TERMS OF USE

PLEASE READ THE TERMS OF USE STATEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS WEBSITE.

These Terms of Use ("Agreement") outline the terms and conditions (the "Terms") applicable to your use of the products and or services of the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Pty Ltd ("Australian Bridal Industry Academy" or “ABIA"), available at www.abia.com.au (the “Site”), as well as any other websites owned, wholly or in part and/or operated wholly or in part, by the Australian Bridal Industry Academy. By using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand and agreed to be bound by the following terms and conditions of use and the ABIA’s Privacy Policy, which govern the Australian Bridal Industry Academy’s relationship between wedding vendors, engaged couples, wedding couples and any third parties in relation to the use of this website, platforms, systems and functionalities provided by ABIA.

If you do not agree to these the terms and conditions below or privacy policy, please do not use this Site.

The ABIA reserves the right to amend these Terms without notice. All modified terms and conditions shall take effect immediately and will be binding once they have been posted to the Site. Therefore, the ABIA encourages Wedding Vendors, prospective engaged couples, married couples and all other third parties to review the terms and conditions.

This Agreement may not be modified, amended, and/or changed by any persons other than representatives of the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.

WEDDING INDUSTRY PLATFORM AND ONLINE MARKETPLACE

THIRD PARTY TO TRANSACTIONS: The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is a platform and online marketplace for the wedding industry. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is not a wedding product or wedding service provider, wedding vendor or an agent representative. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy facilitates an online marketplace whereby users which include engaged couples, wedding couples, wedding vendors and other third parties offering products and services related to Weddings and or Engagements and or Honeymoons, can communicate for the purpose of exchanging goods and services for Weddings and or Engagements and or Honeymoons. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is a platform for the booking process and is strictly a third party to the transaction.

BRIDAL RATINGS, BRIDAL AWARDS AND ACCREDITATION FACILITATOR: The Australian Bridal Industry Academy facilitates a platform for wedding couples to rate the products and or services of the wedding vendors once they have utilised the particular product and or service and for wedding vendors to receive bridal ratings provided by their engaged couples for the purpose of gaining industry accreditation with the Australian Bridal Industry Academy and eligibility in the Annual Bridal Industry Awards. For more details on Bridal Ratings, Bridal Awards and Accreditation.

POP WEDDING DIRECTORY: The Australian Bridal Industry Academy facilitates a platform whereby engaged couples can list their wedding details to for the purpose of connecting with wedding vendors in the exchange of products and services for their Wedding, Engagement or Honeymoon.
 

POP WEDDING VENDOR DIRECTORY
The Australian Bridal Industry Academy facilitates a platform whereby wedding vendors can list their business details for the purpose of connecting with wedding vendors in the exchange of products and services for a prospective Wedding, Engagement or Honeymoon.


BRIDAL RATINGS SYSTEM

The Bridal Ratings consist of the opinions provided by wedding couples who have used the products and or services of their wedding vendors for the Engagement, Wedding and or Honeymoon and a calculated score based on the criteria of: Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money, Attitude of Staff, Number of Bridal Ratings and Best Vendor of The Day. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy does not make judgments on the accuracy of the opinions, ratings, comments, testimonials or statements provided by any of wedding couple and merely facilitates a platform for the purpose of displaying and calculating the scores using the aforementioned criteria.

Rules of providing ratings and reviews:

1. Wedding couples may only leave one numerical rating in the four Pillars of Perfection (Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money, Attitude of Staff) per unique transaction in each category, whether positive, neutral, or negative, for any wedding vendor, plus one testimonial review, per wedding, for the ‘Best Vendor’ that provided a wedding product or service for their Engagement, Wedding of Honeymoon.
    
2. Wedding vendors, their representatives, their agents, their employees or any persons working on their behalf, may not provide a bridal rating or review for the wedding vendor.
    
3. Wedding vendors, their representatives, their agents, their employees or any persons working on their behalf, may not provide a bridal rating or review any wedding vendor which they have not used for their own Engagement, Wedding or Honeymoon.
    
4. By submitting the bridal rating and or review, the wedding couple understands and agrees that the bridal rating and review is subject to an audit by the representatives of the Australian Bridal Industry Academy, at their discretion.
    
5. To protect the integrity of the Bridal Ratings system, any bridal rating and or review which has been audited by a representative of the Australian Bridal Industry Academy, may be removed or amended under the following conditions:
1. The wedding couple has incorrectly, inaccurately or mistakenly provided a rating or review
    
2. The wedding couple was incorrectly, inaccurately or mistakenly registered

3. The rating and or review is deemed to be dishonest, false or completed in a manner that would or would be likely to manipulate the system

4. The rating and review was completed in the presence of the wedding vendor which they are rating or reviewing for their Engagement, Wedding and or Honeymoon

5. The rating or review was completed under duress, influence, encouragement or incentive of a wedding vendor, its representative, agent, employee, family member, friend or affiliate

6. The rating or review was completed for the purpose of leading to harmful, slanderous, defamatory or disparaging ratings and or reviews against the wedding vendor

7. The rating and review was completed by any persons other than the wedding couple including but not limited to: the wedding vendor and or its representative, employee, family member or friend

8. The review contains profanity, abusive, harmful, discriminatory or pornographic content

1. The rating or review is a duplicate rating or review for a wedding vendor
    
10. The rating or review was not provided by a legally married couple, unless that married couple has entered into an LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) union, in which case this will be deemed a legitimate marriage by the Australian Bridal Industry Academy
     

k)     The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is provided with a court order finding that the review is defamatory, inaccurate or unlawful.
 

l)      The rating or review was provided for a wedding vendor that did not provide products or services for that particular wedding

PRESERVING THE INTEGRITY OF ABIA

The Bridal Ratings System, Accreditation System, the POP Vendor Directory is based on the ability for wedding couples to accurately and honestly rate and review the products and or services of their wedding vendors and for other wedding couples to evaluate those ratings and make voluntary decisions upon the collective ratings and reviews provided by the only entity entitled to rate and review the products and or services of their wedding vendors; their Engagement, Wedding and or Honeymoon clients. Thus, in order to preserve the integrity of the Bridal Ratings System, Accreditation System, the POP Vendor Directory, wedding couples and wedding vendors commit to the following:

1. Wedding vendors will not restrict, prevent or discourage a wedding couple from accurately and honestly completing the rating and or review
    
2. Wedding vendors will not encourage, influence or incentivise a wedding couple to complete the form in a specific manner.
    
3. Wedding couples will advise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy if a wedding vendor has knowingly or unknowingly tampered with, manipulated or attempted to alter, change, influence encourage or discourage a wedding couples rating or review in a particular manner and or offered an incentive or compensation in exchange for a specific rating or review for their own business or another wedding vendor.
    
4. Wedding vendors or thier employees, affiliates, representatives, family members or friends will not rate or review on behalf of their wedding couples or any other persons who receive a voting form from the Australian Bridal Industry Academy
    
5. Wedding vendors will not be in the presence of or oversee the ratings and reviews of its wedding members
    
6. Wedding vendors will not register more than one wedding couple to rate and review their products and or services, more than one time in each category
    
7. Wedding couples will not rate and or review wedding vendors more than one time in each category

ABIA ACCREDITATION AND AWARDS ACHIEVEMENT

The Awards achieved by a wedding vendor and or ABIA Accreditation afforded to a wedding vendor does not provide an assurance of the quality of product, quality of service, value for money, attitude of staff, or the ability for the wedding vendor to supply the product and or service as agreed to or as describe and does not ensure that the wedding vendor will not make failures or omissions and therefore the Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot be held liable on the basis of the ABIA Accreditation or Awards achievements (including but not limited to: bridal ratings and bridal awards) provided to the wedding vendor or any other affiliation with the wedding vendor which may be perceived as endorsing the wedding vendor. Engaged couples should use the ABIA Accreditation, ABIA Awards, Bridal Ratings and POP Business Profile as one step in their wedding planning process and the engaged couple should not make a decision on entering into an agreement for products and or services with a wedding vendor solely based on their affiliation with ABIA and the engaged couple must make further investigations and undertake independent research before entering into a transaction with a wedding vendor listed with or associated to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.

AUTHENTICITY OF ACCOUNT AND REGISTRATION

By registering with ABIA, engaged couples and wedding vendors acknowledge that the details they have provided are authentic and legitimate and understand that the Australian Bridal Industry Academy will pursue legal action against any persons or wedding vendors who create false, duplicate, unauthentic, unsolicited accounts or otherwise false accounts for any loss or damage incurred by the Australian Bridal Industry Academy, any wedding vendors and or any engaged couples and or wedding couples.
 

MESSAGING PLATFORM

1.     Engaged couples, wedding couples and wedding vendors agree to use the messaging platform solely for the purpose of communicating the exchange of goods and services related to the prospective bride and grooms Engagement, Wedding or Honeymoon.
 

2. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is not responsible for the content, data or information wedding vendors, engaged couples or wedding couples transmit, include or share via the POP Chat platform and therefore assumes no liability for any loss or damage incurred for any reason, including but not limited to: any errors, omissions, defamation, slander, libel, falsehoods, obscenity, pornography, profanity, spam mail, abuse, offensive, inappropriate, obscene, marketing or advertising or unsolicited messages, unlawful or otherwise objectionable content or information encountered on the POP Chat platform
    
3. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy does not have a duty to review, amend or control the POP Chat platform or any other communications between engaged couples or wedding couples and the wedding vendor and therefore will not be held liable for any communication exchanged and loss or damage incurred from such exchanges of communication.
    
4. Notwithstanding that the Australian Bridal Industry Academy has no obligation or responsibility to review, amend or control the POP Chat platform or any other communications, it reserves the absolute right to do so. Further, the Australian Bridal Industry Academy may at any time remove, withdraw, or edit any content or messages and or block any users from using or having access to the message platform at its discretion and need not provide a reason for doing so.
    
5. By using the POP Chat platform, wedding vendors, engaged couples and wedding couples expressly agree not to exchange any of the following:

1. Dishonest, knowingly inaccurate, misleading, slanderous, defamatory, imflammatory, fraudulent content or behaviour.
    
2. Pornographic, distressing or indecent content or behaviour.
    
3. Content that may be viewed as threatening, harmful, offensive or harassing or that advocates harassment, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, abusive, or otherwise objectionable behavior or content.
    
4. Content or behaviour that would constitute, encourage, promote, influence illegal activity or give rise to civil liability or go against the Terms of Use.
    
5. Content that impersonates any person or entity or otherwise misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity, including the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.
    
6. Content including any private information of any third party, or requesting or suggesting the exchange of third party private information.
    
7. Content including viruses, harmful or disruptive links or files, or that causes any harm or liability.
    
   8. Sensitive information, including but not limited to: account information, passwords, card numbers, financial account numbers or other cardholder data within message platform.
       
   9. Content relating to the Bridal Ratings system and rating or reviewing the wedding vendor.
       

6. Access to the POP Chat Platform will be restricted if the ABIA receives three (3) or more complaints relating to a particular wedding vendor, engaged couple or wedding couple if the communication by a wedding vendor, engaged couples or wedding couple violates the Terms of Use or Privacy Policy, as determined by ABIA representatives in their sole discretion.

PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

1. By visiting this site, using the ABIA platforms, functionalities, systems or communicating with any ABIA representatives or affiliates, you agree not to:
   
   a) give access to or facilitate access for any robot, spider, scraper or any other automated means

b) copy, duplicate, recreate, refabricate, frame or mirror or otherwise incorporating any part of the ABIA site, its platforms, systems, infrastructure, programs and or structure into any other website without our prior written permission from an ABIA representative

f) attempt to or successfully modify, translate, adapt, edit, decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer any part of the ABIA site, its platforms, systems, infrastructure, programs and or structure

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK AND RESTRICTIONS OF USE
 

1. The ABIA website, its systems, platforms, information, content and merchandise contains copyrighted material which is owned and propriety of the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Pty Ltd. This material includes, but is not limited to: trademarks, Award Plaque, Award Logo, Accreditation Logo, Accreditation Certificate, Bridal Testimonial Certificate, or any other merchandise bearing the ABIA branding or in relation to the bridal ratings system, the wedding directory, bridal campaigns, functionalities and infrastructure used to provide the ABIA website and the POP system, inventions, potentially patentable business methods, quotes, phrases, HTML code and or computer code and or scripts, algorithms used to calculate the Awards ratings and Accreditation ratings and listing order on the vendor directory (which collectively is ”Intellectual Property Content”), all of which, unless otherwise pursuant to a third party license (such as: Branding License or Franchise License), is the sole property of the ABIA and the ABIA retains all appurtenant rights, interest and title thereto.
 

2. ABIA further claims ownership rights under the copyright and trademark laws in relation to the design, layout, look, appearance and graphic function of the ABIA website, POP system, Bride And Groom competitions and social media accounts.
 

3. ABIA further claims ownership over trademarks, trade names, service marks, domain names, site names, titles or other indicia of ownership (collectively the “Marks”) owned by ABIA, including but not limited to: Australian Bridal Industry Academy, ABIA, POP (Partners of Perfection), POP, Partners of Perfection, Victorian Annual Bridal Industry Awards, New South Wales Annual Bridal Industry Awards, Queensland Annual Bridal Industry Awards, South Australian Annual Bridal Industry Awards, Western Australian Annual Bridal Industry Awards, Australian Capital Territory Annual Bridal Industry Awards, Northern Territory Annual Bridal Industry Awards, Tasmanian Annual Bridal Industry Awards, ABIA Award Winner, ABIA Award Finalist, ABIA Winner, ABIA Award Runner-Up, ABIA Award Third Place Finalist, ABIA Finalist, National ABIA Award Winner, National ABIA Award Finalist, Designer of Dreams, National Bridal Industry Awards, Bride And Groom Campaign, BAG Campaign, Bride And Groom-to-Be Campaign, VOWS, Vendors of Wedding Services, ABIA Accreditation, ABIA Membership, ABIA Accredited, ABIA Appointed, ABIA Approved, ABIA Ambassador, ABIA Hall of Fame, ABIA Member.

4. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy expressly reserves all Intellectual Property Content, copyright, trademarks and Marks in all documents, information, graphics and materials related to ABIA and we reserve the right to take legal action against any persons who modify, copy, distribute, transmit, upload, share, display, perform, reproduce, duplicate, amend publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell or re-sell any information, software, products, or services obtained from or through this Website, email communications, newsletters, documents, information or materials provided by or obtained through the ABIA, its representatives or affiliates for the purposes of sale, commercial gain or the use by any third party, unless:

a) If you have entered into an agreement with the Australian Bridal Industry Academy for the purchase of a branding license. In this instance, the agreement entitles your business to use: the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Awards logo in its original form (only if achieved and directly provided to your business by ABIA), Membership and or Accreditation logo in its original form only if achieved and directly provided to your business by ABIA, Membership and or Accreditation Certificate in its original form only if achieved and directly provided to your business by ABIA, for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of the agreement, in so far as to promote your Accreditation and Awards achievement.

b)  If you have purchased any materials and or merchandise bearing the Australian Bridal Industry Academy branding and or logos, including but not limited to: Awards Plaque, Awards Certificate, Accreditation or Membership Certificate, Accreditation or Membership logo Bridal Certificates, Posters, Flyers, Email Signatures, newsletter Templates and Graphic Designs.

5. In the instances where you have entered into a branding license agreement with ABIA, or you have purchased any materials and or merchandise bearing the Australian Bridal Industry Academy branding and or logos and or insignia and or indicia and therefore have been given the express right to use the specific intellectual property content, copyright, trademark and or mark, you agree that you will not use the aformentoned in any manner that may intentionally or unintendedly cause loss and or damage to the ABIA, and or cause harm to the reputation of the ABIA or diminish the value of ABIA  and understand that ABIA reserves the right to pursue legal action against any persons who does so.

CONTENT PROVIDED BY YOU

1. By providing content to ABIA, including but not limited to: images, videos, logos, phrases and quotes, you expressly represent and warrant the following:

a) you are the owner of the content with all appurtenant rights thereto and that any persons, businesses or entities connected with the content have granted you permission to publish, distribute, reproduce and distribute the content for advertising and or marketing and or promotional purposes; or

b) you legitimately hold a world-wide, royalty free, perpetual, irrevocable, sub-licensable, non-exclusive license to use, publish, distribute, reproduce and distribute the content.
 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

1. By using this site, wedding vendors, engaged couples, wedding couples and or third parties absolve the Australian Bridal Industry Academy from liability resulting directly or indirectly, wholly or in part of using the Site, facilities, platforms or affiliations of Australian Bridal Industry Academy and waives any legal action against the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.

2. It is the responsibility of the wedding couples to ensure the products and services, information, material and content available on this site and by ABIA or any material, data or content made available by a third party source or external link or offline advertising which is affiliated to the ABIA, meet the requirements by the wedding couple.

3. The wedding couple cannot hold the ABIA responsible for any inaccuracies, errors, omissions, failures or falsehoods, even I such content encouraged, influenced or caused the wedding couple to connect with and or make a transaction with the wedding vendor.

4. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is not responsible for the conduct, whether online or offline, of any of wedding vendors, wedding couples, or any other third party, affiliate or representative.
 

5. Although the Australian Bridal Industry Academy attempts to keep the Site, its platforms and systems safe and free from malicious bugs, use the site, platforms and systems at your own risk as ABIA takes no liability for any damage or loss incurred by visiting or using any part of the ABIA site, system, platform or link.
 

6. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy does not guarantee the Site, its platforms and systems will always be secure, safe, without error and or will function without disruptions, delays, failures or omissions.
 

7. As the ABIA website, platforms and systems include sensitive information including but not limited to financial details and personal details, it is the responsibility of the wedding vendor, wedding couple and any other third party to keep your account secure.
 

8. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy and its employees are not responsible for any claims of loss or damage resulting from use of the system and therefore will not be held liable for any consequential, indirect or direct damages arising wholly or in part from any users connection with the ABIA, the site, ability or inability to use the systems, platform, program or affiliated event or campaign or competition or coupon or booking, or any consequential loss or damages of any kind arising from any decision made or inaction or action taken by you, or a representative, or a third party  in reliance of the information or content contained on the site, platform, program or affiliated event or campaign or competition or coupon or booking, whether in an action for breach of contract and or any other tortious action or whether from errors, omissions, falsehoods or failures in the directory, awards, pop system, accreditation, message platform, inaccuracies of bridal listings or wedding vendor listing or any other product or service provided by ABIA.ABIA’s liability and any liability attributed to its employees, wedding vendors, engaged couples, wedding couples and third parties is limited to $100.00 notwithstanding the failure of essential purpose of any remedy.

INDEMNITY

By using this site, and or making decisions based on information and or content which is affiliated in any way to ABIA and or entering into agreements based on the information or content related in any way to the ABIA, wedding vendors, engaged couples, wedding couples and third parties absolve the Australian Bridal Industry Academy and its employees from liability resulting directly or indirectly, wholly or in part of using the Site, facilities, products or services or platforms or affiliations of Australian Bridal Industry Academy and waives any legal action against the Australian Bridal Industry Academy and agree to indemnify and defend the Australian Bridal Industry Academy and its employees from any claim and or demand including reasonable legal fees, or liabilities including but not limited to any losses, costs, harm, damage, whether direct or indirect or consequential, made by or arising out of, whether wholly or in part, the use of the ABIA site, facilities, products or services or platforms or affiliations.

NO WARRANTY
 

The ABIA, its employees and wedding vendors provide the site, products and services “as is” without any warranty of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for any particular purpose. Australian Bridal Industry Academy gives no warranty that the documents, products or services or tools will be free of errors, or that defects will be corrected, or that our website or its server is free of viruses or any other harmful components. Whilst we, at all times endeavour to have the most accurate, reliable and up-to-date information on our website, we do not warrant or make any representations regarding the use or the result of the use of any document, product, service, link or information on the ABIA website or as to their correctness, suitability, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise. It is your sole responsibility and not the responsibility of Australian Bridal Industry Academy to bear any and all costs of servicing, repairs, or correction. The applicable law in your state or territory may not permit these exclusions, particularly the exclusions of some implied warranties. Some of the above may not apply to you but you must ensure you are aware of any risk you may be taking by using this website or any products or services that may be offered through it. It is your responsibility to do so.

LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
The Australian Bridal Industry Academy may provide links to other websites, advertisements and information relating to wedding vendors and or third parties on the website, directory, platforms, systems or email communications. These
The Australian Bridal Industry Academy takes no responsibility for any of the content, data and or information located on the linked and external websites or for any loss or damage incurred by following or landing on the link or external website.

ARBITRATION

Should you wish to pursue a non-legal dispute regarding ABIA, wedding vendors, engaged couples or wedding couples you may bring forward your dispute via email to: info@abia.com.au.

JURISDICTION

This agreement and the ABIA website is governed by the laws of Queensland and Australia.
Should you wish to pursue a legal dispute, you must make such submissions to the courts of Queensland.

UNENFORCEABLE TERMS

Should any term, clause or condition in the Terms of Use or Privacy Policy be deemed illegal and unenforceable by any State or Territory, then that term, clause or condition will excluded and be considered as never to have been included in Terms of Use or Privacy Policy in the State or Territory it is deemed to be unenforceable and illegal. Any excluded term, clause and condition shall not have bearing on the legality and enforceability of any other terms, conditions or clauses or the legality and enforceability of the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. However, should the clause, term or condition be deemed legal and enforceable in any other State or Territory, it will continue to be part of this agreement in those particular States and Territories and will remain legal and enforceable.
 

Engaged Couples and Wedding Couples


REGISTERING AN ACCOUNT

1. By registering and or creating an account and or submitting personal information, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy and you accept both agreements and agree to the following:
    
1. you are an authentic engaged bride and groom or have had a legal marriage (or in the instance of a same sex couples; had a civil ceremony)
    
2. the details you have provided are true and accurate
    
3. the Australian Bridal Industry Academy may pursue legal action against any persons who create false, duplicate, unauthentic, unsolicited accounts or otherwise false accounts, for any losses or damage incurred
    
4. you are giving permission for the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to use your profile picture, content, and information and have no objection to the publication, use, modification, deletion and marketing of the content by Australian Bridal Industry Academy or its licensees, successors and assigns
    
5. your details will be subject to the Privacy Policy.
    

DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
 

1. The information ABIA will request from you and how it will be used is outlined in detail under the Privacy Policy. Please read this information carefully before registering an account with ABIA and providing your details to ABIA. 
    
2. The following details will be made available ONLY to wedding vendors who meet your set wedding requirements: wedding ID number, wedding budget, number of guests, number of bridesmaids, number of groomsmen, wedding date and proposed wedding date, residential state, wedding location and proposed wedding locations, wedding venues and wedding vendors you have already booked, the wedding categories you are interested in.
    
3. The following details will be made available ONLY to wedding vendors who meet your wedding requirements, AND that you have carefully selected as your “favourite” wedding vendors: your first and last name, your partners first and last name, email address and phone number, wedding ID number, wedding budget, number of guests, number of bridesmaids, number of groomsmen, wedding date and proposed wedding date, residential state, wedding location and proposed wedding locations, wedding venues and wedding vendors you have already booked, the wedding categories you are interested in. By choosing a wedding vendor as a “favourite” you give unequivocal permission for the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to release the aforementioned details and give unequivocal permission for those particular wedding vendor connect you via the POP Chat platform and or via email and or phone.
   
    

WEDDING VENDORS
 

1. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy does not provide any of the products or services advertised or offered by any wedding vendor or third party.
    
2. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy does not endorse any products or services provided by the wedding vendor and or third party.
    
3. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy has no control over the quality, accuracy, safety, or legality of the transactions between you and the wedding vendor that take place on the website or via any of its platforms and or facilities, or beyond.
    
4. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot guarantee the accuracy of wedding vendor listings.
    
5. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot guarantee the ability of Wedding Vendors to provide products or services.
    
6. The Awards achieved by a wedding vendor and or ABIA Accreditation afforded to a wedding vendor does not provide an assurance of the quality of product, quality of service, value for money, attitude of staff, or the ability for the wedding vendor to supply the product and or service as agreed to or as describe and does not ensure that the wedding vendor will not make failures or omissions and therefore the Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot be held liable on the basis of the ABIA Accreditation or Awards achievements (including but not limited to: bridal ratings and bridal awards) provided to the wedding vendor or any other affiliation with the wedding vendor which may be perceived as endorsing the wedding vendor. Engaged couples should use the ABIA Accreditation, ABIA Awards, Bridal Ratings and POP Business Profile as one step in their wedding planning process and the engaged couple should not make a decision on entering into an agreement for products and or services with a wedding vendor solely based on their affiliation with ABIA and the engaged couple must make further investigations and undertake independent research before entering into a transaction with a wedding vendor listed with or associated to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.
    
7. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy uses techniques to assist in verifying the identity of Wedding Vendors when they register with the Australian Bridal Industry Academy; however, The Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot guarantee each wedding vendors’ identity or the business legality.
    
8. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot be held liable or responsible for any omissions or failure by Wedding Vendors, including but not limited to instances where a Wedding Vendors fails to provide a product or service, wholly or in part as agreed to or described and thus cannot be held responsible for the actions or inactions of wedding vendors, engaged couples, or third parties.
    
9. By using the Site, facilities, platforms and affiliations of the Australian Bridal Industry Academy, you absolve the Australian Bridal Industry Academy from liability resulting directly or indirectly, wholly or in part of using the Site, facilities, platforms or affiliations of Australian Bridal Industry Academy and waives any legal action against the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.
    
10. Any and all communications, correspondence, verbal or written, or any warranties or representations, made with regard to products and services offered through The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is between you and the wedding vendor.
     
11. Any transaction entered into with the wedding vendor or any third party is solely and strictly between the prospective bride and groom and the wedding vendor or third party and the Australian Bridal Industry Academy is not a party to that transaction.
     
12. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy will not be involved in any dispute between the you and wedding vendor, except in instances regarding your use of the Site.

RATING WEDDING VENDORS
 

1. You must only submit a rating for your wedding vendor once you have used the product and or service related to your Engagement, Wedding or Honeymoon.
    
2. When rating your wedding vendors, you agree to provide a true and honest rating in the Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money and Attitude of Staff.
    
3. You will not accept incentives from a wedding vendor or any persons representing a wedding vendor to rate their products and or services in a particular manner that is not a true and honest reflection of their products and or services in the Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money and Attitude of Staff.

6. If the Australian Bridal Industry Academy believes you have undermined the integrity of the Bridal Ratings system in any way, your account will be suspended or terminated.

7. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy reserves the right to pursue legal action for any loss or damage incurred from the direct or indirect cause of undermining the Bridal Rating System.

RATINGS, REVIEWS, COMMENTS & TESTIMONIALS

1. You acknowledge and agree that your bridal ratings and review will be confidential and identifiable via only via a Wedding ID and Nomination ID and will only become non-confidential if you choose to make the bridal rating or review public by choosing to leave a written testimonial review for the ‘Best Vendor’ of your Engagement, Wedding or Honeymoon. In this instance, by submitting content to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy, you are granting the Australian Bridal Industry Academy and its wedding vendors a nonexclusive, royalty-free and perpetual right to: use, duplicate, distribute, publish, create derivative works and merchandise from and publicly display the content you have provided including but not limited to: ratings, reviews, testimonials and comments, in any marketing and advertising, both online and offline for any purpose.
    

YOUR COMMITMENTS

By registering, you are making the following commitments:

1. You will not provide any false personal information, or create an account for any person other than yourself, without prior written permission Australian Bridal Industry Academy.
    
2. You will not create more than one account.
    
3. If your account has been suspended or terminated, you will not create another one without prior express and written permission from the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.
    
4. You will keep your account information accurate, honest and up-to-date.
    
5. You will not share your password with any person or allow any other person to access your account, or undertake any actions which may affect the security of your account.
    
6.  You will act in good faith and provide fair and honest ratings, reviews, testimonials and comments relating to the wedding vendors products and or services.

WEDDING ACCOUNT TERMINATION
 

1. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy reserves the absolute right to refuse a registration, suspend or terminate an account at any time, if it is in violation of the Terms of Use or Privacy Policy.
2. You may petition for re-instatement by submitting a written statement via email correspondence to ABIA (info@abia.com.au), with the headline ‘Petition For Reinstatement’, outlining why your account should be reinstated and your contact information. Your petition for re-instatement within thirty (30) days and the it will be solely up to the discretion of ABIA as to whether your account will be re-instated. You will be advised by written statement via email correspondence as to the result of the ABIA’s determination. The written statement will include a judgement of ‘approved’ or ‘disapproved’, but it will not specific the reasons for the decision. All decisions will be final and will not be subject to review.
    
3. If for any reason, the relationship between the ABIA and wedding couple has been terminated, or the account has been deactivated, the ABIA will have the absolute right to retain all reviews, bridal ratings, testimonials, comments, communication, profile information, wedding details and personal details.

Wedding Vendors

WEDDING VENDOR REGISTRATION

1. By registering and creating an account with ABIA, you agree to the following:

a) you will safeguard and protect your username and password

b) you will not authorise any persons to use your account on your behalf, unless you keep a log-book diary of the persons which have been authorised to use your account, the date, the time and the actions you have authroised them to make on your behalf and make this log-book available to ABIA upon request.

c) you will not authorise any persons to top up points, redeem rewards or otherwise make any purchases with, through or via the ABIA platform, unless you keep a log-book diary of the persons which have been authorised to use your account, the date, the time and the actions you have authroised them to make on your behalf and make this log-book available to ABIA upon request.
 

FREE TRIAL

1. Upon registration, wedding vendors will receive a free trial which will expire thirty (30) days from the date the registration is activated. The free trial includes:
   
   a) an account with ABIA
   b) listing on the POP directory
    
2. The free trial does not guarantee any advertising, marketing, promotion or any other benefits.
   
   a) After the free trial has expired, wedding vendors will have the opportunity to purchase any available fee-based package, outlined here:

b) If the wedding vendor does not purchase any available fee-based package, the account will be suspended.

c) The wedding vendor may purchase an available fee-based package at any time after the free trial period.

AUTHORISATION TO CREDIT AND DEBIT ABIA ACCOUNT AND NOMINATED FINANCIAL ACCOUNT

1.              To purchase a fee-based package and or marketing, branding or advertising program or license, data, information or material, you may choose one of the following:

a) manually make payment via PayPal and by doing so you irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to accept the funds in exchange for the good and or services you have selected and thereby agreed to.

b) provide your credit card or debit card details or bank details directly to the ABIA via phone or fax and by doing so you irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to manually record the details into PayWay, process the payment and accept the funds in exchange for the good and or services you have selected and thereby agreed to.

c) use your POP Points and by doing so you irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to deduct your ABIA account the requisite value of POP Points, as outlined in the pricing schedule, in exchange for the good and or services you have selected and thereby agreed to.

2.              To purchase TOP UP Points, you may choose one of the following:

a) manually make payment via PayPal and by doing so you irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to accept the funds in exchange for POP Points as per the value specified by ABIA and credit them to your account.

b) provide your credit card or debit card details or bank details directly to the ABIA via phone or fax and by doing so you irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to manually record the details into PayWay, process the payment and accept the funds and credit your ABIA account with POP points as per the value specified and agreed to by ABIA.

3.              If you “express interest” in a future wedding, you understand and accept the following:

a) you irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to deduct POP Points from your ABIA account in accordance with the pricing schedule required to “express interest”

b) you irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to deduct POP Points from your ABIA account in accordance with the pricing schedule each time a future wedding couple you have expressed interest in has chosen your business as a “favourite”.
 

4.              If you TURN ON “auto-express interest”, irrevocably and expressly authorise the Australian Bridal Industry Academy to do the following:

a) automatically express interest in Weddings which solely meet your service categories and wedding targets which you have chosen via the “set target market” functionality and thereby deduct POP Points from your ABIA account in accordance with the pricing schedule for each expression of interest, until such time as you turn off “auto-express interest” or your account no longer has sufficient POP Points to complete the “auto-express interest”.

b) deduct POP Points from your ABIA account in accordance with the pricing schedule each time your business is chosen as a “favourite” by the wedding which has been automatically “expressed interest” in, until such time as you turn off “auto-express interest” or your account no longer has sufficient POP Points to complete the “favourite” process.

5.              If you choose a payment plan option for payment of any fee-based package and or marketing, branding or advertising program or license, data, you understand the following:

a) that is your responsibility maintain a valid, non-expired credit card on file and or sufficient funds in the nominated account whilst paying off the payment plan.

b) if your nominated credit or debit card or nominated bank account becomes invalid, or expired at any point or does not hold sufficient funds to deduct monies from, for the any duration of the payment plan period, you may be subject to interest and penalties, and therefore give the Australian Bridal Industry Academy the authorisation to charge, fees, costs, deductions, adjustments and any other amounts owed to Australian Bridal Industry Academy in addition to the value remaining on the payment plan.

ABIA MEMBERSHIP AND ACCREDITATION

1. Wedding Vendors who apply for ABIA Membership and Accreditation will need to meet the following criteria before Membership and Accreditation can be afforded to their business:
   
   a) The wedding vendor must have a minimum of five (5) completed bridal ratings from wedding couples in the categories of Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value For Money, Attitude of Staff, for evaluation by the ABIA.
    

b) The five (5) bridal ratings must reach the threshold of at least 95% when calculated on a mathematical average.
 

2. Once a Wedding Vendor is approved by an ABIA representative as an official ABIA Accredited Member, the Wedding Vendor can purchase the ABIA Membership and Accreditation package.
    
3. Once the wedding vendor ABIA Membership and Accreditation package, the wedding vendor will receive the following:
   
    

BRANDING LICENSE

Further to the COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK AND RESTRICTIONS OF USE section of this Terms of Use Agreement, only wedding vendors who pay a yearly membership fee to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy will be licensed to use the Australian Bridal Industry Academy’s branding which includes:

1. ABIA ACCREDITATION AND MEMBERSHIP LOGO AND CERTIFICATE: The Australian Bridal Industry Academy Membership logo and certificate will be provided to the wedding vendor upon achieving the accreditation requirements outlined here: (insert link) and when Australian Bridal Industry Academy Membership payment has been made by the wedding vendor to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy Membership logo and certificate will be provided to the wedding vendor in electronic form via email. The wedding vendor may use the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Membership logo and certificate in any of their advertising and marketing initiatives, online and offline, for a period of twelve (12) months, unless the wedding vendors account has been suspended or terminated.
    
2. ABIA AWARDS LOGOS: The Australian Bridal Industry Academy Awards logo will be provided to the wedding vendor Member within 10 working days of the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Award announcement. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy Award logo will be provided to the wedding vendor Member in electronic form via email. The wedding vendor Member may use the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Award logo in any of their advertising and marketing initiatives, online and offline, for a period of twelve (12) months, unless the wedding vendors account has been suspended or terminated.
    
3. TERMINATION OF BRANDING LICENSE: In the event that a wedding vendor has purchased a 12 (twelve) month Branding Licenses from the Australian Bridal Industry Academy and the agreement has been terminated due to any of the following:
   
   a) non-renewal of branding license agreement
   b) suspension or termination of your account
   c) manipulation of any platforms, systems or functionalities provided by ABIA
   d) agreement was falsely or inaccurately entered into
   e) inaccurate, misleading, defamatory, detrimental or harmful use of the license
   f) editing, amending and or altering the branding
   g) failure to pay the total fee of the branding license in the event of a payment plan agreement
   
   The wedding vendor will receive notice from the Australian Bridal Industry Academy that the branding license will immediately be rendered void, and subsequently the wedding vendor and its affiliates must remove all materials or merchandise provided by and or obtained under the branding license agreement, from any and all offline and online channels, including but not limited to: your website, profile listings, directory listings, social media accounts, expos, open days and industry events, within fourteen (14) days from the notice of termination.
    

REGISTERING WEDDINGS AND REGISTERED WEDDINGS
 

1. FUTURE WEDDING REGISTRATION (Engaged Couple): Once a wedding vendor has booked an engaged couple and received a minimum deposit of $1.00 on the invoice, the wedding vendor may register the wedding couple as a “future wedding” on the ABIA website.
    
2. OWNED WEDDING / HOST WEDDING VENDOR: Your business will “own” a wedding if you are the first wedding Vendor to successfully register a future wedding registration (engaged couples) on the ABIA website and thereby be the Host Wedding Vendor.
    
3. PAST WEDDING REGISTRATION (Wedding Couple): Newly registered Wedding Vendors will receive a grace period of 90 days to register a past wedding (wedding couple) that have taken place within the previous twelve (12) months from the date of registration, which they have provided products and services to for their Engagement, Wedding or Honeymoon. This grace period is subject to change at any time and at the sole discretion of the ABIA.
    

YOUR COMMITMENT

By using the site, you unequivocally commit to the following:

1. You will only register future weddings that your business has booked, invoiced and received a minimum deposit of $1.00 on the invoice for goods or services related to their Engagement, Honeymoon or Wedding
    
2. You will only register future weddings that your business has exchanged goods and or services with in relation to their Engagement, Honeymoon or Wedding.
    
3. You will not register false, duplicate or inauthentic future weddings or past weddings
    
4. If you are not personally registering your engaged couples or wedding couples, you will keep a log-book diary of any representatives you employed to do this task on your behalf and you will provide it to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy, if called upon, in order to justify the authenticity of a wedding registration, or for any other purpose.
    
5. You will obtain consent from engaged couples and wedding couples prior to registering their details with the Australian Bridal Industry Academy. All wedding vendors must adhere to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use before registering the details of the engaged couples and or wedding couples.

AUTHENTICITY OF WEDDING REGISTRATIONS

1. Although the Australian Bridal Industry Academy requires all engaged couples and wedding couples to be an authentic engaged couple or legally wedded couple, with the exception of LGBTI unions) and all engaged couples and wedding couples are required to provide accurate and honest information, the Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot verify, validate or guarantee the authenticity of engaged couples and wedding couples themselves and the details the engaged couples and wedding couples have provided and therefore cannot be held liable for any loss or damage caused by inaccurate, dishonest, false and or misleading accounts, content, information, bridal ratings or reviews.
    
2. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy will pursue legal action against any wedding vendor that registers an engaged couple and or wedding couple who is inauthentic or an engaged couple or wedding couple that provides dishonest or inaccurate information which leads to:
   
   a) commercial gain for the wedding vendor, their affiliates or representatives
    

b) obtaining points via the POP system from wedding vendors that bid for the engaged couple

c) distribution, loss or decrease in points for wedding vendors that bid for the engaged couple

c) manipulation, misuse or any false affect to the bridal ratings system

BRIDAL RATINGS

The bridal ratings provided to wedding vendors by wedding couples are not endorsed by the Australian Bridal Industry Academy and therefore the Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot be held liable for any negative impact, affect or influence the bridal ratings may have on the wedding vendor and any loss or damage which may have incurred as a result wholly or in part to the bridal ratings received individually or collectively.

PRODUCTS AND OR SERVICES
 

1. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is not responsible for assisting you in reaching an agreement with prospective engaged couples.
    
2. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy cannot guarantee the ability of wedding couples to complete the transaction for any of the products or services provided by the wedding vendor and therefore will not be held liable for any act, omissions or failure on the part of the engaged couples or third parties.
    
3. Any transaction entered into with a wedding couple is strictly between the wedding vendor and the wedding couple. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy is not a party to that transaction and therefore takes no liability or responsibility to any transactions.

COMMUNICATING WITH ENGAGED COUPLES AND WEDDING COUPLES

Further to the requirements set out in terms under “MESSAGING PLATFORM”, by using the ABIA site, its functionalities and platforms and in particular the messaging platform, you agree to the following:
 

1. You will not use the POP Chat platform to communicate with the engaged couple or wedding couple beyond the booking transaction, unless otherwise expressly agreed to by that engaged couple or wedding couple.
    
2. You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to a bride and groom and or another wedding vendor and or third party.
    
3. You will not encourage, influence or solicit any violations of the Terms of Use or Privacy Policy.
    
4. You will not use a bot or any other automated service to communicate with prospective brides on the POP Chat platform
    
5. You will discontinue communicating with any engaged couple or wedding couple which requests that you do so either by express statement, by blocking you or opting-out from the POP Chat platform.
    
6. Do not use the POP Chat platform to communicate for any other purpose but the exchange of information relating to the booking of goods and services for that particular engaged couples or wedding couples Engagement, Wedding or Honeymoon.
    
7. Do not use the messenger service to request, encourage, influence or solicit a specific bridal rating or review from the engaged couple or wedding couple or otherwise discuss the bridal ratings and review system.
    
8. You will not send mass mailings, transmission of "junk mail", “spam mail” and or, "chain letters" relating to advertising, contests, promotions and or competitions via the POP Chat platform.

DISPUTES WITH WEDDING COUPLES

The Australian Bridal Industry Academy will not be a party to any dispute which may arise between the wedding vendor and the wedding couple and or third party.

BIDDING SYSTEM

1. To ‘express interest’ in an engaged couple, you will need to bid for the wedding by clicking ‘express interest’. This action which will automatically deduct the requisite amount of POP Points required from your ABIA account to bid for that wedding and the engaged couple will be notified of your expression of interest.
    
2. You understand that by “expressing interest” in an engaged couple, your account will be charged the amount outlined in the pricing schedule at the time you express interest. Please refer to AUTHORISATION TO CREDIT AND DEBIT ABIA ACCOUNT AND NOMINATED FINANCIAL ACCOUNT for more details on providing authroisation for the ABIA to deduct your account.
    
3. Do not “express interest” in any engaged couple if you do not wish your account to be deducted the requisite amount of POP Points required from your ABIA account to bid for that wedding and the engaged couple
    
4. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy will not provide a refund for an accidental expression of interest, or an unsuccessful bid or any other bid, unless the bid was caused by a technical issue within the system, error on behalf of the ABIA, or if an engaged couple or wedding couple has been deemed to be inauthentic by the ABIA.
    
5. You understand that when a wedding couple you have expressed interest in, selects you as a “favourite”, this action which will automatically deduct the requisite amount of POP Points required from your ABIA account as outlined in the pricing schedule.
    
6. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy will not provide a refund of a “favourited” charge due for any reason, unless the bid was caused by a technical issue within the system error on behalf of the ABIA, or if an engaged couple or wedding couple has been deemed to be inauthentic by the ABIA.
    
7. Any refunds agreed to by the Australian Bridal Industry Academy will only be issued in the form of POP Points.
    
8. Any refunds on the basis of inauthentic engaged couple or wedding couple must satisfy the following:
   
   a)  The wedding must be proven to be inauthentic by the wedding vendor; and
   b) The  Australian Bridal Industry Academy must, in its sole discretion, agree the wedding is inauthentic
    
9. In the event that the inauthentic wedding couple was registered by a wedding vendor, ABIA will first suspend and or terminate the wedding vendors account and appropriate the POP Points to the wedding vendor who is seeking a refund for the bid.
    
10.  In the event that the inauthentic engaged couple or wedding couple was self-registered, ABIA will first seek that the engaged couple or wedding couple return the monies charged to the wedding vendor for the purpose of bidding for their wedding and should this fail, ABIA may pursue legal action for breaching the Terms of Use and recover for loss and or damage and once recovered, the monies will be converted POP Points and proportionately appropriated to the wedding vendor seeking a refund. If no monies are recovered from the engaged couple or wedding couple, ABIA is under no obligation to credit

POP POINTS AND POP REWARDS POINTS
 

1. POP Points and POP Rewards Points:

a)  do not have any cash value and thus cannot be redeemed for cash or credit.

b) are merely a unit of measurement formulated by ABIA and not any form of contractual right, property or currency which can be used for any other purpose than redeeming rewards available from the Australian Bridal Industry Academy

c) can only be redeemed on products and services provided, offered or related to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy.

d) are not transferrable or interchangeable to any other account.

e) do not expire, unless your account has been suspended or terminated.
 

2. When additional wedding Vendors Express Interest or are Favourited by an owned wedding, ABIA will deduct POP Points from the additional wedding vendors’ ABIA Account and appropriate the points to the ABIA Account of the wedding vendor which owns the wedding, in the form of POP Reward Points. These POP Reward points may be used to Express Interest in Future Weddings, Accept Enquiries, be Favourited, purchased fee-based packages and or marketing, branding or advertising program or license, data, information or material.
    

3. If any wedding vendor is found to falsely or misleadingly obtained or used points, the Australian Bridal Industry Academy reserves the right to request monies to cover the cost of the misappropriated points and pursue appropriate legal action for damage and loss incurred.
   
    

WEDDINGS REGSITERED BY MEMBERS

 

1. EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
   If Member registers a future wedding which is confirmed as a new registration into the system by the ABIA, the wedding is considered to be ‘owned’ by that Member and the Member will therein be considered the ‘host vendor’ and the allocation of POP Points will be as follows:
   
   a) each subsequent member to express interest in the future wedding will be deducted 3 POP points, the Host Member will receive 1 POP reward point the ABIA will receive all residual points from subsequent members and subsequent non-members
   
   b) each subsequent non-member to express interest in the future wedding will be deducted 5 POP points, the Host Member will receive 1 POP reward point the ABIA will receive all residual points from subsequent members and subsequent non-members
   
    
2. MATCHED WEDDING VENDORS
   If the future wedding couple chooses a vendor as their ‘favourite’, the allocation of POP Points will be as follows:
   
   a) The Host Member will be deducted 6 points for each category the Engaged Couple moves the host member from ‘Matched Wedding Vendors’ to their Favourites
   b) The Host Member will be deducted 9 points for each category the Member Accepts Engaged Couple’s enquiry from ‘Vendor Directory’
   c) A subsequent Member will be deducted 9 points for each category the Engaged Couple moves the host member from ‘Matched Wedding Vendors’ to their Favourites
   d) A subsequent Non-Member will be deducted 14 points for each category the Engaged Couple moves the host member from ‘Matched Wedding Vendors’ to their Favourites
   e) ABIA will receive all residual points from, the Host Member subsequent members and subsequent non-members

 WEDDINGS REGSITERED BY NON-MEMBERS
 

1. EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
   If a Non-Member registers a future wedding which is confirmed as a new registration into the system by the ABIA, the wedding is considered to be ‘owned’ by that Non-Member and the Non-Member will therein be considered the ‘host vendor’ and the allocation of POP Points will be as follows:
   
   a) each subsequent member to express interest in the future wedding will be deducted 3 POP points, the Host Non-Member will receive 1 POP reward point the ABIA will receive all residual points from subsequent members and subsequent non-members
   
   b) each subsequent non-member to express interest in the future wedding will be deducted 5 POP points, the Host Non-Member will receive 1 POP reward point the ABIA will receive all residual points from subsequent members and subsequent non-members
   
    
2. MATCHED WEDDING VENDORS
   If the future wedding couple chooses a vendor as their ‘favourite’, the allocation of POP Points will be as follows:
   
   a) the Host Non-Member will be deducted 6 points for each category the Engaged Couple moves the host non-member from ‘Matched Wedding Vendors’ to their Favourites
   b) Host Non-Member will be deducted 9 points for each category host non-member Accepts Engaged Couple’s enquiry from ‘Vendor Directory’
   c) A subsequent Member will be deducted 9 points for each category the Engaged Couple moves the host non-member from ‘Matched Wedding Vendors’ to their Favourites
   d) A subsequent Non-Member will be deducted 14 points for each category the Engaged Couple moves the host non-member from ‘Matched Wedding Vendors’ to their Favourites
   e) ABIA will receive all residual points from the Host Member, subsequent members and subsequent non-members

SELF REGSITERED (MANUAL WEDDING)

1. If an Engaged Couple registers as a future wedding and is confirmed as a new registration into the system by the ABIA, the wedding is considered to be ‘Self Reregistered’ and the allocation of POP Points will be as follows:
    
   1. Subsequent members who express interest in this wedding will be deducted 3 points
   2. Subsequent non-members who express interest in this wedding will be deducted 5 points
   3. Members who are selected as the Engaged Couple’s Favourite in any given category will be deducted 6 points
   4. Non-Members who are selected as the Engaged Couple’s Favourite in any given category will be deducted 9 points
   5. Members who accept a Wedding Enquiry via Vendor Directory will be deducted 9 points
   6. Non-Members who accept a Wedding Enquiry via Vendor Directory will be deducted 14 points
   7. Rewards points are not assigned to any wedding vendor
       

REDEEMING REWARDS
 

1. You may use your rewards points on any of the available products and services outlined here:
    
2. Once you have used your rewards points on a product or service it cannot be exchanged, cancelled or refunded.
    
3. ABIA reserves the right to modify, alter and or change the available rewards, the value of the rewards or any terms and conditions applicable to the rewards at any time, without prior notice, at ABIA’s sole discretion.
    
4. The value of rewards points and the number of rewards required to redeem a product and or service from the ABIA is subject to change at any time.
    
5. Some products may have a Points Only or a Points and Payment option to redeem products and services from the ABIA and wedding vendors may choose how they would like to redeem the products and services.
    
6. In relation to the Points Only option, a wedding vendor may redeem the specific product and or services listed in the availablity section using the requisite point required, and no further Points or payment will be required.
    
7. In relation the Points and Payment Option, a wedding vendor may combine POP Points with an amount specified by ABIA to redeem specific product and or services listed in the availablity section. The Payment will be taken via PayPal or by providing Credit or Debit card details directly to the ABIA by phone which will manually deduct your nominated card using the details you have provided.

TOPPING UP POINTS

1.              Additional POP points may be purchased, at the rates specified by ABIA, if you do not have sufficient points to bid or redeem a product and or service, subject to the following:

a) the Points must be purchased via PayPal or by providing Credit or Debit Card details directly to the ABIA via telephone or fax to be charged via PayWay

b) the Points purchased will only be credited to your account

c) the Point may only be purchased for bidding and or to redeem a specific product and or service available through ABIA

d) each purchase must be a minimum of $20.00 Australian Dollars

e) the Points purchased are not a representation of a monetary value and cannot be converted into cash or credit form

f) the Points will not be refunded, cancelled or modified once they have been purchased for any reason other than technical error

g) the Points will be subject to all the terms of this agreement
 

BRIDAL RATINGS SYSTEM
 

By using the site, you are committed to terms outlined under PRESERVING THE INTEGIRTY OF THE BRIDAL SYSTEM, and you further understand the following:
 

1. If the Australian Bridal Industry Academy believes the wedding vendor has undermined the integrity of the Bridal Ratings system in any way, the wedding vendor’s account will be suspended or terminated, the acquired points will be forfeited and no refund will be issued.
    
2. The Australian Bridal Industry Academy reserves the right not to allow the wedding vendor which the Australian Bridal Industry Academy believes it has undermined the Bridal Ratings system to create a new account.

3. A wedding vendor can only receive one rating per product or service per wedding from each prospective prospective bride and groom or married couple and either prior to the wedding the wedding vendor has serviced or subsequent the wedding which the wedding vendor has serviced.

4. Each wedding vendors bridal ratings will be calculated on a nominated date, per state, per year, and that bridal rating will remain final until the following years’ score calculation.

5. Each wedding vendors final bridal rating for a particular year will be displayed on the wedding vendors’ business profile and directory listing and will be updated with each new years’ score calculation.

WEDDING VENDOR ACCOUNT TERMINATION

1.              The Australian Bridal Industry Academy reserves the absolute right to refuse a registration, suspend or terminate an account at any time, if it is in violation of the Terms of Use or Privacy Policy or your non-payment of fees.

2.              You may petition for re-instatement by submitting a written statement via email correspondence to the Chairman of the ABIA (john@abia.com.au), with the headline ‘Petition For Reinstatement’, outlining why your account should be reinstated and your contact information. Your petition for re-instatement within thirty (30) days and the it will be solely up to the discretion of the Chairman of the ABIA as to whether your account will be re-instated. You will be advised by written statement via email correspondence as to the result of the ABIA Chairmans’ determination. The written statement will include a judgement of ‘approved’ or ‘disapproved’, but it will not specific the reasons for the decision. All decisions will be final and will not be subject to review.

3.              If your account has been terminated for any reason, your POP Points and POP Rewards points will be immediately forfeited and no future POP Points or Reward Points will be appropriated to your account, even in instances where a wedding vendor expresses interest or is favourited by your registered wedding.
 

4.              If for any reason, the relationship between the ABIA and the wedding vendor has terminated, or the business has changed hands or no longer exists, the ABIA will have the absolute right to retain all reviews, bridal ratings, testimonials, comments, biding history, awards history, communication and directory listing information and business details.

PRIVACY POLICY

By registering or creating and account with ABIA, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to the strict Privacy Policy which in conjunction with the Terms of Use which regulate the interactions between ABIA, wedding vendors, wedding couples and third parties.

ABIA reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time, without notice, and therefore recommend that you review this page from time to time to keep informed of any changes, amendments or updates.

This Privacy Policy describes the ABIA’s policies as they relate to the collection of your information, details and content, how it is used and who it is disclosed to.

How we protect your information

We want you to be confident and comfortable in using the ABIA webiste, the POP system and our platforms, as such we have outlined in detail, how we will collect your information, use your information and protect your information, below.

Although no website can guarantee security, ABIA has implemented measures against unauthorised access, use, misuse or disclosure of your information, such as:

1. Only authorised ABIA employees have access to your profile and may only access it for the purpose of undertaking business functions, or at your express request either in writing or by phone.
    
2. We use encryption when transmitting your personal information between you, ABIA, wedding vendors and parties whom we share sensitive information with, we implement firewalls and security programs to assist in the detection and prevention of  unauthorised persons or bots from gaining access to our website, system, information and data.
    

WEDDING VENDOR
 

What information ABIA collects
 

1. By registering and creating an account with ABIA, you will be asked to provide the following information and content relating to you as an induvial and your business which ABIA will receive and store:
   
   a) business name, b) ABN, c) first and last name, d) business address, e) personal address, f) contact phone numbers, g) email address, h) categories you service and specialise in, i) website addressj) social media usernames and URLs, k) number of weddings serviced per year, l) years of experience in weddings, m) times of availability, n) dates of availability, o) business description, p) your target market, q) future wedding registrations, r) past wedding registrations, s) images uploaded to your business profile, t) your schedule and or calendar, u) location
    
2. If you visit the site, ABIA will automatically receive, collect, gather and store any information and data from your computer including but not limited to: your user history and online activity on the ABIA website and any systems or functionalities provided by ABIA, your payment history, communication on the messaging platform, any and all actions undertaken on the site, session data, your IP address, browers software, referring website, information identifying your device, content viewed and pages visited.
    

3. If you request to purchase products and or services from the ABIA, we will ask you to provide financial details and billing information (such as your credit card number, cardholder name, and card expiration date) and we will store these details until such time as you request they be removed.
    
4. ABIA will collect and store your history with ABIA including information relating to the Australian Bridal Industry Awards, Accreditation, phone and email correspondence.
    
5. If you use the POP system, ABIA will collect and store all information and details relating to your wedding matches data, your ‘expressions of interest’ history, your ‘favourite’ history, your bidding history, your points account, your allocation of points, your distribution of points, your spending of points and your payment history.
    
6. By registering a future wedding with ABIA, you will be asked to provide the following information: a) first name and last name, b) email address, c) contact phone numbers, d) wedding date, e) residential state, f) wedding state g) the services you have booked.
    
7. By registering a past wedding with ABIA, you will be asked to provide the following information: a) first name and last name, b) email address, c) contact phone numbers, d) wedding date, e) residential state, f) wedding state g) the services you have provided.
    
8. ABIA will collect and store the numerical bridal ratings relating to your business that have been provided by each of your past weddings in the categories of Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money and Attitude of Staff.
    
9. ABIA will collect and store the written testimonials relating to your business that have been provided by the past wedding clients who have chosen your business as the ‘Best Vendor of the Day.
    
10. By creating an account, ABIA will store your username and password in so far as to assist you with accessing your profile, managing your profile or investigating breaches of this agreement.
     
11. ABIA will further collect and store your information, data and content for the following general purposes:
     

1. to allow you to register, access, manage and use the site;
2. to gather data for ABIA Accreditation and ABIA bridal Awards;
3. to keep a record of communication with future wedding couples;
4. to facilitate a booking services between wedding vendors and future wedding couples
5. to facilitate a directory of weddings;
6. to facilitate a voting system based on the bridal ratings of past weddings;
7. to publish your business profile and details, gallery of images, your bridal ratings, your Membership status and your Awards achievements;
8. to facilitate a bidding system;
9. to communicate with you in general, including to provide information about ABIA, wedding vendors, past brides, future brides, the wedding community, affilitates, sponsors and third parties;
10. to improve our products, services, system, algorithms, functionalities and website
11. to offer various product, services and marketing initiatives for your business
12. to inform you of special offers, deals, initiatives, campaigns, bridal awards, membership status, programs, industry events and any other services relating to your business
13. to facilitate rewards, incentives and competitions
14. to facilitate transactions relating to purchasing merchandise, MBA programs, Awards tickets, Membership and any other products and services provided by ABIA

How we will use your information

 

1. ABIA may use your name, business profile and description, ABIA Membership history, ABIA Awards History, the actions you undertake on the POP system, images, logos, content, and information, including screenshots and video captures of your use of the ABIA website or POP system to promote, market, advertise, demonstrate or feature your use of the ABIA website and or POP system, worldwide and royalty-free.
    
2. The information and content you provide upon registration will be used to create your account, business profile and directory listing and will be publicly displayed on the ABIA website and POP directory and may be used by ABIA for marketing and advertising purposes.
    
3. The information and content you provide upon registration will be used to match your business with engaged couples which meet your set target markets for the purpose of exchanging products and services for their wedding.
    
4. The information and content you provide upon registration will be used to request ratings from your wedding couples for the purpose of calculating your bridal ratings.
    
5. Any details you provide to the ABIA which contain sensitive data, such as financial details, billing information, personal phone number and address will not be made public or available to wedding couples or any third parties.
    
6. Any data collected from your use of the site may be used by ABIA or its affilitates for marketing and advertising purposes.

Using information you collect from ABIA
 

1. Unless required to keep it by law, regulation, or separate agreement with ABIA, a wedding vendor must delete all information, content and data received from ABIA in relation to an engaged couple or a wedded couple, if:
   
   a) you have received an express written request any representative of the ABIA; or
   b) you have received a request in writing, in person or via phone, from the wedded couple; or

c) you are no longer have an account with ABIA.
 

2. You must protect, to the best of your ability, any information you have collected from ABIA relating to engaged couples and wedding couples against unauthorised access, use or disclosure.
    
3. You must not sell, license, provide or make available, any information, content or data obtained from ABIA in relation to engaged couples or wedding couples.

Obtaining Consent

You must obtain express consent either via phone, in person or in writing, from an engaged couple or wedding couple prior to registering them on the ABIA system or providing ABIA with information or content that you have independently collected from the engaged couple or wedding couple.

Engaged Couple


What information ABIA collects

1. When a wedding vendor registers your details on with ABIA, they will be asked to provide the following information: a) first name and last name, b) email address, c) contact phone numbers, d) wedding date, e) residential state, f) wedding state g) the services the wedding vendor has booked.
    
2. By registering and creating an account with ABIA, you will be asked to provide the following information and content relating to you as an induvial that can identify you or contact you directly, including: your first and last name, your partners first name and last name, email address, contact phone numbers, wedding budget, number of guests, number of bridesmaids, number of groomsmen, wedding date and proposed wedding date, residential state, wedding location and proposed wedding locations, wedding venues and wedding vendors you have already booked, the wedding categories you are interested in.
    
3. If you visit the site, ABIA will automatically receive, collect, gather and store any information and data from your computer including but not limited to: your user history and online activity on the ABIA website and any systems or functionalities provided by ABIA, communication on the messaging platform, any and all actions undertaken on the site, session data, your IP address, browers software, referring website, information identifying your device, content viewed and pages visited.
    
4. Once your wedding has taken place, ABIA will collect and store your history with ABIA as per the details outlined under ‘Past Wedding Couples’.
    
5. By creating an account, ABIA will store your username and password in so far as to assist you with accessing your profile, managing your profile or investigating breaches of this agreement.
    

Obtaining Consent

1. Wedding vendors must obtain express consent from you either in person, in writing or by way of phone, prior to registering your details on the system.
    
2. If you wedding details were provided to ABIA in error, without consent or you no longer wish for ABIA to store your details, please send an email to: info@abia.com.au with the title ‘Withdraw Consent to Store Information’ and request that your information be withdrawn, deleted and removed from the ABIA website and your account to be terminated. A representative from the ABIA will be in contact with you within 48 hours and proceed with your request within a further 48 hours.

How your information will be used

 

1. In order to preserve your privacy, ABIA will allocate a Wedding ID number to your account in lieu of your first and last names, this Wedding ID number and your wedding details will be the only data used to identify your wedding publicly on the POP wedding directory.
    
2. Your first name and last name and contact details will only be made available when you move a ‘matched vendor’ into your ‘favourite’. This action thereby gives express consent for the ABIA to release your details to the vendor your have chosen as your ‘favourite’.
    
3. In order to preserve your privacy, ABIA will allocate a your ratings with a Nomination ID, this Nomination ID will be the only data used to identify your ratings publicly on the POP wedding directory and on any other relevant merchandise, marketing, advertising or promotional material.
4.  
5. Any data, except personal details and contact details, collected from your use of the site will be used by ABIA or its affilitates for marketing and advertising purposes.
    

6. ABIA will further collect and store your information, data and content for the following general purposes:

1. to allow you to register, access, manage and use the site;
2. to gather data for statistics
3. to keep a record of communication with wedding businesses;
4. to facilitate a booking services between wedding vendors and engaged couples
5. to facilitate a directory of wedding vendors;
6. to facilitate a voting system based on the bridal ratings of past weddings;
7. to publish your wedding profile and details and make them available to businesses which meet your set requirements
8. to communicate with you in general, including to provide information about ABIA, wedding vendors, engaged couples, wedding couples, the wedding community, affilitates, sponsors and third parties;
9. to improve our products, services, system, algorithms, functionalities and website
10. to offer various product, services and marketing initiatives for your business
11. to inform you of special offers, deals, initiatives, campaigns, bridal awards, membership status, programs, industry events and any other services relating to your business
12. to facilitate rewards, incentives and competitions

Wedding Couples


What information ABIA collects

1. When a wedding vendor registers your details on with ABIA, they will be asked to provide the following information: a) first name and last name, b) email address, c) contact phone numbers, d) wedding date, e) residential state, f) wedding state g) the services the wedding vendor has provided.
    
2. ABIA will ask you to provide the following information and content relating to you as an induvial that can identify you or contact you directly and the businesses you have used for your Engagement, Wedding or Honeymoon, including: your first and last name, your partners first name and last name, email address, contact phone numbers, wedding date, residential state, wedding vendors business and contact details.
    
3. ABIA will collect and store the numerical rating in the criteria of Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money and Attitude of Staff, for each wedding category and wedding vendor that you have used for your Wedding, Engagement or Honeymoon.
    
4. In order to preserve your privacy, ABIA will allocate a your ratings with a Nomination ID, this Nomination ID will be the only data used to identify your ratings publicly on the POP wedding directory and on any other relevant merchandise, marketing, advertising or promotional material.
    
5. ABIA will collect and store the testimonial written review which you have provided for the wedding vendor which you have elected at the ‘Best wedding vendor of the day’, relating to your Wedding, Engagement and or Honeymoon.
    
6. If you visit the site, ABIA will automatically receive, collect, gather and store any information and data from your computer including but not limited to: your user history and online activity on the ABIA website and any systems or functionalities provided by ABIA, communication on the messaging platform, any and all actions undertaken on the site, session data, your IP address, browers software, referring website, information identifying your device, content viewed and pages visited.
7. By creating an account, ABIA will store your username and password in so far as to assist you with accessing your profile, managing your profile or investigating breaches of this agreement.

Obtaining Consent

1. Wedding vendors must obtain express consent from you prior to registering your details on the system.
    
2. If you wedding details were provided to ABIA in error, without consent or you no longer wish for ABIA to store your details, please send an email to: info@abia.com.au with the title ‘Withdraw Consent to Store Information’ and request that your information be withdrawn, deleted and removed from the ABIA website and your account to be terminated. A representative from the ABIA will be in contact with you within 48 hours and proceed with your request within a further 48 hours.

How your information will be used
 

1. In order to preserve your privacy and to facilitate a true and honest ratings system, ABIA will allocate a Wedding ID number to your account in lieu of your first and last names, this Wedding ID number and your wedding date will be the data used to identify your bridal ratings publicly.
    
2. In order to preserve your privacy, ABIA will allocate a your ratings with a Nomination ID, this Nomination ID will be the only data used to identify your ratings publicly on the POP wedding directory and on any other relevant merchandise, marketing, advertising or promotional material.
    
3. ABIA will use your bridal ratings and reviews to calculate a wedding vendors’ overall score when evaluating the business for:
   
   a) Accreditation
   b) Bridal Awards
   c) Directory listing placement
    
4. If you have provided a testimonial, ABIA will publicly make available:
   
   a) the numerical rating you have provided in the criteria of Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money and Attitude of Staff
   
   b) the written review which you have provided for the wedding vendor which you have elected at the ‘Best wedding vendor of the day’. This testimonial will include your Wedding ID number and Wedding Date.
    
5. Your testimonial review may be used for merchandising purposes, at sole discretion of ABIA.
    
6. Any data, except personal details and contact details, collected from your use of the site will be used by ABIA and or its affilitates for marketing and advertising purposes.
    

7. ABIA will further collect and store your information, data and content for the following general purposes:

13. to allow you to register, access, manage and use the site;
14. to gather data for statistics
15. to keep a record of communication with wedding businesses;
16. to facilitate a booking services between wedding vendors and engaged couples
17. to facilitate a directory of wedding vendors;
18. to facilitate a voting system based on the bridal ratings of past weddings;
19. to publish your wedding profile and details and make them available to businesses which meet your set requirements
20. to communicate with you in general, including to provide information about ABIA, wedding vendors, engaged couples, wedding couples, the wedding community, affilitates, sponsors and third parties;
21. to improve our products, services, system, algorithms, functionalities and website
22. to offer various product, services and marketing initiatives for your business
23. to inform you of special offers, deals, initiatives, campaigns, bridal awards, membership status, programs, industry events and any other services relating to your business
24. to facilitate rewards, incentives and competitions