TORONTO—Weddingbells.ca unveiled a new website this week with a focus on larger images and softer colours. While the site also rolled out new functionalities like geo-intelligent advertising, Angie McKaig, director, digital lifestyle brands at St. Joseph Media, said the overall revamp was primarily a "look and feel" redesign.

The makeover was helmed by freelance designer Alexandra Ishigaki and a support team of in-house staff.


"One of the challenges with the older site was that it didn't necessarily showcase our images to their best," McKaig said. Image sizes have been increased anywhere from 25-50%, and the site has implemented slider galleries like a "Gown of the Day" feature, allowing users to flip through images without reloading the page.

The new look is primarily black and white, which McKaig said allows the photography to stand out. Peach and magenta, brand colours for Weddingbells, are still used but with a greater emphasis on peach touches. "The site had been so heavily magenta coloured for the better part of six years, so we decided to go with the peach," McKaig said.

Three new font choices complete the look. Olicana, which is also used in the print magazine, is used for script flourishes. Source Sans Pro is used for sans-serif text, and Libre Baskerville for serif text—both are Google fonts.

New sidebars feature geo-targeted vendor lists that refresh on every page view, enabling readers to find and contact local vendors that carry an article's featured products. As well, the site features responsive design, allowing it to function well on all screen sizes. "Between 20-25% of our traffic right now comes from mobile devices," McKaig said.