About Us

Established in 2004 by Kylie Carlson

Born out of a desire to provide the industry with a formal education program that would give students the chance to develop their skills via experiential learning, Founder Kylie Carlson launched what was then known as the Australian Academy of Wedding & Event Planning (AAWEP) in 2004 in Melbourne , Australia.

Now known as The Wedding Academy, we are a global online school with over 8,000 Students from all over the world.

Prior to launching AAWEP, Kylie contributed to the Wedding Planning & Event Planning curriculum at TAFE, which is a nationally recognised continued education body in Australia.

Planning or designing a wedding is very different from launching and running a business and takes two different sets of skills, both equally as important as the other.

For many people the planning and designing comes quite naturally and it is the business side of things that leaves them a little hazy.

This is where The Wedding Academy excels. All course materials combine the knowledge and real-to-life training required to be a successful planner or designer with the fundamentals and basics of running a successful business.

The Course Curriculum has been developed over several years with the help of many industry experts. Each year the courses are upgraded to reflect new trends and ideas, as well as to update content that might be out of date. This is so important in an industry which is forever changing and bringing in new concepts.

The Wedding Academy was purchased by new owner Jac Bowie in late 2022 and she now runs the business from her home in Sunshine Coast, Australia.

The Wedding Academy now attracts students from all over the world – with our biggest markets being Europe, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, India, United Arab Emirates and Asia.

Jac Bowie is a serial entrepreneur, media personality, and digital marketing expert, known for her talents in event production, instruction, and radio announcing.

Currently spearheading The Wedding Academy, Jac seamlessly integrates her extensive business acumen, event management expertise, and digital marketing savvy into a myriad of projects including founding international women’s network Business in Heels and Australian wedding planning business, Darling Don’t Panic.

With over 15 years of experience orchestrating a diverse array of events, Jac has curated over 500 memorable experiences, ranging from book tours to elaborate burlesque shows.

Her meticulous attention to detail, creative problem-solving skills, and penchant for crafting once-in-a-lifetime moments have earned her recognition as one of the top 15 wedding and event stylists in Australia and New Zealand by Truly Madly Deeply.

Additionally, she has been hailed as one of the top 20 wedding planners to follow on Instagram by Hello May, with her events featured in prestigious publications such as Wedded Wonderland and WedShed.

As an educator, Jac shares her wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience with aspiring professionals through specialized courses and workshops. Whether imparting invaluable insights into event planning, wedding coordination, or digital marketing, she equips her students with the tools they need to thrive in their respective fields.

Our Team

The Advisory Board

We’ve collaborated with the top industry thought leaders from around the world for the Wedding Academy Advisory Board. Members provide guidance for our students, contribute to the course material and are instrumental in giving our students a practical look at the industry by providing a variety of work experience opportunities. They also give input into our International Wedding Trend Report and take part in our virtual summits.