Wedding awards categories for 2027
Eighteen wedding awards categories for businesses worldwide, each scored out of 100 on photos and video, client reviews and professional standards. Enter one or several.
All 18 wedding award categories, in four groups
There are 18 categories, grouped by the work you do: venues and planning, photo and film, style and beauty, and food, music and extras.
Venues & planning
For the places and people that shape the day. Wedding venue awards cover every venue type, from hotels to barns.
01Wedding venuesHotels, estates, barns, villas and historic buildings
02Wedding plannersPlanners and coordinators working in their home country
03Destination wedding plannersPlanners running weddings for couples who travel to marry
04Wedding celebrantsIndependent celebrants and officiants who lead ceremoniesPhoto & film
For the people who record the day, in stills or moving image.
Style & beauty
For the look of the couple, the room and the paper. Makeup artist awards sit here, under bridal hair & makeup.
07Bridal hair & makeupMakeup artists and hair stylists for couples and their party
08Wedding floristsBouquets, ceremony flowers and reception installations
09Décor & stylingVenue stylists, prop hire and room-dressing teams
10Bridal boutiquesShops selling bridal gowns, veils and accessories
11MenswearSuit hire, tailoring and groomswear shops
12Wedding stationeryInvitations, on-the-day stationery and signageFood, music & extras
For what guests eat, hear and arrive in. Wedding band awards cover live bands, singers and musicians.
13Wedding cakesCake designers and makers, tiered cakes to dessert tables
14Wedding cateringCaterers and private chefs serving the wedding meal
15Live bands & musiciansBands, solo singers, duos and string quartets
16Wedding DJsDJs playing the reception and the evening party
17Entertainment & MCsMCs, toastmasters, magicians and photo booths
18Wedding transportWedding cars, coaches and other ways to arrive
How do you choose the right award category?
Choose the category for the service couples book you for most. If two services are each a real part of your work, enter both.
- i.Follow your reviews. Each entry is judged on reviews and portfolio work for one service. Pick the service most of your client reviews actually mention.
- ii.Planner or destination? Pick destination wedding planners if most of your couples travel in from abroad. Planners serving mainly local couples enter wedding planners.
- iii.Studios that shoot and film. Enter both. Wedding videography awards are judged on clips and photography on stills, each by different peers in that category.
Can you enter more than one category?
Yes. Your first category costs €49 and each extra category costs €29, and every category entry is scored on its own evidence.
| Fee | What it covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| First category | Local round + Country consideration | €49 |
| Each extra category | Its own Verified Score and scorecard | €29 |
| Founding offer | First category, first 100 entrants | €39 |
| Global Final | Opt-in, for country winners only | €39 |
Founding offer ends 31 January 2027.
What does peer review look for in each category?
Peer review checks quality and consistency across 6–10 photos and any video links from separate weddings, marked 1–10 on a public checklist by entrants in your category abroad.
See the scoring maths
Venues & planning
For wedding planner awards and venue entries, peers look for real weddings shown in full: the space set up, guest flow and finished details.
Photo & film
Wedding photography awards weigh light, timing and storytelling. Wedding film awards weigh sound, edit pace and moments caught as they happen.
Style & beauty
Peers look for makeup and hair that hold up in daylight and close-up, and flowers, styling and print that suit the setting and the couple.
Food, music & extras
Wedding cake awards weigh finish, structure and design. For bands, DJs and acts, peers watch clips for sound quality and crowd response.
The same 100 points in every category
Highest and lowest peer scores dropped.
- 35ptsPhotos & video, peer-marked
- 45ptsClient reviews: count, rating, what they say
- 20ptsProfessional standards
- +15bonusCouples' feedback, optional
How does a category winner become 'of the year'?
Every category runs through three rounds, and the top score of 85 or more in each round wins that round's title for your category.
- 01
Local round
Score 85+ and top your area to win. Results come roughly 6 weeks after entry, announced monthly.
- 02
Country round
Country winners carry titles such as Wedding Venue of the Year or Makeup Artist of the Year.
- 03
Global Final
Opt-in for country winners, €39. For photographers: our international wedding photography awards.
A photographer in Spain could finish the cycle as Wedding Photographer of the Year for Spain, and a planner in Ireland as Wedding Planner of the Year for Ireland. Titles follow one format: Category of the Year – Country 2027. Entries open in November 2026 and Local results are announced monthly from January 2027.
Questions about award categories
What are the wedding award categories for 2027?
The Verified Wedding Awards have 18 wedding award categories for 2027, from wedding venues and planners to cakes, transport and MCs. Each category is scored separately out of 100 and has its own Local, Country and Global results.
Can I enter more than one category?
Yes, one business can enter several Verified Wedding Awards categories: €49 for the first and €29 for each extra one. Each category is scored on its own reviews and portfolio, so enter only the services couples book you for and review you on.
Which category does a hair stylist or makeup artist enter?
Hair stylists and makeup artists both enter the bridal hair & makeup category at the Verified Wedding Awards. If you offer both, show both in your 6–10 portfolio photos and check your client reviews mention each service.
What if my business doesn't fit any category?
A business outside the 18 Verified Wedding Awards categories can enter its closest match, for example a photo booth under entertainment & MCs. If nothing fits, email us at hello@verifiedweddingawards.com to suggest a new category.
Do all venue types compete in one category?
Yes, every venue type shares the wedding venues category in the 2027 Verified Wedding Awards. Peers score each portfolio against the same 1–10 rubric, so a city hotel and a country barn are each judged on how well they host a wedding.
Are the categories the same in every country?
Yes, the same 18 Verified Wedding Awards categories run in every country, starting with the UK, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Australia and the USA. Elsewhere, a country round opens once that country reaches 10 entries.
What do I need to enter a category?
Every Verified Wedding Awards category asks for the same evidence: at least 5 client reviews from the last 36 months to enter, then 6–10 photos from separate weddings and any video links, added after payment on your private entry page.
Pick your category and enter the 2027 Awards
Your first category is €49, or €39 for the first 100 entrants, and every entrant gets a written scorecard. Entries open in November 2026.