Sustainable Wedding Alliance

Membership

Being a sustainable, ethical eco-friendly business gives you the competitive advantage when it comes to environmentally conscious couples looking for their wedding suppliers.

By becoming a Sustainable Wedding Alliance member you are joining a collective of businesses working together to reduce our industry’s impact on the planet, and taking the first step towards accreditation.

Home » Membership

Why become a member?

By joining the Sustainable Wedding Alliance, we give you the resources to help you to reduce your environmental impact, put sustainable, long term strategies in place and promote your green credentials to your customers.

Being a sustainable, ethical business, gives you the competitive advantage when it comes to conscious couples looking for their wedding suppliers.

We predict that by 2030, businesses across the hospitality sector will be required by law to work in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way. By reducing your impact now, you are getting ahead of any enforced requirements, creating your own sustainability policy that works for your business.

We take away the stress and confusion of working out what environmental practices are best for your business, provide you with advice and support and keep you up to date with the latest sustainable initiatives from within the wedding industry and beyond.

We can help you to build a business that you’re proud of. One that has sustainability at its core.

Primarily we work with UK based, businesses, but are happy to work with businesses across the world. Please get in touch to talk through our international membership. 

What’s included in the membership?

As part of your Sustainable Wedding Alliance membership, you will receive an in depth assessment on your business’s sustainability processes and procedures. Once we have compiled the results, we will review your personalised action plan with you, and where appropriate, advise any areas where enhancements could be made, in both the short and longer term. Once your action plan is complete you can be accredited (UK members only).

You will have access to our members area, which contains a wealth of information: a library of resources for you to download and use, access to networking events – both online and in person, and a business directory of sustainable venues, suppliers and useful contacts. You can login to the members area anytime, with fresh new content added every month.

Membership benefits

  • In depth Sustainability Assessment with personalised report verified by our team trained to IEMA standards, leading to Sustainable Wedding Alliance Accreditation (Accreditation for UK members only)
  • Access to the Building a Sustainable Business Course – a step by step, self paced course to achieving acreditation
  • A growing resource library with practical templates, workbooks, checklists and guides
  • A membership platform connecting you with other members to share best practice and collaborate
  • A monthly topic focus area with tutorials and support
  • Entry into the Sustainable Wedding Supplier Directory which includes a backlink to your website and social media
  • Local and national networking events – both online and in person
  • Guest expert training sessions on topics suggested by members
  • Monthly members call and Sustainable Strategy support sessions
  • Discounts for directory listing with Green Union and Guides for Brides
  • Access to the SWA team to support you on your sustainable journey

In addition to the above benefits, we also plant trees on behalf of every new member, and fund CO2 reduction projects.

What our members say…

“The Sustainable Wedding Alliance have completely changed my business.  I became a sustainable wedding supplier in 2019 but had only just scratched the surface until I became an SWA member in December 2021.  They have taught me to dig deep down into my business processes and pin point every aspect of where I can improve my sustainability with a fine tooth comb and I’m not only a better business woman but a better person because of it. I have learned how to communicate my efforts without Greenwashing and make changes that will not only be good for the environment and the world around us but good for business too.

 

The community that SWA have built means that I always have colleagues with a similar ethos to myself to bounce ideas off, celebrate our wins and speak candidly about the times when things don’t go to plan! They’ve built a safe space where you aren’t judged or penalised but educated and encouraged.

 

The support from the SWA team is second to none. Always at the end of a zoom call or email and always prepared to answer our questions or help us with research. Taking time to support us with our action plans or just catching up with our community.

 

I am very grateful for the Sustainable Wedding Alliance and honoured to be a member. I can’t wait to see what they will be able to achieve in the Wedding Industry once they’re completely global. So exciting that I get to be a small part of it. The Sustainable Wedding Alliance is the platform that the Wedding Industry needs right now, all over the world.”  Mercedes, 4YaParty Weddings and Events

How much is membership?

Membership fees vary depending on the size of a business. This is due to the differing requirements of the sustainability assessment for small, medium and larger businesses.

  • Sole trader £375 a year / £31.25 a month
  • Small business (up to 15 employees) £450 a year / £37.50 a month
  • Medium business (up to 25 employees) £525 a year / £43.75 a month
  • Large business (25+ employees) £600 a year / £50 a month
  • Venue £750 a year / £62.50 a month

If you’re part of a venue group, please contact us for a combined membership rate.

All fees are invoiced in GBP and must be paid in GBP.

Once accredited, the annual cost is reduced by 25%. You will continue to receive all the member benefits and an annual review, action plan and ongoing support from the Sustainable Wedding Alliance team.

If you’d like to apply for the membership scholarship, please see click here.

All memberships are for a 12 month period. There is no VAT charged as we are not VAT registered.

All about accreditation

Rather than have a separate Accreditation system, all members of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance have the opportunity to become accredited. Accreditation is awarded to all businesses that achieve a minimum standard in their Sustainability Assessment.

If you’re already working sustainably it’s likely that during the Sustainability Assessment you will be able to evidence your processes and actions, and therefore receive accreditation immediately.

If you’re in the early stages of your sustainable journey, accreditation may take a little longer to achieve. However,  if you’re committed to investing time into making your business more sustainable and follow the plan set out following your Sustainability Assessment, then we’re confident that you can become accredited in a short space of time.

When you become accredited you will be permitted to use the Sustainable Wedding Alliance accreditation badge on your website, social media and marketing materials.

Accredited businesses will be reassessed annually and required to meet the minimum standard to maintain their status. Accredited businesses will also receive a 25% discount on their future annual membership fees.

Accreditation is only available for UK based businesses.

Sustainable Wedding Alliance Accreditation

Sustainable Wedding Alliance Scholarship

In November 2021 we launched the Sustainable Wedding Alliance Scholarship.

The last two years have been pretty difficult (to say the least) for the wedding industry, with all businesses being hit hard by the pandemic, leaving many unable to invest in making their businesses more sustainable. From our research, we know that businesses have the willingness, or time, but maybe not the funds to start their sustainable journey.

The scholarship gives those businesses that have limited funds right now, the opportunity to start making significant progress towards becoming sustainable.

The Sustainable Wedding Alliance Scholarship is supported by the Sheepdrove Trust and enables us to help so many more businesses, like yours, get started on their sustainable journey. 

Please note the Scholarship is open to UK based businesses only. 

Ready to become a member?

Complete the form below to become a member of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance.

 

Membership Registration
First Name
Last Name
Please enter your business email address

Maximum file size: 52.43MB

Maximum file size: 52.43MB

How would you like to pay for your membership?
Please note all memberships are for a 12 month period. If you select to pay monthly you are committed to 12 monthly payments. If part of the scholarship you must select annual invoice.
By becoming a member of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance you are accepting our terms and conditions
You can view our terms of service at sustainableweddingalliance.com/terms

So much more than a membership

Be part of a community proud to be driving sustainability in the wedding industry, globally. 

Guest Experts

We host regular masterclasses with experts from different areas of the business community. Each brings a different perspective on sustainability, helping you to think about new ways of developing your own business in a sustainable way. 

Building a Better Future

We’re working towards a common goal of a more sustainable, ethical wedding industry. By joining the Sustainable Wedding Alliance you’re taking a meaningful step towards a better future for your people, the planet and profit.

Regular Meet Ups

We plan to host regular meet up events across the country. Of course, if in person events aren’t permitted, then we’ll move them online. Meet Ups will include a guest speaker, networking and seasonal treats.

Frequently asked questions

Feel free to get in touch if you have a question that isn’t answered here. 

I don't know anything about sustainability - will I understand the trainings?

Yes, absolutely. The trainings and resources are developed for businesses early on in their journey. We avoid using jargon, explain terms in full and welcome questions.

As part of the business assessment we will discuss where you are in your sustainable journey and what help and support you need in order to complete your action plan.

I've already started sustainable making changes, can you still help me?

Yes absolutely, the aim of the assessment process it to find out where you are on your sustainable journey, and where you want to get to. From that we will create an action plan specific to your business to help you achieve your sustainable goals.

How do I access the resources library, templates and trainings?

All resources are available 24/7 in the Members Area. When you become a member you will be emailed your login details. We will notify you when there is new content loaded into the Members Area too.

I'm based outside the UK, can I still become a member?

Yes, we have an international membership option for businesses based outside the UK. The membership includes:

  • In depth sustainability assessment with personalised action plan (Accreditation not available for international members)
  • A growing resource library with practical templates, checklists and guides
  • A monthly topic focus area with tutorials and support
  • Once accredited, entry into the Sustainable Wedding Directory which includes a backlink to your website and Instagram
  • Local and national networking events – both online and in person
  • Training sessions on topics suggested by members
  • Monthly members call and open office hours
  • Guest expert training sessions on specialised topics
  • Access to the team to ask questions, seek support and get support from the other members!

Please contact us to discuss International Membership.

Do I get a badge for my website?

When you become a member you can proudly display your Sustainable Wedding Alliance Member badge on your website and social media. This shows couples and suppliers that you’re part of the Alliance, and actively working towards becoming more sustainable. 

Once a business has completed their action plan, they can shout about their sustainable credentials through the use of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance accreditation badge and certificate. This Accreditation is based on the business reaching a minimum level within the assessment. The badge is for use only by accredited members, and is reviewed annually.

How do I become accredited?

As part of your membership, you will receive an in depth assessment on your business’s sustainability processes and procedures. We will then send you a personalised assessment report to work through alongside the Building a Sustainable Business Course. 

Once you have completed the Building a Sustainable Business Course, you can shout about your sustainable credentials through the use of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance accreditation badge and certificate. The accreditation is based on the business reaching a minimum level within the course.

We will also announce your Accreditation on social media.

How long will it be before I'm accredited?

There is no fixed time frame. If you’re able to invest time into making your business more sustainable then it can be a quick process.

If you are already working sustainably it’s likely that during the assessment you will be able to evidence your processes and therefore receive accreditation immediately.

I'm not the business owner, can I still become a member?

Yes, as it’s the business that becomes a member and not the individual.

When completing the Sustainability Assessment we will need to review many internal business documents, so the owner will need to have given permission for us to do that.

Will I have time for it all?

Good question! We know that time is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to managing a business.

As part of the membership we will complete an in depth Sustainability Assessment on the business and give you a personalised action plan to work through. We suggest using that as your planning tool. Choose one section per week or month, depending on how much time you can dedicate to it. That way you can work out how long it will take you to complete the actions and become accredited.
As the content is always available in the members area, there is no rush, you can go at your pace. Content is regularly updated and you will be notified when new resources have been added.

How do you promote your members?

When you become a member we will welcome you on instagram with a story post which is saved to our Highlights

All members are included on the members directory within the Members Platform. Members that have received their Sustainable Wedding Alliance Accreditation are highlighted in the Conscious Couples directory.

Once you become accredited, we will congratulate you on social media and share a blog post in the Conscious Couples Planning Blog. 

As part of your membership you will also receive a discount on listings with Green Union, a wedding directory and blog for conscious couples and Guides for Brides, one of the leading wedding directory websites in the UK.

In addition to this, each month we have a featured member. We showcase the business and what they’re doing on their sustainable journey. The featured member is included in the Eco Edit, on the website and social media. 

What does the Sustainability Assessment include?

The Sustainability Assessment is completed online and usually takes 1.5 hours. 

We look in detail at what sustainability means in the context of your business, what you are currently doing and what you need to put in place in order to meet your objectives.

How much is membership?

Membership fees vary depending on the size of a business. This is due to the differing requirements of the sustainability assessment for small, medium and larger businesses.

  • Sole trader £375 a year / £31.25 a month
  • Small business (up to 15 employees) £450 a year / £37.50 a month
  • Medium business (up to 25 employees) £525 a year / £43.75 a month
  • Large business (25+ employees) £600 a year / £50 a month
  • Venue £750 a year / £62.50 a month

Once accredited, the annual cost is reduced by 25%.

In addition to the above benefits, we also plant trees on behalf of every new member, and fund CO2 reduction projects.

All memberships have a minimum one year commitment.

There is no VAT charged as we are not VAT registered.

Is it possible to pay monthly rather than annually?

Yes, during the membership set-up process you can choose to pay monthly or annually. All memberships are for a 12 month period.

Do you have a code of conduct, and what is it?

Yes, we do have a code of conduct to ensure that we act with integrity and honesty at all times, and expect all partners, sponsors and members to do the same.

  • I/We respond to all questions and enquiries within 48 hours.
  • I/We respect client confidentiality.
  • I/We are fully transparent and always honest.
  • I/We respect copyright from fellow professionals.
  • My/Our business is free from discrimination and encourages diversity, equality and inclusivity.
  • My/Our business insurance is up to date.
  • I/We always do the best job I/we possibly can.
Do you offer any discounts?

As an ethical business, we don’t agree with pressurised sales or promotions, as we’re committed to providing you with the very best value we can, all the time.

For businesses that have struggled to get started with their sustainable journey due to Covid and ongoing financial difficulties we have the Scholarship

Are you ready to make your business more sustainable?

We are passionate about creating a more sustainable wedding industry through education, support and accreditation. We work with businesses, like yours, to create long term sustainable strategies that you can implement yourself, or with our support.