We’ve been awarded WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice Award 2015 – and just what that means

A few short days ago, we received an email letting us know that we were the proud recipients of WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice Award for 2015. Happy dance time!

This is ultimate “award season” for my fellow wedding vendors and I, but unlike the Oscars, these awards are usually based off of something much different – which can be deceiving to a couple who is looking for their perfect team of vendors.

If you follow any wedding vendors on social media, you may have been seeing a buzz about WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice Award and The Knot’s Best of Weddings. You may also see these badges on websites, email signatures, and storefront windows – among other places. What isn’t fully disclosed is how these awards are distributed and that’s what I want to talk just a little bit about.

How is a vendor considered for these awards?

In order to receive these (and other similar) awards, you must first be a member of their site. To be eligible for The Knot’s Best of Weddings, you must be a member of their review site, The Wedding Channel.

Secondly, you must have received glowing reviews from past clients on these sites. How many reviews is usually based on your general area and how many other vendors are in a similar category. In other words, they seem to take the top percentage. WeddingWire claims it takes the top 5% to receive their award, but when you factor in what must be thousands of inactive, abandoned and duplicate accounts, it just doesn’t feel all that accurate. The Knot seems to be more selective in who they choose.

What this means…

If you see a vendor who is proudly displaying a “Couples’ Choice” or “Best Of” award, then it’s safe to say that they have a good handful of glowing reviews on WeddingWire and/or The Knot/Wedding Channel respectively from their past clients. Which is great!

However, if you are comparing two vendors, one of which who has one of these awards and another that does not, try not to put too much weight into this award. Perhaps the latter vendor does not have a listing on either of these sites, does not actively collect reviews from their couples, or simply chooses not to display it. What’s more important is to look at the vendors work, past reviews, and their overall vibe in working with you. (Click here to Tweet that!) I can’t stress this enough.

To summarize…

These awards are a fun and exciting thing and we’re grateful to WeddingWire and The Knot for recognizing vendors that have such glowing reviews. But remember that if a vendor has received an award, it’s likely they have been given many outstanding accolades from their past couples. If a vendor has not, dig a little bit further before making a snap decision as to how truly “good” that vendor is.

And because this guy rocks at everything he does, Jason Jani made a video last week brilliantly expressing almost exactly how we feel about it, too.

So congratulations to all the recipients of these awards, thank you to the websites who distribute them, and if you’re a couple looking for a vendor, make sure to look at more than just these awards.