of ambassadors, and within our content. As set forth in our Nondiscrimination Policy in our Terms of Use, we hold a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, which extends to all couples and vendors regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, immigration status, disability, marital, family, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or citizenship status, age, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, regional, state, or local law. It is, thereby, of utmost importance to The Knot Editorial Team to rely on voices and perspectives from all walks of life.

The Knot recognizes that the right to marry who you love is not equal around the world. We commit to providing information and resources for all couples to make an informed decision about where and how to host their wedding. This includes providing transparent disclaimers and resources where featured locations may not be equally welcome to all. Our travel disclaimer reads: "Local laws may restrict service availability to all. See the Equality Index for more information."

Ethical Standards

The Knot Editors emphasize the importance of original writing, and storytelling. We aim to ensure our content is factually accurate, transparent, and meets the needs of the reader to the best of our ability. Along with our daily commitment to our corporate Code of Conduct and Ethics, which values respect, fairness and inclusion, we look to pursue the same ethos within our work both digitally and in print.

We take violations of our Code of Conduct and Ethics very seriously and any violations are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. For more information on our commitment to ethical standards, review the resource below from, The American Society of Magazine Editors, a professional organization to which The Knot belongs. 

https://www.asme.media/editorial-guidelines

Sourcing and Fact Checking

We are committed to original content, sourcing and fact-checking—all to create stories that provide a fresh perspective, service the user, and remain in line with our commitment to transparency. In such an effort, The Knot Editors have an extensive roster of sources across the wedding industry, including wedding vendors, various professional organizations, mental health, relationship and financial professionals, academic and educational thought leaders, and more. If you would like to submit yourself as a potential source to The Knot, please email editorial@theknotww.com

Corrections

We are human, and sometimes that means we have to make corrections! In our commitment to remain up-to-date with our content, the team aims to refresh and update pieces to accurately reflect the current landscape and timeline as practicable.

This may include the removal of weddings on our site from those who've previously agreed to publishing their photos and rights on our site. For more information on how to submit a corrections request or form, please email editorial@theknotww.com.

Studies and Surveys

The Knot also publishes its own independent studies and surveys. We are committed to clearly disclosing the methodology behind these studies and surveys, and believe in the value of true expertise, timely information and service to the user. 

Submissions

The Knot is committed to showcasing the creative work of wedding pros and the love stories of real couples to inspire current and future to-be-weds. We strive to feature a diverse range of couples and moments that make us. We are always looking for weddings that authentically represent a couple and can inspire others through their relatability and personalization. If you are interested in having your wedding featured, you can submit it for consideration on Two Bright Lights. Read more about how to do this here. If you have a story to share, or are a wedding expert with a unique perspective, we'd love to hear from you too. Please email editoral@theknotww.com

Affiliate Disclosure

In some of our articles, we will include The Knot or third party products or vendors on our Marketplace to help you navigate and enjoy life's biggest moments. Purchases made through links on those pages may earn us a commission or otherwise benefit us. Whenever you land on one of these articles, we'll be sure to let you know with a similarly worded disclosure at the top of the page. You can read more about our product testing and recommendations here. 

Impact at The Knot Worldwide

For information about our Impact initiative (traditionally known as "Environment, Social and Governance", or ESG), visit The Knot Worldwide Impact.

In the Press

The Knot editors have been featured in a number of media outlets, tapped for their wedding industry expertise and knowledge. Here are some more recent examples.

The New York Times | I Thee — Untz Untz — Wed

The New York Times included expert commentary from The Knot Senior Editor Hannah Nowack on the growing popularity of rave weddings and couples feeling empowered to reinvent tradition.


Vogue | Is Premarital Counseling the Newest Wedding Planning Trend?

Vogue's article on premarital counseling featured insightful expert commentary from The Knot Deputy Editor Esther Lee.


People | Survey Reveals No. 1 Song Chosen by Brides and Grooms for First Wedding Dance — Plus Other Top Popular Picks

People included expert commentary from The Knot Deputy Editor Esther Lee in their piece that highlighted key stats from The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study, with a particular focus on first dance songs.


The TODAY Show | From Sequins to Florals, Here Are Top Trends in Wedding Dresses

The Knot Executive Editor Lauren Kay joined Today with Hoda and Jenna to discuss 2023 wedding dress trends.


Fortune | Housing affordability is so strained that 1 in 5 couples ask for down payment cash on their wedding registry. Your friends and family would rather give you cash to go to Mexico

Fortune reported on The Knot and Zillow's housing affordability campaign and included a quote from The Knot Deputy Editor Esther Lee on honeymoon and new home funds.


Cheddar News | Stretching Your Dollar: The Biggest Cost When it Comes to Wedding Planning

Cheddar News spoke with The Knot Executive Editor Lauren Kay about how couples can save money and prioritize their wedding budgets.


TODAY.com | 24 traditional and non-traditional gifts to celebrate 20 years of marriage

The Knot Gifting & Stationery Editor Cat Haight provided expert commentary to TODAY.com on traditional 20th anniversary gifts.


WSAZ-TV | Wedding Wednesday | The Knot

The Knot Entertainment & Celebrity Editor Sarah Hanlon joined WSAZ-TV (Huntington, West Virginia) to share tips for couples during wedding planning season.


VinePair | Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Something Boozy: The Martini Is This Year's Ultimate Wedding Accessory

Drink culture site VinePair featured expert commentary from The Knot Associate Editor Chapelle Johnson on the wedding martini trend.