'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' & The Knot Hitch Up for Wedding Edition of the Game Show

'Play To Pay For Your Wedding' to Feature Engaged Couples in the Hot Seat

Viewers Will Have the Opportunity to Win All-Expense Paid Trip to St. Lucia

NEW YORK, Jan. 27 -- Top rated game show, "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," with host Meredith Vieira, will be teaming up with The Knot (http://www.theknot.com), the nation's top source for 'all-things-wedding' for "Play To Pay For Your Wedding." The specialty edition will feature engaged couples, several who are members of TheKnot.com, playing as a team in the hot seat as they try to win $1 million to help pay for the wedding of their dreams. Couples will be allowed to discuss the questions with each other before agreeing on one "Final Answer." The five-episode series will air in syndication February 7-11, '05 (check local listings).

While the couples are winning the bucks to pay for their weddings, home viewers will have a chance to win a six-day, seven-night trip for two to the new Coco Palm Resort on the tropical isle of St. Lucia through The Knot 'Escape to St. Lucia Sweepstakes.' Each day, host Meredith Vieira will ask a special wedding-themed "sweepstakes" question on-air. To enter the contest, viewers go to http://www.theknot.com/millionaire to enter their answer. The winner of The Knot 'Escape to St. Lucia Sweepstakes' will be drawn from all correct answers submitted. Details of the contest and the complete official rules can be found at http://www.theknot.com/millionaire (website will be available as of 02/07, the first day of the sweepstakes).

"These are some of my favorite shows to produce," said "Millionaire" executive producer, Michael Davies. "We've done successful couple editions before, but nothing like this. We are putting an innovative twist on a proven format," he added.

"Having been married for 19 years myself, I am fascinated by the idea of seeing couples play as a team on "Millionaire," said host, Meredith Vieira. "Experts say that the number one item couples argue about is money. The prospect of winning $1 million might just bring out a side to these contestants that their mates have never seen," she added. "I think the couples will come out of this experience knowing their mates better than ever before."

"In a day and age when the average American wedding costs $25,000 -- or twice that in metropolitan areas like New York City -- the chance to win $1 million towards your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any bride and groom," said Carley Roney, cofounder and editor in chief of The Knot. "Taking the hot seat on 'Millionaire' is a great roadtest for marriage. Though we expect money to put the pressure on, we foresee that couples will ultimately prevail ... hopefully a bit richer, than poorer."

Each couple that plays during the week will also be given an "early wedding gift" on behalf of "Millionaire" and partners of The Knot. The gifts will be a complete surprise to the unsuspecting couples and ensures that even if they don't win $1 million, no one will walk away empty-handed. Gifts include a $2,500 gift certificate from the Kohl's Bridal Aisle gift registry; a shimmering Swarovski-encrusted ball gown from celebrity-gown designer Henry Roth; a one-carat, three-stone Leo diamond ring, hand-crafted by Leo Schachter, from Kay Jewelers; two hand-sculpted platinum and diamond bridal bands, designed especially by Scott Kay; four five-piece place settings of Grand Baroque sterling silver flatware from Wallace Silversmiths; 12 five-piece place settings and serving pieces of Grand Central Dinnerware from Lenox; 8 sets of Italian-made silverplated flatware serving pieces from Fifth-avenue luxury retailer Michael C. Fina; and two 18K white gold handcrafted wedding bands, designed by Bergio.

"Play To Pay For Your Wedding" Contestants Include:

Jessica Westbrook and Shaun Hart, from Singing Springs, PA

Elvira Cho and John Hurst from Castle Rock, CO

Lauren Drysdale and Josh Fedeli, from New York, NY

Elika Preston and Matt Zimmerman, from Los Angeles, CA

Veronica Wasserman and Timothy Mankowski, from New York, NY

Meredith Vieira and the "Millionaire" Team

Meredith Vieira, host of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," is fresh off of her 2004 Daytime Emmy nomination. A critically-acclaimed broadcaster and moderator of ABC's "The View," Vieira has brought her own unique style to the game show. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" is produced by the same Emmy Award-winning team, Valleycrest Productions, which brought the original "Millionaire" to ABC in 1999. Michael Davies, Paul Smith and Leigh Hampton are executive producers; Vincent Rubino is co-executive producer. The show is currently in its third season.

About The Knot

The Knot Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: KNOT; http://www.theknot.com) is one of the world's leading lifestage media and services companies. Its wedding brand, The Knot, provides today's to-be-weds with comprehensive wedding planning information, interactive tools and resources, and wedding-related shopping. Its award-winning website, TheKnot.com, is the leading online wedding destination and wedding content provider to America Online, MSN, and Comcast. The Knot Inc. also publishes wedding planning print publications, including "THE KNOT Weddings" national and regional magazines and books with Broadway Books and Chronicle Books; and produces a televised documentary series on The Oxygen Network and a VOD service for Comcast Cable. The Knot is based in New York and has several other offices across the country.

SOURCE Buena Vista Television
Web Site: http://www.millionairetv.com