About
Photo by Tori Del Photography
FOR CREATIVE WEDDING PROFESSIONALS
WHO WE ARE
The Association of Wedding Professionals of Greater Washington, DC (AWP) is a membership organization of roughly 100 wedding creatives, event venues, and social event industry partners serving the Washington, DC area hospitality market. Our members work in conjunction with fellow event professionals and service providers to curate breathtaking weddings and wedding-related events across the Mid-Atlantic region.
For over 25 years, AWP has consistently delivered learning opportunities that teach industry best practices on effectively running a successful business as well as how to provide clients with stellar customer service. Be it virtually or in-person, AWP fosters a congenial community of genuine camaraderie between its members.
As an organization of established excellence, all AWP members adhere to a strict code of ethics ensuring that our members meet the highest level of integrity within their professional practice.
Through collaborative activities coupled with our monthly educational programming, AWP members can shorten the distance between realizing their business goals while increasing their brand identity in the marketplace.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Our Mission
AWP supports wedding creatives in building profitable businesses through education and community partnerships.
Our Vision
AWP produces dynamic leaders who propel the wedding industry to innovate, collaborate, and elevate.
Our Mantra
Heart-centered businesses powered by LOVE!
Our Values
LOVE of LOVE
We plan weddings after all! We are committed to celebrating ALL LOVE!
#LoveAlwaysWins
LOVE of Community
We are only as strong as our team…
and a wedding is a glorified group project with cake, booze, and dancing!
LOVE of Entrepreneurship
We enjoy being small business owners and are excited to share the trials and triumphs of that journey with one another.
WHAT WE DO
Our Organizational Priorities
BUILD BUSINESSES Develop successful business owners who provide superior people-centric service
CREATE LEADERS Cultivate industry leaders and position them for internal and external leadership positions
FACILITATE LEARNING Produce educational content to improve overall business practices and keep members on the cutting edge of industry trends and standards
SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER Foster a familial community of genuine support and encouragement
HAVE FUN Create a fun environment to grow and thrive as business owners
ENDORSE EXCELLENCE Promote the highest caliber of ethical wedding creatives in the Greater Washington, DC area
Our Organizational Ethics
As an organization, AWP sets the industry standard on ethical business practices for entrepreneurs.
Our members vow to:
-
maintain the highest standards of personal and professional conduct;
-
accurately represent their qualifications and experience;
-
commit to sharing industry knowledge with fellow members;
-
use discretion and follow proper privacy guidelines when utilizing sensitive client or creative partner data;
-
dedicate time and financial capital to honing their craft through educational resources and events;
-
properly provide credit/recognition to creative partners’ work at all times;
-
be transparent about any incentives (financial or otherwise) that could influence a project action or decision;
-
meet all licensing and insurance requirements to run a safe and legal business in your locality; and
-
strive for service excellence in all aspects of the wedding industry.
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AWP is meticulously managed by a volunteer led Board of Directors. The AWP Board is comprised of wedding industry entrepreneurs from various backgrounds and service types.
AWP leaders are biennially elected and devote their time and resources to growing the impact of the association throughout the Greater DC area as well as serving the full needs of our membership community.