For all Entrants

Entries from companies must be received by 15th September 2023

Companies submitting an entry must have offices or an outlet within the South West of England (Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucester, Somerset & Wiltshire).

Companies entering must supply the wedding industry in one of the following categories:

Classic Wedding Photography: Photographers focus on taking posed shots of the couple and the group at large and involves a lot of direction from the photographer and time from the wedding party creating beautiful traditional shots.

Fine Art Wedding Photography:  Photographers inject themselves into the day by carefully choosing locations, lighting, composition, styling, and posing in an effort to create an artistic story of the wedding day,  A magazine editorial style influenced by fashion photography often with post production editing and other creative touches; producing custom style images.

Reportage Wedding Photography: Photographers capture the story of the day as it unfolds naturally. This means that the photographer will be capturing moments as they happen throughout the day without staging any shots or interfering with the proceedings

Bridal Beauty Services**

Bridal Hair Services**

Bridal MUA**

New Wedding Business*****

Professional Wedding Services******

Wedding Accessories****

Wedding Cake Designer

Wedding Caterer (this category will be split into formal and informal dining given sufficient entries)

Wedding Extras***

Wedding Entertainment (Live Music)

Wedding Entertainment (Recorded Music)

Wedding Entertainment (Non Musical)

Wedding Floral Designer

Wedding Marquee

Wedding Outfitter

Wedding Stationery Designer

Wedding Transport

Wedding Venue  (Country)

Wedding Venue (Town)

Wedding Venue Décor

Wedding Videographer

* Individual businesses must enter, an entry from a national chain will not be eligible, nor will entries consisting of two collaborating businesses. Franchises and businesses not benefiting from the national marketing of a parent company are eligible.

** Companies supplying both hair and beauty services under the same company name may enter only one of these categories

*** Companies supplying a product or service, not falling into the above categories but which add a little extra to the wedding day (For example: favours, chocolate fountains, gift companies, sweet carts, ice cream vans etc.)

**** Companies supplying bridal accessories, jewellery, hats etc

***** New businesses (trading under 18 months from close of entries) may nominate themselves or be nominated, and will be judged on product and business potential.

****** Professional Service include but are not limited to  – Wedding Celebrants, Toast Masters, Mobile Bar Companies, Wedding Planners (not affiliated to a venue)

Companies submitting an entry agree to expect a site visit or a secret shopper request from the judges if required.

We reserve the right to amalgamate or remove categories entirely due insufficient entries

We reserve the right to decline entry to any company.

The judges’ decision is final.

You will receive reviews from your previous customers and scored on a scale of 1 to 5 for each area of competence list on the vote form. A qualitative analysis will take place and the companies with the highest average score will be the finalists subject to checks.

When you receive a vote you will get an email notification with the name of the couple who voted for you on it. It is your responsibility to inform the office if you receive a vote from a clients you have not worked for.

It is necessary to receive at least 5 votes for your entry to be validated and therefore progressed for quantitative analysis.

Whilst we only require 5 votes to qualify a business for the finals, we take into account the number of votes received against your average score as a ratio.

If you are a Gala Awards Evening finalist a review of your website and social will take place to ascertain your product quality and market. A qualitative analysis of your customers’ comments will take place to compare how well their comments match your company ethos as portrayed on your website and social media.

A winner is determined from this analysis.

It is a condition of entry that each entering business has a website.

New Business Award

This category is for new businesses that have been in business less than 18 months from close of entries; the award is decided solely by the judges and is based on product and business potential.

For the Voter

Reviews will only be accepted from married couples whose wedding has already taken place in the UK from Jan 1st 2020 through to Sept 30th 2023. You may vote for more than one company entered into the Awards if you have used their services, however only one vote per company is allowed.

If any review is found to be fraudulent, the supplier will automatically be eliminated from the Awards. We reserve the right to decline entry to any reviewer not meeting the above voting criteria.

Contact information collected from reviewers or companies will not be passed on to any third parties.

The South West Wedding Awards are an independently owned and run Wedding Awards and have been in operation since 2008. We are not affiliated to any other company.

Access to entry details will be restricted to the organisers and judging panel.

Reviews will only be accepted from couples that have used the service they are reviewing, if you are a family member or friend reviewing the product/service as the purchaser/consumer/payer then fill out with the couples’ details not yours.

Owners and employees are not eligible to vote.

Reviews must be received by the close of business on 30th September 2023