We collect information you provide directly when creating an account or using the Platform, including your name, email address, profile photo, role (bride, groom, vendor, guest, etc.), wedding details (date, venue, budget, guest list, tasks, timeline, seating, songs, honeymoon plans), messages you send to vendors or other users, and any wedding submissions, reviews, or photos you upload.

If you purchase a Premium upgrade, we collect the transaction amount, your PayFast transaction reference, and any discount code or achievement level applied to the purchase.

If you participate in our referral programme, we record your referral code and the events linked to it. We also collect gamification data — including your XP score, level, achievements, and daily activity log — to operate the rewards system.

We also automatically collect limited technical and usage data, including device and browser information, IP address, pages viewed, and interactions with sponsored content (ad impressions and clicks) so we can measure and improve the Platform.

Your information is used to operate the Platform, authenticate you, deliver wedding-planning features, personalise your experience, calculate XP and achievement rewards, process premium upgrade payments, connect you with vendors, send service-related communications, prevent fraud and abuse, and produce aggregate analytics. We do not sell your personal information.

When you send an enquiry or message to a vendor or another user, the contents of that message and your contact details are shared with the recipient so they can respond. Messages are stored on our infrastructure for delivery, history, and moderation purposes.

The Platform displays sponsored content from wedding vendors. When an ad is shown to you or you tap on it, we record an anonymous impression or click event (ad ID, placement, timestamp) so we can report performance to advertisers and improve relevance. We do not use third-party advertising trackers and do not build cross-site advertising profiles.

When you create a guest invite page, certain wedding details — including couple names, wedding date, venue, cover photo, and your personal message — become accessible to anyone who holds your invite link. You control what is published and may update or remove this information at any time through the Invite Page settings.

Guests who visit your invite page may submit RSVPs, meal preferences, and song requests. This information is linked to your wedding record and is visible to you as the couple. We store it solely to help you manage your event.

Our gift registry lets your guests "claim" an item they intend to give you. When a guest claims a registry item we record the guest's name, the email address they enter on the claim form, the item claimed, and an optional message. This information is shared with you (the couple) so you can thank the guest and track your registry. We do not share guest email addresses with any other party.

Real Brides does not process cash gift contributions on behalf of couples. Where a registry shows a cash fund, the guest pays the couple directly using the bank details displayed on the registry page; we do not receive, hold, or transfer those funds.

We share data only with the service providers who help us run the Platform — including Supabase (database, authentication, file storage), Firebase Hosting (web delivery), Expo (mobile app distribution and crash reporting), and PayFast (payment processing for Premium upgrades) — and with vendors when you choose to contact them. These providers are contractually required to protect your information.

PayFast is a South African payment gateway. When you complete a payment, your card details are entered directly on PayFast's PCI-DSS-compliant servers. We do not receive, transmit, or store full card numbers or CVV codes.

We retain payment records — including the transaction amount, PayFast reference number, and any discount applied — for billing reconciliation and fraud prevention. These records may be kept for up to five years for accounting and legal compliance purposes.

We keep your account information for as long as your account is active. You may request deletion at any time, after which we will remove your personal data within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain certain records by law or to resolve disputes.

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including TLS encryption in transit, encrypted storage at rest, role-based database access, and Row Level Security policies on our Supabase tables.

We comply with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). You have the right to access (s23), correct or delete (s24), object to the processing of, or request a copy of your personal information. You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator at inforegulator.org.za.

Our designated Information Officer and full company registration details are published on our Legal & Company Information page.

The Platform is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with information, please contact us so we can remove it.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date above will reflect the most recent revision. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

For privacy-related enquiries or to exercise any of your rights, contact us at admin@realbridesmagazine.co.za