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The CWP Society

The CWP Society has been training, mentoring, and coaching wedding planners since 2007 becoming the world's leading wedding planner certification program and the largest membership of certified wedding planners. Since then, the mission has been to foster collaboration and community amongst ALL categories in the wedding industry, and now offers memberships and certifications for wedding professionals/vendors, wedding venues, as well as churches who host weddings.

Joining the CWP Society is more than joining an organization, or becoming certified - it's embracing a community dedicated to advancing the wedding profession and raising the standards across the globe.

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Our Society Executive Team

Laurie Hartwell - Founder/CEO

Laurie Hartwell has 3 decades of experience in the wedding industry, planning weddings for celebrities and other elite clientele since 1993 and teaching wedding planning certification programs since 2007. She has won many awards over the years, including "Most Helpful Mentor" at the National WEDDI AWARDS, for the impact she has made on wedding planners all around the world. Laurie has been a speaker for several national industry companies including:

- WeddingWire
- The Knot
- Aisle Planner
- Timeline Genius
- Wedding MBA
- and more! 

Laurie founded the CWP Society in an effort to create the type of community she was seeking when she first started planning weddings. She is so proud of the ever-growing family of professionals who all lift one another up within this organization.

Philip Hartwell - President

Philip Hartwell began his career in the hospitality industry in 1984 with the Walt Disney company. He went on to work with the Hilton Hotel corporation, and he served as the Vice President of a national medical supply company before joining The Bridal Society in 2009. His primary responsibilities include maintaining relationships with key influencers in the wedding industry. He also oversees all aspects of community outreach and works with universities across the country to bring the Certified Wedding Planner Society's programs to their students. As the husband of our founder and CEO, Laurie Hartwell, Philip shares her passion for bringing a higher level of professionalism and cooperation in the wedding industry.

Krisy Thomas - Vice President

Krisy Parker Thomas, is the Vice President of the Certified Wedding Planner Society, and owner of Southern Sparkle Wedding & Event Planning. She is also a Master Certified Wedding Planner through the Certified Wedding Planner Society. Southern Sparkle Wedding & Event Planning is an award-winning wedding planning team with locations in Nashville, Jackson, and Memphis, Tennessee. Southern Sparkle’s work has been featured in wedding publications and blogs such as: - Better Homes & Gardens - MidSouth Bride - MOD Weddings - Classic Bride - Ruffled Blog - The Wedding Playbook - Southern Bride Blog - and more! Southern Sparkle was also named one of The Nashville Scene’s Best of Nashville Wedding/Event Planners.

Melanie Snyder - Content Coord.

Melanie is the Owner of Melanie Paige Events + Design, an Award Winning Wedding Planning Firm, as well as a Master Certified Wedding Planner through The Certified Wedding Planner Society. She is also the Northeast Florida Society Social Coordinator, 2021 Wedding Planner of the Year, and a Certified Educator all through and for The Certified Wedding Planner Society. With over 10 years of experience, she has done weddings all over the country and brings both love and passion when serving her couples.