Awards Terms and Conditions

1. Eligibility

1.1 Entry is open to all Authorised Australian Marriage Celebrants registered with the Australian Government at the time of submission.

1.2 AMC Members must hold a current financial membership at the time of entry submission to access member entry inclusions.

1.3 Non-members may enter upon payment of the applicable entry fee.

1.4 Eligibility requirements specific to certain award pillars, such as Emerging Celebrant of the Year or Leadership Awards, must be satisfied in addition to these general terms.

2. Entry Period

2.1 Entries open on 1 July and close at 11:59pm AEST on 30 September, or as otherwise published for the relevant Awards year.

2.2 Late entries will not be accepted.

2.3 Entries must relate to work conducted within the applicable eligibility window as outlined in the Award Category Guidelines.

3. Membership and Fees

3.1 Entry fees, where applicable, are non-refundable.

3.2 Entry fee structure is determined by award category and membership status.

3.3 Membership must be current at the time of submission to qualify for member benefits.

4. Nomination Rules

4.1 Entrants may self-nominate unless otherwise specified in the category guidelines.

4.2 Certain awards, such as Mentor of the Year or AMC Leadership Excellence Award, may require third-party nomination.

4.3 Anonymous nominations will not be accepted.

4.4 Each entrant may submit only one entry per award category.

4.5 The same ceremony or project may not be entered into more than two categories in the same Awards year.

5. Submission Requirements

5.1 All submissions must be the original work of the entrant.

5.2 Where photographs, video, written readings or scripts involve third parties, the entrant must obtain appropriate written permissions prior to submission.

5.3 Entrants must ensure that all materials are accurate, lawful and free from defamatory or misleading content.

5.4 AMC reserves the right to request supporting documentation to verify authenticity.

6. Judging

6.1 Entries will be assessed by an Independent Judging Panel appointed by AMC.

6.2 Judging will be based solely on the criteria outlined for each award category.

6.3 The decisions of the Independent Judging Panel are final.

6.4 No correspondence or appeals process will be entered into regarding judging outcomes.

6.5 AMC reserves the right not to award a category if entries do not meet the required standard.

7. Digital Badges and Use of Title

7.1 Nominees, Finalists and Winners will receive official AMC Awards digital badges for use in marketing and promotional materials.

7.2 Badges must be used in accordance with AMC brand guidelines.

7.3 Winners may reference their award title only in connection with the relevant award year and category.

8. Publicity and Promotion

8.1 By entering, entrants grant AMC a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use submitted materials for promotional, editorial and marketing purposes related to the Awards and AMC activities.

8.2 AMC may publish entrant names, business names, websites and high-level submission summaries.

8.3 AMC reserves the right to edit submission content for clarity, formatting or length for publication.

9. Voting, Where Applicable

9.1 For public voting categories, AMC reserves the right to verify votes and disqualify fraudulent or manipulated entries.

9.2 Vote buying, incentivising votes or using automated systems is prohibited.

9.3 AMC may audit and remove suspicious votes at its discretion.

9.4 Where a public vote applies, AMC may determine whether outcomes are based purely on vote count or include a judging overlay, provided that approach is published for the relevant category.

10. Disqualification

10.1 AMC reserves the right to disqualify any entry that:

• Breaches these Terms and Conditions.
• Contains false or misleading information.
• Infringes intellectual property rights.
• Damages the reputation of AMC or the Awards.

10.2 AMC may withdraw an award at any time if a breach is subsequently identified.

11. Amendments and Cancellation

11.1 AMC reserves the right to amend award categories, eligibility criteria, judging processes or these Terms and Conditions.

11.2 If circumstances beyond AMC’s control prevent the Awards from proceeding, AMC may suspend, modify or cancel the Awards program, including but not limited to technological failure, sponsor withdrawal, cyber incidents, government restrictions, or events beyond reasonable control.

12. Privacy

12.1 Personal information provided will be handled in accordance with AMC’s Privacy Policy.

12.2 By submitting an entry, entrants consent to AMC collecting, storing and using their information for Awards administration and promotional purposes.

13. Limitations of Liability

AMC, its committee members, volunteers, subcommittee members and judges will not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense arising from participation in the Awards, including but not limited to reputational loss, business interruption or consequential damages.

14. Indemnity

Entrants agree to indemnify and hold harmless AMC, its officers, volunteers and judges from any claims arising from breach of these Terms, infringement of intellectual property, or unauthorised use of third-party materials.

15. Conflicts of Interest

Judges must declare any actual or perceived conflicts of interest and will abstain from assessment of relevant entries.

16. Complaints Process

Any concerns regarding process integrity must be submitted in writing within 7 days of results publication. AMC reserves discretion in responding and does not guarantee review of judging decisions. This includes concerns raised through social media, informal pressure on volunteers, or direct approaches to judges.

17. Volunteer Protection

Committee members, subcommittee delegates, judges and volunteers act in good faith in the administration of the AMC Awards and shall not incur personal liability for decisions made within the scope of their role.

18. Tax Disclaimer

Winners are responsible for any taxation obligations arising from receipt of prizes.

19. Defamation and Professional Conduct

Entrants must not engage in conduct that brings the Awards or AMC into disrepute. AMC may disqualify entrants for behaviour inconsistent with professional standards.

20. Integrity Checks

AMC may require confirmation that entrants hold current registration with the Attorney-General’s Department, are not subject to current disciplinary action, and continue to meet professional standards and the celebrant Code of Practice.

21. Risk and Sponsor Disclaimer

The information provided in this document was true and correct at the time of publication. AMC is not responsible for sponsor product quality, and sponsor participation does not imply endorsement of entrants.