Design Leadership — in progress
Zinnia
Current Status
Since completing the initial case study, I’ve continued building Zinnia hands-on using Cursor and ChatGPT — shipping real features, evolving the data model, and refining booking and onboarding flows. The live site represents current progress and highlights the development skills I’ve built through ongoing iteration.
👉 Latest build: https://int.planzinnia.com
Project overview
Zinnia is an innovative website that simplifies the wedding planning process by allowing users to book vendors directly, eliminating the hassle of managing multiple contacts. With completely transparent pricing, Zinnia aims to streamline the experience for couples planning their big day. As the Chief Design Officer, I am one of our three founders and have single-handedly developed all visual elements for Zinnia, including the logo and overall aesthetic.
Vision and Goals
Our vision is to make Zinnia the go-to wedding booking site. We aim to create a product that is incredibly easy to use, so it becomes the default choice for couples when planning their weddings. By prioritizing user experience, we hope to revolutionize the way weddings are booked.
Target Users
Zinnia caters to two primary user groups: vendors and engaged couples. Each group has distinct needs and experiences:
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Engaged Couples: They seek a straightforward, intuitive platform to easily browse and book vendors. Their experience should focus on simplifying the planning process, providing transparent pricing, and allowing for easy communication with vendors.
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Vendors: Vendors need a platform that showcases their offerings effectively, facilitates bookings, and allows for seamless communication with couples. Their experience should empower them to manage their services efficiently and respond to inquiries promptly.
Research
To ensure we meet the needs of our users, we conducted 5 interviews with both vendors and individuals planning weddings. Through this research, we discovered a strong demand for a product like Zinnia that consolidates the vendor booking process into a single, seamless experience.
Design Process
I utilized an iterative design process, moving through phases of ideation, prototyping, and preparing for testing. This approach allowed us to continuously refine our concepts based on user feedback and insights gained during our research.
Design Solution
Our solution is substantial and addresses the core pain points identified during our research. The design elements created—ranging from the logo to the overall look and feel—are crafted to resonate with our target audience and enhance their wedding planning experience.
Vendor side
’m showcasing the vendor dashboard and the listing creation process. This example highlights how we’ve designed a more complex experience while ensuring it remains user-friendly for any small business.
Couple side
I’m highlighting the search page for engaged couples, which demonstrates just how easy it is to find a vendor. Our design ensures a seamless search experience, making it simple for couples to discover the perfect match for their wedding needs.
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