Privacy Policy

BIG Buds Group (Pty) Ltd t/a BIG Buds Events Group, Pretoria, South Africa, is responsible for personal information collected for enquiries and event services on this website. For privacy questions, requests and contact with the person responsible for information protection, email events@bigbuds.co.za. The designated Information Officer's name, formal contact details and registration particulars remain to be confirmed by BIG Buds management.

We collect the details you give us: names, partner/contact details, preferred language, event date, venue, location, guest estimates, budgets, supplier needs, personal planning stage, selected services, timeline, notes, inspiration images and documents, and correspondence. The website also processes limited operational details such as form progress, random questionnaire resume tokens, time of submission and campaign referral data where allowed.

Where guests or other people are described in planning information, please provide only details needed to organise your event and avoid sharing sensitive personal information unnecessarily.

We use information to answer enquiries, arrange consultations, assess availability, prepare and follow up quotations, coordinate services requested by you, maintain records relevant to your booking, secure the website and manage legal obligations. Depending on the activity, processing may be necessary to take steps you request before a contract, fulfil a contract, meet legal obligations, protect your legitimate interests or pursue appropriate legitimate business interests under POPIA section 11. Where specific optional consent is required (such as electronic marketing), we ask separately. Cookie/advertising consent is also separate.

The Wedding Assistant initial enquiry is saved in the website's questionnaire system. If you continue to the detailed questionnaire, answers are added to the same record. You may save an incomplete questionnaire and resume it through a private, randomly generated link. Treat the link as confidential: a person with access to it could access your saved answers. The website currently sets a seven-day access-token validity and may issue a renewed link after an identity-checked email request; this is an access window, not a promise to delete the underlying enquiry after seven days.

Normal correspondence concerning your enquiry, including reminders to finish an incomplete form, is separate from general promotions.

After the detailed Wedding Assistant questionnaire is complete, or when a standard event questionnaire is submitted, the website attempts to transfer relevant answers into the separate BIG Buds EventFlow enquiry system. That system allows staff to review and manually approve creation of client/event records. Data transferred can include contact, event, supplier and budget information, selected services and the questionnaire answers needed to assess your enquiry.

We use Base44 infrastructure for website/app functionality, record storage and communications, and may use third-party providers for hosting, file storage and email delivery. Website code also references externally hosted images, Google Fonts and optional Meta advertising tracking. When providing an event service, we may share appropriate necessary details with contracted venues, florists, décor, catering, DJ, photography, transport or other suppliers, subject to the service requested. We do not sell questionnaire information.

Some technology or service providers may process or store information outside South Africa. Their precise hosting regions and applicable safeguards have not yet been verified for this website. BIG Buds is reviewing these arrangements and will assess any transfers against POPIA's applicable cross-border requirements before making stronger assurances.

On the public site, optional first-party visit and funnel analytics operate only if you permit Analytics cookies; the Meta Pixel activates only if you permit Marketing & advertising cookies. Third-party providers may collect browser/device identifiers subject to their terms. Our forms have a separate, initially unchecked option to receive occasional email or WhatsApp marketing. We do not treat submitting an enquiry or accepting cookies as consent to promotional messages. You can withdraw marketing permission by replying “STOP” to a message or emailing events@bigbuds.co.za. See our Cookie Policy.

We aim to keep personal information only for as long as reasonably required for an enquiry, requested services, legitimate record-keeping, disputes or applicable law. Specific retention and deletion schedules for drafts, submitted forms, marketing records, EventFlow copies and provider backups are still under administrative review. Where deletion is appropriate and lawful, we will remove, securely destroy or de-identify information as relevant, including connected systems where feasible.

We restrict administrative access, use server-validated questionnaire resume tokens and HTTPS links, and protect the EventFlow integration with a server-side shared credential. Access links must not be shared publicly. These controls reduce risk but do not guarantee that any internet system is free from security incidents. If you suspect an unauthorised disclosure, contact us promptly.

Subject to applicable POPIA provisions, you can ask what personal information we hold about you, request access or corrections, object to some processing, request deletion where applicable and withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. We may need reasonable identity verification before disclosing or changing records. Email events@bigbuds.co.za with the request and a secure way to contact you. We will review the request according to law and any necessary retention duties.

If your concern is not resolved, you may complain to South Africa's Information Regulator, including by emailing POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za with the appropriate prescribed complaint details.

We may update this notice as website processes and verified provider arrangements evolve. Material changes may trigger renewed cookie choices. This version reflects the implementation dated 23 October 2026 and remains subject to final administrative/legal review where expressly marked.