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Weddings are big business on the Internet, from sponsored Pinterest boards devoted to dream ceremonies to matrimonial websites dedicated to one couple's big day. WeddingWire, a Maryland-based software developer, has created planning solutions for brides and grooms.

One challenge is that talent-poaching can deplete a team of its key members before, during or following an M&A deal. For this reason, it's important for both the buying company and the acquired firm to iron out contracts and facilitate discussions that keep important players in place. If the architect of an integral strategy is courted to another company, suddenly the value of a merger or acquisition plummets with that person's departure.

We have discussed previously on this blog how a merger or acquisition deal can be beneficial for the company doing the acquiring as well as the company that is being acquired. However, for this process to run smoothly, careful consideration is required before moving forward with a deal.

A hot market in technology mergers is video ad services, which act as intermediaries between advertisers and publishers. With Yahoo's latest purchase of BrightRoll, one such company, the deal puts a price tag on the rising value of startups that help content hosts capitalize on ad revenue. Just the same, the services provide an easy interface for advertisers to deliver their ads to broad audiences across platforms.

Company mergers and acquisitions are an important event for both parties. In addition to changing staff size, members and roles and building the new company's brand, business acquisitions often receive publicity - perhaps more attention than a company would normally get.

Company mergers and acquisitions are an important event for both parties. In addition to changing staff size, members and roles and building the new company's brand, business acquisitions often receive publicity - perhaps more attention than a company would normally get.

Like the tech market, the food marketplace has seen rapid growth of diversity over the last decade. As established brands attempt to make an impression in the industry, sometimes company mergers are the most prudent way to optimize the operations of both companies involved. When businesses grow as large as they can on their own, the next logical step is often to combine forces with a peer in the industry. With tremendous stature in the food space, Heinz and Kraft stand to make an even greater impact in supermarkets.

"EMC is a behemoth of a corporate IT business," he writes. "It is among the largest providers of storage hardware in the world. It also makes servers and owns security company RSA, which is known for its hard-to-crack SecurID tokens. And its most prized possession is its 81% stake in VMware - the company that rules the world of virtualization software that allows businesses to run various operating systems on their devices."

DeWolfe denied the offer. Later on, Zuckerberg tried to sell the company once again, this time for $750 million. Yet, to MySpace's modern-day chagrin, this second offer was once again turned down. Many still report that this denial led to MySpace's decline in popularity as it failed to invest heavily in the social media portion of its design and instead channeled its work into its music sharing and listening features.

"Our integration philosophy is straightforward," Marriott Chief Financial Officer Carl Berquist said to Forbes. "We expect to choose the best from each company: systems, designs, operations and talent. Our similar organization structures should help to integrate the work more easily."

A major draw for the launch of HG was the fact that one of its founders is indie film and music celebrity, Zooey Deschanel. The initial burst of interest surrounding the site was akin to the attention received by other lifestyle blogs with famous backers. While you may not have a network television star on speed dial, other types of earned media and cross-promotion can help get the word out about your blog from the beginning.

Founded by New Girl actress Zooey Deschanel in 2011, the popular upbeat women's blog HelloGiggles (HG) has been purchased by TIME Inc. for a reported $20 million. The move is designed to capitalize on the unique content HG provides female readers seeking a life-enhancing, positive outlook on issues like culture, style and the workplace.

Bright.com has been a popular option for many job seekers looking for an alternative to larger job search engines like Monster and CareerBuilder. The startup uses a combination of algorithms and data science to match candidates with the right positions.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world's largest maker of laboratory equipment, recently announced that it had completed its acquisition of Life Technologies Corporation. The deal, valued at $13.6 billion, was originally announced in April 2013, but was put on hold pending antitrust approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Kroger is one of the nation's largest retailers, with more than 2,600 locations in 34 states and the District of Columbia. YOU Tech was founded in 2008 and is the creator of a cloud-based platform that gives retailers a measurable way to influence consumer purchase decisions online and in stores.

Google has recently purchased the Israeli startup SlickLogin, just five months after the company's launch. SlickLogin is the creation of three veterans of the Israeli Defense Force's cyber security unit.Before being acquired by Google, the group had been working on authentication technology that uses high-frequency pitches instead of a traditional password.

"Like Shutterstock, WebDAM is an innovative technology company trusted by some of the world's leading brands," Oringer said in the statement. "We are excited to join with WebDAM's talented team to deepen our relationship with large organizations and to make it easier than ever for marketing and creative teams to do their best work."

Oracle recently announced that it would acquire online data management startup BlueKai to build its cloud marketing software offerings. Although the terms of the purchase were not disclosed, the San Jose Mercury News reports that the software giant may have paid around $400 million for the company, most of it in cash.

Discount Coupons is an internet marketing and technology company that operates daily deal management division and a full-service digital marketing agency. Since 1997, the company has operated DiscountCoupons.com, a website that benefits both businesses and consumers. The company's current acquisition strategy is to purchase more established daily deal websites to expand its customer base.

Oracle recently announced that it would acquire online data management startup BlueKai to build its cloud marketing software offerings. Although the terms of the purchase were not disclosed, the San Jose Mercury News reports that the software giant may have paid around $400 million for the company, most of it in cash.