We don’t like to brag but we’re beyond delighted to announce that Botanica Weddings won second place at the prestigious 2017 ABIA Awards. Villa Botanica, our Airlie Beach venue, was number two out of 275 statewide nominees, and 22 finalists, all rated 95% or more by their clients. An absolutely outstanding score of 99.75% gave us the runner up spot. We missed out on the gold by less than 0.5% but we’re thrilled regardless to be recognised by ABIA for all of our hard work. Mr John O’ Meara, Chairman of the ABIA, congratulated us on our stunning achievement in our category. Mr O' Meara went on to say that Villa Botanica has demonstrated the necessary skills and determination for succeeding in the fiercely competitive wedding market place. O’Meara urged that Botanica Weddings should:
“Be extremely proud of the accomplishment which honoured the pride, passion and professionalism in which they delivered their product and service to their brides and grooms.”
Botanica Weddings Recognised For Top Ceremony Venue
We have been winning ABIA awards since our second year of operation in 2010 and have been a top Queensland wedding destination for years now, but being officially voted as a finalist for the country’s Best Ceremony Venue is such an honour. Villa Botanica was chosen for the ABIA award based on the quality of our products, quality of services, value for money and the overall attitude and demeanour of the staff who tended to the Bride’s every need in the lead up to the wedding, during the wedding and afterwards.
Botanica Weddings co-founder Janet Hogan says she couldn't have been prouder of our success! "We've won best in Queensland before but never been placed at the national level and this is a testimony to the dedication of the amazing team we have at Villa Botanica," she said.
"And also to the very devoted community of wedding suppliers we are so blessed to have in Airlie Beach: photographers, cake makers, decorators, florists, celebrants, hair and makeup artists, even limo drivers...every single one makes a significant contribution to the overall wedding experience we deliver and I am truly grateful to you all."
What Does An ABIA Award Mean?
ABIA stands for The Australian Bridal Industry Academy, which was founded 1997. The organisation aims to protect bridal customers and help to promote the best bridal suppliers in Australia. The award is prestigious and highly regarded by those in the Australian wedding business. Given the multitude of wedding supplier services available, ABIA has made the selection process streamlined. Their awards select the best suppliers in every category and are determined by amassing the votes of past brides. Who better to judge the quality of the services? Every year, more than 30,000 brides are registered to vote for their favourite wedding suppliers.
Brides rate their favourite wedding suppliers according to four categories: Quality of Product, Quality of Service, Value for Money and the Attitude of Staff. ABIA then take this data and use a mathematical calculation to determine the winner and runner-ups.
Using The ABIA Directory For Your Wedding
(Image gratefully credited to Playback Studios)
Helpfully, ABIA also has a directory so you can view the awards history and bridal ratings of over 30,000 Australian wedding suppliers. The directory listings have been ranked in order of their ABIA Accreditation level and award placement. Both the ABIA awards & accreditations logos help to provide couples and the bridal industry with a recognisable and trusted mark of quality. So before you choose a supplier, make sure you check out how past couples have rated them. To think that we came second in our category amongst all the suppliers in Australia is quite something. Botanica Weddings are so proud to offer a high-quality product, excellent service, value for money and to have staff who are passionate about weddings.
We've Been Winning Awards Since 2008
The ABIA awards are certainly highly coveted, but they’re not the only awards we’ve won that are worth mentioning. According to The Whitsunday Times, we’re currently “riding a wave of success”, having recently won both the Whitsunday and Queensland tourism awards for specialised services. We’re pleased to announce we’ve also recently been awarded a “special incentive prize” as part of the “Queensland Pledge”.
The Queensland Pledge is part of the Tourism Queensland initiative, which intends to provide customers with the best service experiences possible. Winners of the Queensland pledge go into a weekly draw for $1000 with a major $10,000 up for grabs at the end of the month. Villa Botanica won the $1000 which we rightly gave to our staff member, Kate Henley in recognition of her Wedding Planning service.
“The fan mailspeaks volumes about this wonderful organisation who go above and beyond for couples on their big day".
- Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business Minister, Jan Jarratt
There are also many examples of our commitment to be found in the testimonials of couples who have chosen us for their special day. And, in a nod to our amazing staff, our Brides are always in full praise our planning team. One Bride, in particular, recalls how Botanica Weddings Coordinator, Kate Henley, helped her to calm down from the pre-wedding nerves with a soothing drink in the cooler room.
The Luxury Travel Guide Award
We’ve also been nominated by the Luxury Travel Guide as the winner of Wedding Expert of 2017. In 2016, we won the Honeymoon specialist award!
The Luxury Travel Guide polls companies and customers throughout all of Asia & Australasia. Votes have come from a very wide audience of subscribers, journalists, hotel guests, travel agencies and industry experts.
The Luxury Travel Guide award celebrates and rewards excellence in several key areas, and they recognise businesses and individuals regardless of their size and location. The awards are given out according to:
* Service Excellence
* Innovation
* Cultural Understanding
* Diversity of Services
* Use of Technology
* Sustainability
* Marketing & Branding
* Pre/ Post Wedding Services
* Honeymoon Planning
Our Couples Come First
With so many wedding planning companies out there, it’s important to have organisations like the ABIA and others to provide customers with this important information on the best services. It’s also great to give companies that work hard to exceed expectations the recognition they deserve and we’re pleased to be nominated and recognised with so many awards. However, what’s more important to us is the couples we work with every day.
You see we know your wedding should be the most special day of your life. All couples have an expectation that it’s going to be a phenomenal day, and with all the money spent, it’s important for companies to deliver above and beyond those expectations.
Botanica Weddings consistently exceeds the experiences that couples have hoped for and this is reflected in both our testimonials and the many awards that we’ve won over the years. We’re proud to hold these marks of quality and look forward to achieving much more over the years.
If you’re planning a wedding and need some help, don’t hesitate to contact us. We have a large team of experienced and dedicated staff that are waiting to help you plan the wedding of your dreams. Whether you’re envisioning something small and intimate or grand and lavish, we’ll be there to help you all the way up to and beyond the big day.