The Federation

About IWIF

The Irish Wedding Industry Federation exists to represent, support and promote Ireland's wedding industry as one national economic sector.

Our position

Bringing the Industry Together

Ireland has developed an extraordinary wedding industry.

It includes thousands of businesses spanning hospitality, entertainment, creative services, fashion, beauty, travel, food, retail and event production.

Many are small or family-run enterprises.

Others are substantial hotels, venues, national suppliers and professional organisations.

Together they support an enormous number of Irish weddings every year.

Yet because these businesses belong to different commercial sectors, the wedding economy has historically lacked a single representative organisation.

IWIF was created to change that.

The federation brings together people and businesses whose commercial activity depends upon weddings and gives that industry a national identity.

Editorial painting of hospitality professionals setting an elegant wedding table overlooking an Irish landscape

Mandate

Our Purpose

Representation

To communicate the interests and concerns of Ireland's wedding industry to Government, State agencies, media and relevant organisations.

Promotion

To demonstrate the economic, cultural and tourism value of Ireland's wedding industry.

Support

To provide businesses with information, research, resources and a collective professional community.

Growth

To help create the conditions in which reputable Irish wedding businesses can develop and prosper.

Origins

Our History

The concept behind IWIF emerged from a simple observation.

Ireland's wedding industry was economically enormous but institutionally fragmented.

Thousands of businesses depended upon weddings, yet there was no single organisation capable of representing them collectively.

The Irish Wedding Industry Federation was established to create that national voice.

Public references to the federation date back to at least 2018, when its development was described as an initiative through which Irish wedding suppliers could be recognised nationally as one entity.

The organisation subsequently participated in public discussion surrounding the wedding industry, including during the unprecedented disruption caused by Covid-19.

That period demonstrated precisely why a representative body was necessary.

Restrictions affecting weddings immediately affected businesses across hospitality, beauty, entertainment, photography, retail, transport and many other sectors.

IWIF is now being renewed with the same fundamental objective:

to ensure that Ireland's wedding industry has an independent, credible and unified national voice.

Our founding purpose

One industry.
One national voice.

Founder

Shane McGrath

Founder Chairperson, Irish Wedding Industry Federation

IWIF was founded from the belief that Ireland's wedding businesses should be recognised collectively as a major national industry.

The objective was never to create another commercial wedding directory or awards programme.

It was to establish an organisation capable of representing the businesses behind Irish weddings.

As IWIF develops, its long-term role is institutional rather than personal.

The federation is intended to be led and informed by its members, industry representatives, executive team and advisory structures while preserving the independent purpose on which it was founded.

Founded in Ireland to create a united national voice for the wedding industry.

Structure

Governance

IWIF is being developed as an independent industry representative organisation.

Its governance structure should ultimately include representation from major areas of the wedding economy to ensure that no single commercial sector dominates the federation.

Board of Directors
Industry Council
Sector Committees
Regional Representatives
Executive Director
Policy and Research Committee
Professional Standards Committee

The Founder Chairperson and Inaugural Provisional Council Members are listed below. Further board and executive team appointments will be published when confirmed.

Governance & Council Draft Constitution IWIF Industry Council Join IWIF

Federation leadership

Leadership, Board & Team

The federation’s Founder Chairperson is listed below. Further board and executive team appointments remain to be confirmed.

Founder Chairperson

Portrait
pending

Shane McGrath

Founder Chairperson

Member profile awaiting publication.

Board of Directors

Additional board appointments and individual profiles are awaiting confirmation.

Federation Team

Executive and operational team appointments are awaiting confirmation.

Industry representation

Inaugural Provisional Industry Council

The following members are IWIF’s Inaugural Provisional Council Members. Council membership is distinct from board directorship.