Any member of ABC worldwide is welcome to attend the Inland Empire ’s Regional Meetings. We meet every other month at various venues throughout the Inland Empire . It will typically include a fabulous meal presentation accompanied by an educational program and endless networking. A fee will be charged to cover the cost of the meal at our dinner meetings. We encourage you to join ABC
- HERE'S HOW:
- Contact the Association of Bridal Consultants at (860) 355-0464 or E-Mail Office@BridalAssn.com Ask for a membership application. It's a good idea to call for your application before you come to one of our meetings; you'll be that much closer to joining. Membership dues vary depending on your type of membership category, i.e. Wedding Consultant, Novice, and Vendor. You can also join on line at www.BridalAssn.com
- When you have sent your application and fees to the Association of Bridal Consultants, contact our local Secretary by e-mail at info@InlandEmpireABC.com
You will then receive regular email invitations to our meetings and special events.
- When your application has been verified and approved, you will be informed by the ABC by mail - it may take as long as 2-4 weeks - Please don't let that stop you from joining us locally.
Categories of Membership
Someone who is just starting out to be a consultant.
Someone who provides the bride with full-service wedding coordination, consultation and/or direction. Please see membership requirements. (*Three are needed).
A wedding professional marketing specific goods or services locally. Please see benefits of vendor membership.
Each additional member from the same company is an auxiliary member. The first member pays the full rate for the category and must maintain primary membership.
A company who manufactures or markets nationwide or worldwide, to wedding professionals or to the bride. Please see corporate membership benefits.
**Call the office if your annual gross wedding-related income is less than $2.5 million.
Click here for the on-line Membership Application.
If you would like us to mail you a copy of this information, please provide your name and address here.
Membership Requirements
Most new members start at the Novice level. If you already have completed any three of the items below, you can bypass Novice and join as a Consultant. To do this, you need to include the appropriate documentation. All applications for Consultant membership are subject to review and approval. At least one option must be from the first group.
Group 1
- Weddings As a Business (with test counts as one requirement)
- ABC Professional Development Program (counts as two requirements when all five courses and the final exam have been completed successfully)
- ABC seminar or workshop
- ABC Annual Conference
- Apprentice at two weddings, with recommendation from supervising ABC member(s)
- Courses offered by state coordinators that involve at least six hours of class work
- Other wedding-related courses (subject to ABC approval)
Group 2
- Business license or tax ID number (two years)
- Current business plan
- Current marketing plan
- Evidence of a business phone (two years)
- Annual reports/operating reports (two years)
- Business taxes (two years)
- Two media exposures within the last year
- Accounts established with three national suppliers
- Evidence of advertising for two years
- Referrals from six brides within the past year
Standards of Membership
(You must agree to these in order to obtain membership.)
Member will:
- Supply background information about the member and his/her business, or other information essential to the Association's responsibility to provide factual reports on the profession.
- Cooperate with Association activities and efforts to promote and improve the professionalism of the bridal business.
- Respond rapidly and honestly to all complaints forwarded by the Association.
- Supply, on request, the evidence on which any advertising is based.
- Use the Associations name and logo only as authorized.
- Pay all association bills in a timely manner.
Code of Ethics:
Members will...
- Represent each client fairly and honestly, providing all agreed-to services in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
- Establish reasonable, proper fees for services and provide written estimates to each client.
- Use honest factual advertising.
- Deal with employees fairly, in an unbiased manner
- Operate an establishment that is a credit to the Association and the community.
- Disclose to clients any payment received from suppliers.
For all levels, membership must be maintained in good standing. Lapses in membership are not credited to the time requirements for advancement.
Membership and Education Synopsis
There are two tracks within the Association. If you start as novice member, you need to complete three of the options listed in the Membership Requirements Section to upgrade to Consultant level membership.
Separate from this is the Professional Development Program track with designations of Professional Bridal Consultant™, Accredited Bridal Consultant™, and Master Bridal Consultant™, earned by completing various phases in the Professional Development Program. It is possible to be a Professional Bridal Consultant™ while still being a Novice member.
Upgrading may be done at any time during your membership year. Dues are pro-rated. Renewal as Novice member may be permitted on a case-by-case basis.
The Association also offers a course called "Wedding As A Business", completion of it can count towards upgrade to the Consultant level but not towards Professional Bridal Consultants™. "Weddings As A Business" is a course that assists you in writing your business plan. It covers everything from fees to accepting the first bride. There is a test at the end which is basically your business plan, but it is not necessary for it to be graded. You can have it graded by the Director of the Education for an additional fee.
Vendor Member Benefits
Vendors are those who handle part of the wedding. A florist, photographer or caterer is an example of a vendor.
As a member, you can benefit from the networking system, and educational programs. Working with other professionals who are members of the same Association can only help your business grow.
Using these trademarked titles will show your brides that you are a professional and understand their special needs.
Vendors can join just as a Vendor Member and need not progress through the ranks.
Professional Wedding VendorTM
Requirements:
- Renew membership at least once either as a Consultant or Vendor member.
- Letters of recommendation:
- from three peers, one must be a consultant
- from three brides you have worked with in the last year
- Copy of your business plan
- Total of three out of four:
- copy of two ads promoting the wedding aspect of your business
- copy of the promotional material you send your brides
- media coverage not more than a year old
- copy of a membership certificate from another professional or trade association
- Processing fee
Accredited Wedding VendorTM
Requirements:
- Three years cumulative Association membership
- Three years as a Professional Wedding Vendor™
- Attendance at one Business of Brides (annual conference) or local seminar
- Letters of recommendation:
- from three peers, one must be a consultant
- from three brides you have worked with in the last year
- Essay on assigned topic
- Processing fee
Master Wedding VendorTM
Requirements:
- Six years cumulative Association membership
- Six years as an Accredited Wedding Vendor™
- Presenter at a state meeting of Business of Brides (annual conference)
- Publication in a nationwide magazine to the bride or to the trade
- Letters of recommendation:
- from three peers, one must be a consultant
- from three brides you have worked with in the last year
- Presentation of your maketing material to a panel of Master Bridal Consultants during an annual conference
- Processing fee
Networking Benefits
A principal Vendor membership benefit is the ability to network with other wedding professionals, especially consultants. Bridal consultants are always looking to expand their selection of reputable vendors.
By expanding your own contacts through local networking meetings, you increase your business opportunities by getting pre-qualified leads from consultant members.
Corporate Benefits
Direct links to the most influential professionals in the wedding industry listing more than 50,000 names.
Access to the Association's databases including the "hot list" of members.
Special rates for:
-newsletter inserts
-newsletter advertising
-stuffing services
-data bases on disk
Marketing program to help develop your marketing program from people who have been in the industry for almost 20 years.
Evaluation program that may give you an endorsement to use in your marketing (additional fee).
Media relations for press releases to the media you select as well as referrals to the media in response to queries.
Guidance in developing promotional material.
Free listing in the Association's newsletter twice a year.
Promote your special offers to Association members*.
*Member names are only available to other members
For additional information on the association, please provide your name and address here.
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Consultants 
