Certified Wedding Industry Professional
The wedding industry is composed of many different sectors. Wedding planners, whether independent or venue-based, is what usually comes to mind. The industry though, also includes all the ancillary vendors, from entertainment to venue, to florists, design and décor, food & beverage, officiant, photo/video and more. This wedding certification is for all professionals in the wedding industry.
Administered by Certplace, developed by the Wedding International Professionals Association (WIPA), and The International School of Hospitality (TISOH), the Certified Wedding Industry Professional (CWIP) credential establishes a baseline of knowledge within the community, bringing up the professionalism of the entire industry.
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This certification is designed for a diverse group of wedding professionals, encompassing creative partners, service providers, suppliers, planners, and other professionals affiliated with the wedding industry. A rigorous and comprehensive certification benefits wedding professionals, wedding clients, and the profession.
For the individual wedding professional, a certification signifies that they have the knowledge and skills to perform the job competently.
For the client, the designation of a Certified Wedding Industry Professional (CWIP) represents a standard of ethics, professionalism, and competency that allows for more confident hiring decisions.
For the profession, the CWIP Competency Manual engenders wedding professionals' skill levels and recognizes the wedding industry's continued evolution and contribution to millions of couples.
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With the continued growth and attention on the wedding industry, establishing a guideline for measuring competencies and subsequent certification is required for the industry to gain legitimacy as a profession.
Based on a competency study performed with wedding professionals, the research study outcome established four competency domains for the wedding industry: Planning & Design, Wedding Elements, Client Management and Business Management. These four domains encompass essential knowledge related to wedding professionals.
Planning and Design: The planning stage outlines the research, planning, and design elements of assembling the details required to orchestrate the wedding vision. Wedding professionals need a skilled understanding of current trends, cultural considerations, regional nuances, local ordinances, and resource availability.
Wedding Elements: The wedding elements encompass all the wedding professionals that help support the wedding. The elements include, but are not limited to, officiant, floral, décor, stationery, entertainment, photo/video, and catering.
Client Management: With an international audience and the influx of a new generation of couples getting married, the importance of balancing the couple's vision has required a more significant role in the process. Additionally, education stands at the forefront in outlining the reality of budget considerations and logistical aspects of the process.
Business Management: The essentials of business planning are evident in an ever-changing landscape and standardization of the industry. A wedding professional should follow the same steps as any other business venture, from establishing a business with the required licensing and insurance to financial planning and creating binding contracts.
Eligibility requirements and links to apply
Professional Experience Requirements
Certification represents a professional milestone for experienced wedding professionals in mastering a body of knowledge to supplement practical work experience. Applicants must be involved in a professional capacity impacting wedding planning and production and involvement in the industry. Professional roles include planners, designers, suppliers, producers, service providers, food/beverage providers, educators, and thought leaders.
Qualified applicants should have relevant practical experiences within five years from applying to be eligible. Additional eligibility requirements include practical experience, postsecondary education, and continuing education.
As part of the application process, candidacy, and certification, wedding professionals agree to maintain industry-recognized standards of ethics, integrity, and business practices. Certified professionals must continue to abide by the prescribed professional standards. Failure to adhere to these standards may result in disqualification from the certification process or certification revocation.
Click below based on the Track you are applying under.
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Professionals actively involved in the weddings or events industries with three (3) years of work experience (within the past five (5) years) supplemented by continuing education.
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Provide documentation supporting a minimum of three (3) years of professional work experience working full time in the weddings or events industries within the past five (5) years. Experience may encompass non-consecutive roles. Supporting Information: A current resume, in addition to other supporting documentation, such as employment verification from employer/supervisor or a business license plus proof of business ownership. W-2 or 1040 forms alone are not considered as adequate evidence.
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Professionals actively involved in the weddings or events industries with two (2) years of work experience (within the past five (5) years and experience may encompass non-consecutive roles) AND a degree in hospitality or business or related field or a diploma in wedding or event management from an accredited institution, supplemented by continuing education.
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Provide documentation supporting a minimum of two (2) years of professional work experience working full time in the weddings or events industries within the past five (5) years. Experience may encompass non-consecutive roles. Supporting Information: A current resume, in addition to other supporting documentation, such as employment verification from employer/supervisor or a business license plus proof of business ownership. W-2 or 1040 forms alone are not considered as adequate evidence.
Provide documentation supporting a degree in hospitality or business or relevant field or a diploma in wedding or event management from an accredited institution. Supporting information: a copy of diploma or transcript.
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Hospitality education professionals actively teaching wedding or event hospitality-related topics, with three (3) years of academic teaching (within the past five (5) years) supplemented by continuing education.
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Provide documentation supporting a minimum of three (3) years of experience as a full-time or lead instructor for a hospitality program of an accredited educational institution teaching at least two (2) semesters per year in wedding or event, within the past five (5) years. Supporting Information: A current resume, in addition to other supporting documentation, such as employment verification from employer/supervisor. W-2 or 1040 forms alone are not considered as adequate evidence.
Continuing Education Requirement
Continuing education equaling twenty-five (25) contact hours of wedding or event-related education that aligns with the domains of the certification, completed in the past five (5) years is required. Types of accepted education include those offered by: company sponsored continuing education or training and in class or online certificate programs and seminars. Speaking, teaching, or authoring does not count towards continuing education.
Only the following types of continuing education qualify:
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will receive 1 hour (0.1 CEU) per meeting as networking time is not considered continuing education
upload meeting registration email or similar documentation
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upload registration email or similar documentation
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see below
must select the courses that awards CEU
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offered at selected live venues periodically
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1-hour (0.1 CEU) per class
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currently approved- NACE Experience conference (not meetings)
Get certified
Click here to access your account to continue application or upload continuing education
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Applicants should complete the application accurately and truthfully providing all the information requested. Failure to fully complete the application or supply the supporting information as requested may result in a denied application.
Applicants will register with a user profile to manage their personal information and monitor the status of the application and certification process. Applicants begin the process by submitting their application and fees via the online portal. Once adjudicated as complete and qualified, applicants should purchase learning materials and begin studying. Applicants then schedule their examination.
Step 1: Application Process
A. Applicants should carefully review all the eligibility criteria prior to submission and confirm that all supporting documentation are available.
B. Register for an account based on eligibility (see eligibility tracks above), submit required documentation, and pay the application fee.
C. Once all steps in the application are complete (the status of each step will show “pending verification” or “completed”), the application will be reviewed. Please allow up to one week.
Applicants have 90-days to complete this initial application stage and 1-year from initial application to complete the exam.
After review, applicant will be notified of one of the following statuses:
• Approved Applications: Once approved, certification candidates will be notified. Candidates should then purchase the optional learning materials. Candidates must schedule an exam and pay the exam fee within one year of the initial application date. Failure to schedule an exam within the period will require restarting the application process.
• Denied Applications: Applicants may be denied approval for the certification program due to failure to provide the required documentation or meeting the requirements as outlined for eligibility. Applicants will be notified outlining the deficiencies for meeting the criteria and may resubmit their application for review within thirty days at a reduced fee. After thirty days, applications are subject to full application fees.
• Disqualified Applications: Applicants submitting purposely erroneous or fictitious information will be disqualified from current and future certification eligibility. Applicants may not resubmit an application if disqualified.
• Appeals: Applicants may appeal a denied application, providing clarification or support for information provided in the application. Appeals may not be made for missing information or disqualified applications. Only the applicant may appeal the results and must submit their request via email to contact@certplace.com within two weeks of issuance of the initial notice, clarifying any information which was found to be incomplete or did not meet the requirements.
D. Once application approval is received, candidate will be moved to the examination stage and eligible to register for the exam. Candidate should also review and purchase optional learning materials:
As preparation for the exam, candidates have a variety of resources to become familiar with the content. All products can be purchased via the links on the top of this page.
• CWIP manual: The Professional’s Guide to the Wedding Industry is designed to encompass the four domains with core competencies that wedding professionals should possess, including Planning & Design, Business Management, Wedding Elements, and Client Management. The book is an essential reference guide to prepare for the exam, as all questions are derived from the text.
• Online Certification Review Course: Candidates may purchase access to a self-paced, asynchronous online certification review course with practice questions.
• Certification Review Session: A live review session to supplement the study process. The review session will cover key topics from The Professional’s Guide to the Wedding Industry, review sample questions, and discuss test-taking strategies. These sessions are scheduled in different locations throughout the year.
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Within one year of initial application, candidates must apply to take the certification exam. The exam is available to be taken online or at scheduled events. There is a fee to reschedule exam dates. Failure to schedule an exam within the period, will render the application denied.
The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions based on the four competency domains detailed in the competency study. There is no time limit for completion. Questions are derived from The Professional’s Guide to the Wedding Industry content and representative of industry-recognized standard practices and bodies of knowledge.
Once a candidate registers for the exam, they will receive an access link within 72 hours. Candidates should only use the link when ready to take the exam. All exams are proctored by a cloud-based artificial intelligence; candidates will enable web cameras and accept examination terms before proceeding to the examination website.
Credentials for the examination website are as follows:
USERNAME: Candidate’s email address on the portal registration
PASSWORD: Candidate’s date of birth (MMDDYYYY).
All anomalies detected by the proctoring intelligence during the examination are reviewed by a live certification professional.
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Be aware:
No calculators or scratch papers allowed
Average testing time is 120 minutes
No breaks, exam must be completed in one sitting
If fail, there is no waiting period to retake exam, but the exam fee must be paid again
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Official scores are available as soon as the exam is completed. The score indicated is final. The identities of candidates are confidential, as is all information concerning them. Information regarding exam results is communicated directly to the candidate. Exam results are never provided over the phone.
The passing score is 70%. If unsuccessful in passing, the candidate may register to retake the exam. Registering for the exam will require paying the exam fee again. There is no waiting period to retake the exam or limit to how many times one can take the exam. However, all attempts must be completed within 1-year from the date of initial application to the certification.
Recertification will be required after five years of earning the certification.
DOWNLOAD AND READ: EXAM ACCESS GUIDE
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The following represents the fees associated with the application, studying materials, scheduling the exam, and recertification. All payments are non-refundable and must be submitted for processing.
Fee Schedule
Application Fee- $300
Exam Fee- $250
The Professional’s Guide to the Wedding Industry- $150
Online Certification Review Course (with 2.5 CEU’s granted, 25 hours granted as continuing education for the CWIP)- $200
Online Certification Review Resource (no CEU’s or continuing education granted)- $100
Certification Review Session (live)- $350
Additional Printed Certification- $25
Recertification- $300
Late Recertification (up to 1-year after expiration)- $400
Fees are non-refundable, non-transferable and may be made with a credit card. Third party payments are accepted (including business checks) but may require up to one week for processing. A $30.00 service charge will be assessed for returned checks or chargebacks. All payments must be received and processed in advance of scheduling training sessions or exam date.
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If fail, there is no waiting period to retake exam, but the exam fee must be paid again.
Click here to re-apply.
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All information from the application process and exam are confidential and will not be shared over the phone or with a third party. The applicant or candidate should not attempt to have a third party reach out on their behalf regarding any portion of the certification process.
Upon successful completion of the exam, the certified professional will be included in the online directory.
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The CWIP Handbook
Instructions and procedures. All in one place.
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The Professional's Guide to the Wedding Industry
The official CWIP manual.
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CWIP Online Certification Review Course (CEUs)
Access to a self-paced, asynchronous online certification review course for the CWIP program with practice questions. Earn 2.5 CEUs (25 hours) towards the CWIP continuing education requirement.
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CWIP Online Certification Review Resource
Access to a self-paced, asynchronous online certification resource for the CWIP program with practice questions. Offered as a learning resource only, without any completion requirement and non-CEU granting.
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Replacement Certificate
If you misplaced or damaged your certificate, you can order a replacement here.
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Exam Access Guide for Certification Applicants
Instructions on how to access the online, proctored exam.
CWIP holders
Click here to access your certification portal
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Certified professionals will need to recertify every five years. The initial certification award is valid for five years from successfully passing the exam. Once initially certified, if the certification is maintained without lapse, recipients do not need to retake the exam. Certified Wedding Industry Professionals must continue to meet the requirements of eligibility within Tracks 1-3.
Continuing education equaling (25) contact hours of wedding or event-related education, completed in the past five (5) years. See Continuing Education section for details. Speaking, teaching, or authoring does not count towards continuing education.
Certificants have to click on a verification statement to verify that they have been employed or have been actively instructing academically in the weddings or events field for at least three (3) of the past five (5) years.
Recertification paperwork includes completing the certification application with updated information in the online portal. All paperwork must be submitted prior to the expiration of the certification. Failure to submit all the required items will result in the recertification application being denied.
Certificants will be notified to complete their recertification within 6 months of expiration via the online portal.
There is a recertification fee. The fee is higher if the recertification application is received from expiration up to 1-year post expiration. After having expired for 1-year, certificants must restart the entire process, including taking the exam.
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As part of the application process, candidacy, and certification, wedding professionals agree to maintain industry-recognized standards of ethics, integrity, and business practices associated with the Certified Wedding Industry Professional designation. These standards focus on three guiding principles which include a commitment to a code of ethics, commitment to diversity, and maintaining industry-accepted business standards. Failure to maintain these professional standards will result in disqualification or certification revocation.
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WIPA's mission is to provide industry-leading education for its members, produce inspirational networking events, and advance the wedding industry's ethical standards. The founding board worked with a diverse group of WIPA members to develop professional conduct and code of ethics to achieve the highest standards of excellence. Recipients of the certification agree to conduct business with a high level of integrity and professionalism.
Be a credit to the industry by implementing sound business principles to protect the public against fraud and unfair practices.
Safeguard all privileged information about clients in a confidential manner.
Maintain adequate and appropriate insurance coverage for all business activities to assure the company's ability to continue to do business and honor contracts.
Strive for excellence in their field by continually improving their knowledge base and be willing to share that proficiency with other WIPA members.
Credit the work of creative partners and other professionals, abstaining from using the intellectual or creative property of other’s work.
Recognize individual boundaries of competence and be forthcoming and truthful about professional experience and qualifications.
Exercise the utmost integrity, putting the client's interest first and foremost.
Avoid accepting gratuities, gifts, or favors which will impair or appear to influence professional decisions or actions.
Show consideration for other professionals by extending the utmost level of kindness, regard, and cooperation.
Treat employees with esteem and fairness, advocating conditions of employment that will safeguard their rights and welfare.
Engage in truthful marketing and professional integrity with posting reviews or testimonials, online posts, and other communications.
Adopt the Standards of Performance of the association which will result in consistently meeting the expectations of clients, collaborators, and referral sources.
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As an extension of the Code of Ethics, wedding professionals are expected to support diversity, inclusion, and equity as part of internal and external business practices. Wedding professionals affirm that they will not discriminate or exclude working with a couple based on religion, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, skin color, abilities, or other defining factors.
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Professionals agree to engage in fair and ethical business practices in relation to other wedding professionals, creative partners, suppliers, and couples. Clients should receive written contracts with a clear explanation of charges, services, products, and performance expectations.
Professionals agree to abide by local, state, and federal statutes and ordinances. These ordinances include but are not limited to those outlined in the Certification Workbook, including Occupational Safety and Health Association, the American Disabilities Act, the Environmental Protection Agency, International Fire Safety, U.S. Department of Labor, and Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance. As a business owner, this includes maintenance of related licensing, permits, business general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, and other requirements to legally conduct business.
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Applicants and candidates may not use the Certified Wedding Industry Professional designations or logo. Use of the CWIP designation is reserved for certificants during the active time of the certification. Use of the CWIP logo or virtual or physical materials is prohibited without written consent from WIPA.
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Certification Manual: The Professional’s Guide to the Wedding Industry
The official CWIP certification manual is The Professional’s Guide to the Wedding Industry. The book was designed to comprehensively cover the core competencies that wedding professionals should possess. These competencies outline the different aspects involved in the planning, design, and coordination processes. The content includes contributions from industry professionals, industry-recognized standards, competency foundations, and other references. While the application of some information may vary based on standard business practices and influenced by regional nuances, this collaboration of work is generated to represent a universally recognized and rigorous certification for the wedding industry.
This book can be purchased via the link on the top of this page.
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Certification Management
Certification administered by Certplace.
Certification developed by:
WIPA
WIPA (Wedding International Professionals Association) is a not-for-profit association for leading wedding professionals in North America and soon worldwide. WIPA's mission is to provide industry-leading education for members, produce inspirational networking events, and advance the ethical standards of the wedding industry. The founding board worked with a diverse group of WIPA members to develop the professional conduct and code of ethics to achieve the highest standards of excellence.
TISOH: THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY
The International School of Hospitality (TISOH) was founded in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2005. TISOH offers quality short-term, practical training and career development programs in hospitality. Developed for the industry and by the industry, TISOH's small class sizes and online courses focus on practical knowledge from industry professionals. Class topics include concierge, conference management and event planning, catering, exhibition & tradeshow management, hospitality leadership and supervision, hospitality human resources, hospitality marketing & sales, hotel operations, and wedding coordination and design. TISOH is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training.
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WIPA
WIPA (Wedding International Professionals Association) is a not-for-profit association for leading wedding professionals. WIPA's mission is to provide industry-leading education for members, produce inspirational networking events, and advance the ethical standards of the wedding industry.
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TISOH
The International School of Hospitality (TISOH) is a 16-year old, accredited, continuing education school with programs that enable participants to apply their learning toward personal fulfillment, professional advancement and career development in the hospitality industry.