How do wedding awards work? Ours run in three rounds
Here is how wedding awards work with us: enter a Local round, get scored out of 100 on evidence, then go on to a Country round and Global Final.
Which wedding awards rounds will you enter?
You enter once, in the Local round. Your score carries into the Country round, and country winners can opt into the Global Final.
- 01
Local round
Your entry is scored against wedding businesses in your area and category. Local results arrive roughly 6 weeks after you enter.
- 02
Country round
Your Local score is compared nationally at no extra cost. The top score of 85 or more in each category wins the country.
- 03
Global Final
Country winners can opt in and are measured against winners from other countries in the same category.
Who is eligible to enter the 2027 Awards?
Eligibility is open to any wedding business, in any country, that can show recent client evidence. Check these five points before you enter.
- A wedding business in one of our 18 award categories
- 5+ reviews from the last 36 months
- 6–10 portfolio photos or clips from separate weddings
- A live website and a reply to enquiries within 48 hours
- Agreement to our rules, set out in the terms of entry
What do you receive at each result tier?
Every entrant receives results and a written scorecard. The tier your Verified Score reaches sets your title, badge and where couples see you.
Winner
Winner title and badge, a winner page, and a place on best-of and destination pages. A winner's kit and crystal award are optional extras.
Highly Commended
A Highly Commended title and your published Verified Score in the scored-vendor directory that couples search.
Finalist
A Finalist title, your published score and a scorecard pointing to the evidence that held your total back.
Scorecard only
A written scorecard on what scored well and what to improve, plus 20% off next year's entry.
The Verified Score adds three evidence blocks: photos and video (35), client reviews (45) and professional standards (20), plus an optional couples' feedback bonus of up to 15 points. There is no judging panel; the maths is published.
Read the full scoring methodHow much is the entry fee for the 2027 Awards?
The first-category entry is €49 and covers both the Local round and the Country round. Every other fee below is optional or per extra category.
| Item | What it covers | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| First-category entry | Local round and Country round | €49 |
| Each extra category | The same rounds, another category | €29 |
| Global Final | Country winners only, by opt-in | €39 |
| Winner's kit | Badge pack, templates, certificate PDF | €29 |
| Engraved crystal award | Crystal trophy, shipped to you | €149 |
| Featured profile | Best-of and destination pages | €99 / year |
Entry fees are non-refundable once scoring has started; withdraw before scoring begins for a full refund. Payments are taken on the entry form by card via Stripe, or by PayPal.
Read our refund terms
What happens to your entry after you apply?
Your entry moves from payment to Local results in roughly six weeks. Here is each stage of the wedding awards process and what we need from you.
- 01
Enter and pay
A two-minute form: your details, categories and payment. No photos needed to start.
- 02
Complete your entry
On your private, password-protected page, add 6–10 photos, video links, your logo and review links. Optional: add past couples for bonus points.
- 03
Reviews read
We open your review links, count your reviews, take the average rating and read your latest 10 from the last 24 months.
- 04
Portfolio marks
You rate 5 anonymised portfolios from other countries; peers mark your photos and video on the same public checklist.
- 05
Standards check
We confirm years trading and insurance, then send one standard test enquiry (disclosed in our Terms) and time your reply.
- 06
Local results
Your Verified Score, tier and written scorecard arrive with that month's results announcement.
Week ranges are indicative and depend on how quickly your clients reply.
When are the key dates for the 2027 Awards?
Entries open in November 2026 and the Global Final results follow in October 2027. Here is every date and deadline in the 2027 cycle.
- Nov 2026
Entries open
Local round entries open in all 18 categories, with the founding offer for the first 100 entrants.
- From January 2027
Local results, monthly
Local round results are announced monthly, roughly six weeks after each entry.
- 30 Apr 2027
Country round entries close
The last day an entry can count towards this cycle's Country round.
- June 2027
Country results
Country winners are named per category and country, then invited to the Global Final.
- October 2027
Global Final results
Global winners are announced per category and added to winner and best-of pages.
How are wedding award winners announced and promoted?
Winners are announced in the monthly results, then placed where couples look for vendors: on winner pages, best-of pages and destination pages.
Your own winner page
Couples see your Verified Score, category, place and the evidence behind it, so the reason you won is in plain view.
View the winners
Best-of lists by place
Best-of lists by category and place put scored winners in front of couples comparing vendors, raising your visibility.
Browse best-of lists
Destination wedding guides
Destination guides feature winners from that region, from Greece to Portugal, for couples planning a wedding abroad.
See destination guidesEvery winner card shows the business name, place, category and Verified Score out of 100, and the winner's kit adds social media templates for your own channels.
Winners are announced from January 2027; the card here is a placeholder.
[IMAGE: winner's portfolio photo, credited]Example Business Name
Place, country
Which countries have a Country round in 2027?
Ten countries have a Country round in the 2027 Awards. Wedding businesses worldwide can still enter the Local round in any of the 18 categories. Other countries get a Country round once that country reaches 10 entries.
Questions about how the awards work
How do wedding awards work at Verified Wedding Awards?
Verified Wedding Awards run in three rounds: you enter the Local round, your evidence is scored out of 100, and top scores progress to the Country round and an opt-in Global Final. Couples then see the results on winner, best-of and destination pages.
When will I get my results and scorecard?
Local round results from Verified Wedding Awards arrive roughly six weeks after you enter, in that month's announcement. Your written scorecard comes with them and shows what scored well and what to improve, whatever tier you reach.
Can I enter more than one category?
Yes, the 2027 Awards accept entries in several categories: the first costs €49 and each extra category costs €29. Each category is scored on its own, so a venue that also caters can hold two separate results.
Do I have to enter the Global Final?
No, the Global Final is opt-in, open to country winners only, and costs €39. A country winner who skips the Global Final keeps the country title, the published score and the winner page.
Can I get a refund on my entry fee?
Verified Wedding Awards entry fees are non-refundable once scoring has started. Withdraw before scoring begins for a full refund: email hello@verifiedweddingawards.com and we reply within 2 working days.
Are the results decided by votes or by judges?
Neither: Verified Wedding Awards results come from evidence, not popularity or a judging panel. Peers score portfolios from other countries only, so no business marks a local rival, and couples' feedback is email-verified.
Ready to enter the Local round of the 2027 Awards?
Pick your categories, pay €49 for the first, and scoring starts as soon as your entry is complete.