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The Wedding Professionals of Greater Wilmington and Southeastern North Carolina A voluntary organization of wedding vendors The Association is a voluntary organization of wedding professionals and vendors in Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear region of North Carolina. It is intended to improve communication among wedding professionals, uphold the highest professional standards, and provide a guide to brides and grooms in choosing vendors. All members of the Cape Fear Wedding Association agree that they will abide by the Association's Code of Ethics. Members in good standing are entitled to use the association's logo in their advertising and other literature, and to incorporate the Code of Ethics in their sales literature, advertisements, web sites, etc. The Association conducts monthly networking events focused on particular professions or business issues that wedding professionals have in common. To promote our region as a wedding destination, the Association has taken the lead in a co-operative marketing campaign through the Cape Fear Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau's annual visitor guide. A multi-page advertisement, with participation by individual vendors and adjacent editorial material, encourages non-local brides to use the Association's online member directory as a planning resource. Through its Membership and Standards Committee, The Association offers brides and grooms a forum to register complaints involving members. If a consumer makes a specific, documented complaint against a member, alleging a violation of the association's Code of Ethics, the Committee will ask the member to provide a reply and, if possible, to resolve the issue. While the Association cannot guarantee that it can resolve all consumer complaints, the Membership and Standards Committee can revoke the membership of vendors who are found to have violated the Association's standards, including the Code of Ethics. Vendors doing business with Cape Fear Wedding are granted Association membership during the term of their contracts, if they agree to observe the Association's Code of Ethics and remain in good standing. This applies to advertisers in Cape Fear Wedding and exhibitors in the Cape Fear Wedding Show. Dues are included in advertising and booth rental fees. Vendors who do not advertise or exhibit in the show are welcomed as members, as noted above. The Cape Fear Wedding Association is a proprietary organization, wholly owned by Cape Fear Images, Inc. Resources for small business These are links to the groups that contributed to the "Survive and Thrive" panel discussion at our Jan. 21, 2009 meeting, as well as other resources for small business:
SCORE Wilmington Chapter: www.wilmingtonscore.orgU.S. Small Business Administration: www.sba.gov UNCW Small Business Technology Development Center: www.sbtdc.org Cape Fear Community College Small Business Center: sbc.cfcc.edu Brunswick Community College Small Business Center: www.sbcn.nc.gov |
Web site administered by Cape Fear Images, Inc. | 5621 Athens Lane | Wilmington, N.C. 28405