The South West Wedding Awards The South West Wedding Awards

  1. Terms & Conditions

    For all Entrants

Entries from companies must be received by 1st September 2025

Companies submitting an entry must have offices or an outlet within the geographical counties of 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:

Bridal Beauty Services**

Bridal Hair Services

Bridal MUA

Essential Wedding Extras ***

New Wedding Business*****

Something Different *******

Professional Wedding Services******

Wedding Accessories****

Wedding Cake Designer

Wedding Caterer (this category will be split into alternative and traditional catering given sufficient entries)

Wedding Celebrant

Wedding Entertainment Live Music – Band

Wedding Entertainment Live Music – Instrumental

Wedding Entertainment Live Music – Vocalist

Wedding Entertainment (Recorded Music)

Wedding Entertainment (Non Musical)

Wedding Floral Designer – Artificial Flowers

Wedding Floral Designer – Fresh Flowers

Wedding Outfitter (this category will be split into Bridal and Grooms wear given sufficient entries)

Wedding Pet Chaperone

Wedding Photography (please see additional note below about the categories)

Wedding Planners (not affiliated to a venue)

Wedding Seamstress

Wedding Stationery Designer

Wedding Transport

Wedding Venue  (Barn/Country)

Wedding Venue (Coastal)

Wedding Venue (Country/Golf Club)

Wedding Venue (Historic)

Wedding Venue (Intimate) less than 30 total guests – if you have the ability to accommodate more using a marquee you must choose an alternative category.

Wedding Venue (Town)

Wedding Venue Décor

Wedding Videographer

Wedding Videography and Photography (for companies offering both services as a combined package)

 

* Individual businesses must enter, an entry from a national chain will not be eligible, nor will entries consisting of two collaborating businesses.

** Companies supplying both hair and beauty services under the same company name

*** Companies supplying a product or service, not falling into the above categories but which are essential to the wedding day (For example: Mother of the Bride/Groom outfits, 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  -Toast Masters, Mobile Bar Companies, Event Companies offering multiple services.

******* Something Different is for services that do not fall into any on the other main categories

 

Wedding Photography Categories – Please ensure you enter the category that your photography style and marketing best represent.

Each of these wedding photography styles has its unique approach and aesthetic, focusing on different aspects of the wedding day.

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

1. Classic Wedding Photography

Characteristics:

Formal Poses: This style often involves structured, posed shots of the couple, family, and the wedding party, with a focus on traditional compositions.

Timeless and Elegant: Classic wedding photography seeks to create timeless, refined images that will look as beautiful in decades as they do today. It avoids trends and aims for a clean, elegant style.

Attention to Details: This style captures every key moment and detail of the wedding day, from close-up shots of the rings and dress to wide shots of the ceremony and reception.

Editing Style: Typically, the editing is subtle and natural, with soft tones and neutral colours to maintain a classic aesthetic.

Difference: Classic wedding photography focuses on formal, traditional portraits and carefully composed shots that feel timeless and elegant.

2. Contemporary Wedding Photography

Characteristics:

Creative and Unconventional: Contemporary wedding photography often includes experimental angles, framing, and compositions, embracing a modern, fashion-forward style.

Documentary and Candid: While it may include posed shots, the focus is more on capturing spontaneous, candid moments, often with an editorial or fashion photography influence.

Bold Editing: The editing may be more vibrant and dynamic, with an emphasis on contrast, colour, and creative effects.

Use of Natural Light: Contemporary photographers often play with natural light, making use of its direction and quality to create mood and drama in the shots.

Difference: Contemporary wedding photography tends to be more innovative, incorporating elements of fashion and editorial photography while still focusing on capturing authentic, candid moments.

3. Fine Art Wedding Photography

Characteristics:

Artistic and Refined: Fine art wedding photography takes an elevated, artistic approach to capturing the wedding day, often with a focus on beauty, composition, and emotion.

Soft and Romantic: This style uses soft, natural light and muted, pastel colours to create an ethereal, romantic look.
Film or Film-Like: Fine art photographers may use actual film or digitally replicate its aesthetic, resulting in images with subtle grain, rich tones, and soft contrast.

Thoughtful Composition: Each shot is carefully considered, with attention to the overall design and mood of the image, often with an emphasis on symmetry, simplicity, and elegance.

Difference: Fine art wedding photography focuses on creating timeless, high-quality, artistic images that highlight beauty and emotion, often with an ethereal, almost painterly aesthetic.

4. Reportage Wedding Photography (Documentary Wedding Photography)

Characteristics:

Unobtrusive and Candid: Reportage wedding photography is all about telling the story of the day through spontaneous, documentary-style shots, often without the subjects knowing they are being photographed.

Natural and Real: The style captures genuine, unposed moments, from the excitement of the ceremony to quiet, intimate exchanges during the reception.

Storytelling Focus: The goal is to document the event as it unfolds, providing a visual narrative of the wedding day, often with little or no intervention from the photographer.

Minimal Posing: There are very few formal portraits or staged shots in reportage photography; the photographer’s presence is usually as discreet as possible.

Difference: Reportage wedding photography focuses on capturing the raw, candid moments of the day, telling the story through a more documentary, journalistic approach with little interference

We reserve the right to decline entry to any company.

The judges’ decision is final.

Companies submitting an entry agree to a secret shopper visit of email enquiry from the judges if required.

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

You will receive reviews from your previous customers and scored on a scale of 1 to 10 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.

We will send out periodic updates with the names of couples who voted for you . 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.

Regional Awards replace the “Highly Commended” recognition in larger categories where top-scoring entrants, as determined by the judges, represent different areas. Instead of awarding multiple “Highly Commended” distinctions, a single regional prize is awarded to each county in cases where the top scores in the category are very close between three or more counties.

In some cases, not all areas may have winners in a specific category if no entrants from those regions meet the judges’ top scoring criteria. However, as the number of finalists across all counties and categories continues to grow, we aim to introduce Regional Awards in all areas to ensure wider recognition of excellence.

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.

 

Voting

Reviews will only be accepted from married couples whose wedding has already taken place in the UK from Jan 1st 2023 through to Sept 14th 2025. 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 be automatically disqualified from the Awards. We reserve the right to reject any reviewer who does not meet the above voting criteria. Voting on behalf of your clients is strictly prohibited, and any company found doing so will be excluded from future entries.

Companies found to be offering rewards or incentives for clients to vote for them will be automatically disqualified and excluded from future participation.

Contact information collected from reviewers or companies will not be shared with any third parties.

The South West Wedding Awards are an independently owned and operated event, established in 2008. We are not affiliated with any other company.

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

Reviews will only be accepted from couples who have personally used the service they are reviewing, with the exception of those reviewing companies that provide Mother of the Bride services

Reviews must be received by the close of business on 14th September 2025/vc_column_text]