For Vendors

Privacy Policy

Weddings Whitsundays (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is an initiative of the Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI), a not-for-profit organisation based in Queensland, Australia. We operate weddingswhitsundays.com as a membership-based promotional and educational platform for wedding suppliers and venues in the Whitsundays region.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website, register as a member, or participate in our events. We are committed to complying with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

By using our website or services, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our website and services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

  • Register for a Weddings Whitsundays membership
  • Submit an expression of interest (EOI) to participate in events such as the Whitsundays Wedding Trail
  • Contact us via email or our website contact form
  • Pre-register for an event as an attendee
  • Submit a ‘Real Wedding’ story or enquiry form

 

The types of personal information we may collect include: your name, business name, email address, phone number, postal address, website URL, social media handles, professional category, and payment details (processed securely via a third-party payment provider).

1.2 Information Collected Automatically 

When you visit weddingswhitsundays.com.au, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including: IP address, browser type and version, pages visited, time and date of your visit, referring URL, and device information. This data is collected via cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 6).

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, such as when you interact with our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram) or when a member submits information about a colleague or contractor for directory purposes.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect to:

  • Process and manage your membership application and renewal
  • Maintain and display your supplier listing on our website directory
  • Communicate with you about your membership, events, and updates relevant to Weddings Whitsundays
  • Process event registrations and participation fees
  • Send marketing communications, newsletters, and promotional materials (where you have consented)
  • Improve our website, services, and member experience
  • Comply with our legal obligations and enforce our Terms & Conditions
  • Respond to enquiries and provide customer support

 

We will not use your personal information for purposes other than those outlined above without your consent, unless required by law.

3. Disclosure of Your Information

3.1 Public Directory Listings

If you are a registered member, your business name, contact details, profile description, images, and category will be published publicly on weddingswhitsundays.com as part of your directory listing. Please ensure any information submitted for your listing is information you are comfortable sharing publicly.

3.2 Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services, including: website hosting providers, email marketing platforms (such as MailChimp), payment processors, and CRM systems. These providers are contractually required to keep your information confidential and to use it only for the purposes for which it was shared.

3.3 Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry

As Weddings Whitsundays is an initiative of WCCI, relevant personal information (such as membership records) may be shared with WCCI for administrative, governance, and reporting purposes, consistent with your membership agreement.

3.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information where required to do so by law, or in response to a valid request from a government or regulatory authority.

3.5 No Sale of Personal Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to any third party for marketing purposes.

4. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, and disclosure. These measures include secure server infrastructure, password-protected administrative systems, and restricted staff access to personal data.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

If you believe your personal information has been compromised, please contact us immediately at hello@weddingswhitsundays.com.

5. Retention of Information

We retain your personal information for as long as your membership is active and for a reasonable period thereafter, or as required by law. Member data is generally retained for seven (7) years following the end of a membership period for accounting and legal compliance purposes.

If you request the deletion of your personal information and there is no legal basis for us to retain it, we will take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it within 30 days of your request.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies — small data files stored on your device — to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies may be used to: remember your preferences, analyse website traffic and usage patterns, and support third-party integrations such as Google Analytics or social media sharing buttons.

You can configure your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website.

We use Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors use our site. Google Analytics collects information anonymously and reports website trends without identifying individual visitors. For more information on how Google uses your data, visit google.com/policies/privacy/partners.

7. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites, including those of our member suppliers and partners. This Privacy Policy applies only to weddingswhitsundays.com. We have no control over, and accept no responsibility for, the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

8. Access and Correction of Your Information

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, and to request that we correct any information that is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, or misleading.

To make an access or correction request, please contact us in writing at hello@weddingswhitsundays.com. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe (generally within 30 days). In some circumstances, we may be permitted to refuse access, and if so, we will provide you with written reasons.

Members are also responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their own directory listing. Updates to your listing can be submitted at any time by emailing hello@weddingswhitsundays.com.

9. Marketing Communications

Where you have provided your consent, we may send you marketing communications including newsletters, event announcements, and promotional updates. You can opt out of receiving these communications at any time by clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in any email, or by contacting us directly.

Please note that opting out of marketing communications does not affect our ability to send you service-related correspondence, such as membership renewal notices or event confirmation emails.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 18, please contact us and we will take prompt steps to delete that information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or operational requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the ‘Last updated’ date at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, notify members by email.

Your continued use of our website or services following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Complaints

If you have a complaint about the way we have handled your personal information, please contact us in the first instance at hello@weddingswhitsundays.com. We will investigate your complaint and respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.

13. Contact Us

For any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us at:

Weddings Whitsundays

c/o Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Email: hello@weddingswhitsundays.com

Website: weddingswhitsundays.com