WASHINGTON (Map, News) - When Timothy Chi, co-founder of D.C.-based online education site Blackboard Inc., was planning his own wedding about two years ago, he found the whole process a hassle, particularly as he was living in Boston, working in D.C. and holding the event in Toronto.

“There weren't any good resources to help execute the wedding planning part of the event itself,” Chi said. “There were a lot of resources about trends and colors and things like that, but nothing to help make it happen.”

Chi decided to make use of his technology background and founded WeddingWire, a site devoted to making the wedding-planning experience less stressful for couples, while allowing vendors in the bridal industry another platform to showcase their services.

The site, which is free, allows brides to search through listings of businesses such as wedding photographers, florists and caterers.

It also offers user-generated reviews of businesses, and online planning tools such as seating-chart templates and budget calculators.

The company makes money by charging vendors for enhanced listings on the site; an initial listing is free, Chi said.

The site will not often compete with individual wedding planners, according to Laura Auer, community manager for WeddingWire, who owns her own wedding-planning business called Soiree Special Events.

“There will always be brides out there who want to do all of this themselves, and this helps them organize and be on top of things,” Auer said. “And some people who use our site will hire someone as well.”

Between 6,000 and 7,000 couples have used the site since its official launch in May, Chi said.

The site has about 15,000 vendors in its system.

Chi sees his market as a growing one because brides and grooms who grew up “during the age of MySpace” are starting to plan their weddings.

Part of the firm’s job is to gain firsthand knowledge of the latest wedding trends, and incorporate it into the site, Auer said.

For example, “green weddings,” or those using environmentally responsible products, are starting to take off, she said.

Destination weddings are more popular, and wedding cakes are becoming obsolete, replaced by cupcakes and cookies.

melissa.frederick@dcexaminer.com