FGM Events, Inc.

An elegant, client-friendly redesign of an event and wedding planning website.

Summary

SCOPE: Full website redesign including content creation, research, competitor analysis, logo design, package creation, and imagery.

Role: I served as the principal designer, content writer, content arranger, Researcher, and Visual Designer.

Tools: Squarespace, google docs, sheets, and slides.

Timeframe: 4 months

Deliverables

• Competitor Analysis
• Survey
• Persona
• Sketches
• Content Drafts
• Branding and Logo

A Non-traditional Case Study

This case study stands out because it showcases a website redesign undertaken without prior formal training in User Experience. Despite this, the process involved various essential UX tasks like competitor analysis, surveys, and user empathy. Typography was strategically used to establish a visual hierarchy and buttons and calls to action were placed logically.

The content was carefully curated, incorporating written copy and relevant imagery to effectively communicate products and services. Fortunately, comprehensive documentation and before-and-after comparisons were maintained to highlight the project's progress.

How Did I Get Here?

In the pre-pandemic era, people joyfully gathered in large numbers to celebrate various milestones and special occasions. Festivities such as weddings, baby showers, high school graduations, and birthdays were cherished moments shared with friends and loved ones.

At Fairy Godmother Events, Inc., my journey began with assisting Ms. West with administrative tasks. As time went on, I took on more responsibilities such as managing schedules, planning weddings, and refining advertising content for platforms like WeddingWire and Thumbtack. Soon, I embarked on the exciting task of revamping the company's website.

WeddingWire advertising content before my revision.

Wedding Wire content after my revision.

After updating the website with fresh content, we experienced a rapid increase in leads. Encouraged by this success, I took the initiative to analyze not only our own website but also the websites of our local competitors.

The Research

Using Research and Beginning Branding

Through thorough research, including competitor analysis, survey, and extensive review reading on platforms like WeddingWire and Thumbtack, I gained valuable insights. It became clear that we needed to narrow our focus and target a specific group of clients.

By learning who the target clients were, I was able to dive into how I needed to structure the new website to make it as attractive and convincing as possible for new clients.

Creating the Content

I carefully analyzed the existing website and meticulously documented my proposed changes in a detailed 61-page comparison. Each page was examined side by side, and I provided clear notations explaining the rationale behind my recommended modifications.

The full content document is available below.

Making Revisions

Although I don't have a wide range of visuals to share, it's worth mentioning that I made significant improvements to the typography and font choices during the redesign process. While I may not have many visual examples, I have recreated some visuals to help illustrate the changes I made.

Original bio page. 

      This was the closest thing to a biographical segment on the original website. 

Revised bio page.

Organizing Site Content

I organized the new content in a logical flow that effectively represented the business and highlighted our most important information. The arrangement ensured that visitors could easily navigate through the website and find the content they were looking for.

Original vs. Revised Services Page

I implemented fundamental changes to the website, resulting in a more mature and clear presentation. Information became easier to find, and I made the call-to-action (CTA) buttons more prominent. Additionally, I made the CTA text engaging and fun to read, resonating with our target audience.

Original

Revised

Testimonials vs. Client Reviews

I removed the artificial testimonials and replaced them with verified client reviews.

Original

Revised

Deploying the Redesign

Ms. West was pleasantly surprised and thrilled when she reviewed my work. She only requested a few minor adjustments and was highly impressed with both the content and the visual appeal of the redesign.

Before the redesign, users typically visited only the landing page and the photo page. However, with the new design, users started exploring additional pages, such as the packages, services, and service promise pages. The website successfully captured their attention and engaged them with more relevant and informative content.

 Future Updates

Future updates for the website include:

• Ensuring text and images are WCAG compliant to improve accessibility, which was not initially considered during the redesign process.
• Adding new pages and services to accommodate Covid-friendly events, such as micro-weddings, to meet the evolving needs of clients.
• Making slight adjustments to the page layout and structure to enhance user-friendliness and improve navigation.
• Updating page sub-headings to improve readability and make the content more engaging and accessible to users.

Conclusion

During the redesign of the Fairy Godmother Events, Inc. website, I encountered various challenges related to web page formatting, creating photo carousels, designing buttons, and understanding the importance of proper placement for pages, items, photos, and content. I also gained knowledge about viewports and responsive design to ensure optimal display across different devices. Additionally, I extensively researched and learned about creating visually appealing websites, including adding badges and linking an Instagram feed.

Redesigning this website has been a truly fulfilling experience for me. I am grateful for the opportunity and have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and the work itself. It has allowed me to discover my passion for this type of work, and I am excited to continue learning and growing in this field. I am already making plans to further refine the website and apply the knowledge and skills I have acquired. The journey ahead holds much promise, and I can't wait to see what else I can accomplish.

What magic might I make for you?

User experience design
UX designer
User interface design
Interaction design
User-centered design
Usability testing
Information architecture
User research
UX design process
Wireframing

Product designer
Industrial design
Product development
Design thinking
Prototyping
Design iteration
Product aesthetics
User-centric design
Product usability
Design for manufacturability

Product manager
Agile product management
Product roadmap
Product strategy
Market research
Competitive analysis
Product development lifecycle
Product requirements
Stakeholder management
Product launch

Business development
Entrepreneurship
Marketing strategy
Business planning
Market analysis
Financial management
Business growth
Competitive advantage
Market segmentation
Business innovation

Mobile app design
User interface (UI) design
User experience (UX) design
Mobile app development
App prototyping
Mobile app usability
Mobile app interface
Mobile app user flow
Mobile app wireframing
Mobile app interaction design

Rachel Ruitberg

UX Designer

Baltimore, MD

rachel.ruitberg@gmail.com

(C) 2023 Rachel Ruitberg