A Legacy Built on What This Career Should Actually Look Like.
The American Academy of Wedding Professionals has set the standard for wedding planner certification for over 25 years. Founded by Deb McCoy. Now led by Brooke Voris, the only certified AAWP trainer in the world.
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The Credential
What the American Academy of Wedding Professionals is.
The American Academy of Wedding Professionals, known as AAWP, is a professional organization and credentialing body for wedding planners. It was founded by Deborah McCoy to establish a rigorous, consistent standard for wedding planning education in the United States.
For over 25 years, AAWP has represented a commitment to professional preparation. The credential signals to clients, vendors, and venues that a planner has been trained, assessed, and found ready, not just enrolled and graduated.
The program is currently led and delivered by Brooke Voris, an Elite Wedding Concierge based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Brooke is the only certified AAWP trainer in the world. She rebuilt the curriculum in 2026 as a 12-week live cohort program delivered through her professional education platform, Fly With The Peacocks.
The AAWP Certification is not a course you watch alone and complete at your own pace. It is a training program you work through alongside a cohort, with live instruction from a working wedding professional, and a final assessment you must pass to receive the credential.
- Founded by Deb McCoy, author of four major bridal reference books
- Professional credential recognized by industry vendors and venues across the United States
- Currently delivered as a 12-week live cohort program
- Taught exclusively by Brooke Voris, the only certified AAWP trainer in the world
- Membership open to all wedding industry professionals upon certification
- Built on a 695-page curriculum foundation developed over decades of practice
- Graduates receive lifetime access to course materials and one year of post-certification mentorship
The Founding
The woman who built this standard from the ground up.
Deborah McCoy, known throughout the industry as Deb, is the founder and original architect of the American Academy of Wedding Professionals. A veteran wedding consultant with decades of hands-on industry experience, Deb founded AAWP with a clear conviction: that the wedding planning profession deserved a rigorous, research-backed standard of education.
Deb is the author of four major bridal reference books published by mainstream publishers, including The Elegant Wedding and the Budget-Savvy Bride. She built the AAWP curriculum on her own real-world practice, extensive industry research, and input from the nation's leading wedding professionals.
She didn't build AAWP because a credential didn't exist. She built it because the ones that did weren't good enough.
The organization she founded established high professional standards and a commitment to quality that has held for over 25 years. AAWP's membership has always been open to all wedding industry professionals, not just planners, because Deb understood that a rising standard lifts the entire industry.
Deb's 695-page curriculum forms the foundational backbone of the rebuilt AAWP program. Her legacy is credited and honored throughout every module. The program carries her name and her standards forward.
Deborah McCoy
Founder, American Academy of Wedding Professionals
"No other professional bridal organization can give you the prestige and credibility of AAWP membership. Our high standards of quality and uniformity will set you heads and tails above the rest."
Author of Four Major Bridal Reference Books
- The Elegant Wedding and the Budget-Savvy Bride
- Am I Getting Married? A Fun Wedding Guide for Brides-to-Be
- Weddings: A Celebration
- Weddings: Etiquette, Protocol and Planning
The 2026 Rebuild
One student. One mentor. One credential passed forward.
Brooke Voris came through the AAWP program as a student. She didn't just complete it. She built a 20-year career on the foundation it gave her. She became an Elite Wedding Concierge, earned industry awards, and was featured in Forbes, The Knot, WeddingWire, and Weddings Today.
When Deb McCoy was ready to pass the credential forward, she chose one person. Brooke is the only certified AAWP trainer in the world. That isn't a marketing claim. It is a factual distinction: no other person on earth is authorized to teach or certify through the American Academy of Wedding Professionals.
The AAWP Certification carries the legacy of the American Academy of Wedding Professionals, a credential built on decades of industry standards by founder Deb McCoy, now led and evolved by Brooke Voris through Fly With The Peacocks.
In 2026, Brooke rebuilt the program from the ground up. The 695-page curriculum was reorganized, updated for modern wedding industry realities, and restructured into a 12-week live cohort model. Deb's foundational standards remained. The delivery model changed completely.
The result is a program that honors 25 years of history while preparing graduates for the industry as it actually exists today.
"I wanted to build a real career, not just call myself a planner. The AAWP program gave me the foundation to actually do this right."
AAWP Graduate · Certified Wedding Planner
The Curriculum
Twelve weeks. One complete planning journey.
The AAWP Certification is organized around a single governing principle: students learn in the order that decisions actually happen in a real wedding. Not by topic. Not alphabetically. By workflow. Every module builds on the last, because that is how this career actually works.
Phase One: Foundation
Students start where every planner should, starting with a complete picture of the industry before touching a single detail of any wedding.
- Industry landscape and planner roles clearly defined
- Client relationship psychology and inquiry-to-booking journey
- Budget methodology and priority frameworks
- CRM platform setup and workflow systems
- How the full planning journey looks from above
Phase Two: The Planning Journey
The five-week heart of the program. Students move through every major vendor category in the sequence a real couple experiences them.
- Venue and catering selection and coordination
- Photography, videography, and entertainment
- Florals, decor, and design execution
- Details, logistics, and timeline dependencies
- Master timeline development and vendor coordination
Phase Three: Execution and Growth
Students move from planning to execution, and then from execution to running a professional business.
- Wedding day execution and post-wedding debrief
- Emotional intelligence and vendor relationship management
- Pricing, packages, contracts, and professional setup
- Marketing strategy with 90-day business launch plan
- Business-building only after the full planning journey is complete
Graduation Week. A full scenario assessment, live presentation to Brooke and the cohort, and real-time professional critique. The credential is not awarded upon completion. It is awarded upon demonstrated readiness. Students who need more time work with Brooke until they are ready.
How It Works Each Week
Every week follows the same clear structure.
Recorded lessons on Sundays. Live sessions on Thursdays. Three segments every week, in every module, for every topic.
The Knowledge
The recorded Sunday lesson delivers the core content for the week. Students come to Thursday prepared, not encountering material for the first time in a live session.
The Questions
Live Thursday sessions open with the questions students submitted during the week. Real answers to real situations, not a scripted replay of the recorded content.
The Application
Every week ends with a practical application assignment. Students don't just absorb information. They use it, practice it, and build the habit of execution.
Your Instructor
Brooke Voris is not a course creator. She is still a working planner.
Brooke Voris is an Elite Wedding Concierge based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. She has over 20 years of real-world experience guiding couples and training professionals. She plans a limited number of weddings per year. Not as a side business. Not as a footnote. Her primary professional identity.
She is the only certified AAWP trainer in the world. Every student in the program learns directly from the person who is still in the room with real clients, negotiating real contracts, and managing real wedding days. There is no proxy. There is no team of coaches hired to deliver the material.
When Brooke teaches vendor communication, she is describing what she said to a vendor last month. When she teaches budget strategy, she is drawing from the couple she is currently working with. The curriculum is not historical. It is current.
Elite Wedding Concierge
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
20+ Years in the Wedding Industry
Only Certified AAWP Trainer in the World
2025 Philly Favorites Winner · Professional Achievement Silver
Forbes, The Knot, WeddingWire, Zola, Weddings Today
The Difference
A course you complete. A program you earn.
Most wedding planner certifications are self-paced, pre-recorded, and awarded upon completion regardless of readiness. AAWP is something different. Here is the honest comparison.
| What It Comes Down To | AAWP Certification | Typical Certification Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Live instruction from a working professional | ✓ Every session | × Pre-recorded only |
| Cohort-based learning with peer accountability | ✓ Each cohort is limited | × Self-paced, solo |
| Curriculum ordered by real workflow, not by topic | ✓ Built around the planning journey | × Standalone topic modules |
| Final assessment with demonstrated competency | ✓ Live scenario presentation | × Chapter quizzes or none |
| Business training built after planning mastery | ✓ Week 11 intentionally | × Business content upfront or absent |
| One year post-certification mentorship access | ✓ Slack/Voxer + monthly calls | × Completion ends access |
| Credential awarded on readiness, not completion | ✓ Readiness guarantee | × Certificate upon finishing |
| 25+ year institutional credentialing history | ✓ Founded by Deb McCoy | × Varies significantly |
What Graduates Say
The credential matters. The preparation matters more.
"I came in thinking I just needed a certificate to show clients. I left with an actual foundation. I know how to run a planning business and how to show up on wedding day because I practiced it, not just read about it."
AAWP Graduate · Certified Wedding Planner
"Brooke taught me things about vendor relationships that I would have spent years figuring out on my own. The live sessions weren't a bonus. They were the whole point."
AAWP Graduate · Wedding Planner, PA
"I've looked at other programs. They give you information. AAWP gave me judgment. I know not just what to do but why, and what to do when things don't go according to plan."
AAWP Graduate · Certified Wedding Planner
"The graduation week scenario was the hardest thing I did in the program. It was also the most valuable. I walked out knowing I had actually earned this."
AAWP Graduate · Wedding Planner, NJ
What's Included
Everything you need to start. And stay supported.
Certification is not the end. It is the beginning. What graduates receive is designed to support the first year of their career, not just the 12 weeks of the program.
12 Weeks of Live Training
Recorded Sunday lessons plus live Thursday sessions with Brooke for 12 weeks. Access to recordings for every session throughout the program.
The AAWP Credential
The American Academy of Wedding Professionals Certified Wedding Planner designation, awarded upon demonstrated competency, not just completion.
One Year of AAWP Membership
Full membership in the American Academy of Wedding Professionals including the right to use the AAWP credential in all professional materials.
Custom CRM Platform Access
Students receive one year of access to Brooke's custom-built CRM platform. Introduced in Week 1 and used throughout the program. It becomes their professional tool post-certification.
One Year of Mentor Access
Slack or Voxer access to Brooke Voris for the full year following certification. Questions, strategy check-ins, and real-situation problem-solving from someone still working in the field.
Monthly Community Calls
Monthly deep-dives with your cohort and other AAWP graduates. Industry updates, business strategy, and peer community from professionals who went through the same program.
Lifetime Course Access
All course materials remain accessible after certification. As the curriculum is updated to reflect current industry standards, graduates receive those updates for life.
The Readiness Guarantee
If you need more time at graduation, you keep working with Brooke until you're ready. You will not be handed a credential you haven't earned. You will also not be abandoned if you need more support.
Common Questions
Everything you need to know before you decide.
What is the AAWP Certification?
The AAWP Certification, formally known as the American Academy of Wedding Professionals Certified Wedding Planner credential, is a 12-week professional training program for aspiring wedding planners. Founded by Deb McCoy and operational for over 25 years, it is currently led and delivered as a live cohort program by Brooke Voris, an Elite Wedding Concierge with over 20 years of experience and the only certified AAWP trainer in the world.
Who created the AAWP Certification?
The AAWP Certification was created by Deborah McCoy, founder of the American Academy of Wedding Professionals. Deb McCoy is a veteran wedding consultant and the author of four major bridal reference books. She founded AAWP to establish a rigorous professional standard for wedding planners in the United States, and her 695-page curriculum forms the foundational backbone of the current program.
Who currently teaches the AAWP Certification?
The AAWP Certification is led and delivered by Brooke Voris, an Elite Wedding Concierge based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Brooke is the only certified AAWP trainer in the world, designated by founder Deb McCoy as the sole authorized trainer to carry the credential forward. She delivers the program through Fly With The Peacocks, her professional education platform.
How long is the program?
The program runs for 12 weeks of structured training plus a graduation week (13 weeks total). Students should expect 5 to 8 hours per week, including recorded Sunday lessons, live Thursday sessions, and practical application assignments. Some weeks are lighter, some heavier. The workload is designed to be manageable alongside other commitments while still preparing graduates for real professional practice.
How is this different from other wedding planner certifications?
Most wedding planner certifications are self-paced, pre-recorded programs that award a completion certificate regardless of readiness. The AAWP Certification is a live, cohort-based training program with direct instruction from a working Elite Wedding Concierge, practical application every week, and a final scenario assessment that must be passed to receive the credential. The credential is earned, not given. Students also receive one year of post-certification mentorship access, something completion-based programs do not offer.
What happens at Graduation Week?
Graduation Week includes a full scenario assessment where students are presented with a real-world wedding planning situation and must demonstrate their ability to respond, plan, and execute correctly. They then deliver a live presentation to Brooke and their cohort and receive real-time professional critique. Students who need more preparation keep working with Brooke until they are ready. The credential is not awarded until demonstrated competency is confirmed.
What do I receive after completing the program?
Graduates receive the AAWP Certified Wedding Planner credential, lifetime access to course materials, one year of AAWP membership, one year of access to Brooke's custom CRM platform, Slack or Voxer access to Brooke for one year, and monthly community deep-dives with cohort graduates. The program is designed so that graduation is a beginning, not an ending.
Is this program accredited?
The American Academy of Wedding Professionals has been a recognized credentialing body in the wedding industry for over 25 years, founded by Deb McCoy. Brooke Voris is the only certified AAWP trainer in the world and the current steward of the program. The AAWP credential is recognized by wedding industry professionals, vendors, and venues across the United States. There is no universal accreditation body for wedding planner certifications. The credential's value comes from the reputation of the organization and the quality of its graduates.
Can I work while going through the program?
Yes. The program is designed for working adults. Recorded Sunday lessons allow students to engage with content on their own schedule during the week. Live Thursday sessions are scheduled with working adults in mind. The 5 to 8 hours per week expectation is meant to be achievable alongside other professional and personal commitments.
How do I enroll?
Enrollment is open through Fly With The Peacocks. The AAWP Certification runs in cohorts, and seats are limited per cohort to preserve the quality of mentorship. Prospective students can enroll directly or watch a free training to learn more about the program structure and philosophy before enrolling. A payment plan option is available.
Ready to Begin?
The credential you carry should reflect what you actually know.
The wedding industry doesn't need more people who call themselves planners. It needs more people who are prepared to do this right. The AAWP Certification was built to create the second kind of professional.
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P.S.
The AAWP credential has meant something in this industry for 25 years because the people who built it refused to make it easy to get. Deb McCoy built standards. Brooke Voris kept them.
If you earn this credential, it will mean something: to the couples who hire you, the vendors who work alongside you, and the venues that recognize the name. Not because of marketing. Because of what the program actually requires of you.
The industry gets better when the professionals in it are prepared. That is why this program exists.