diff --git a/src/program/admin.py b/src/program/admin.py
index 37f7fe51..81e2ee27 100644
--- a/src/program/admin.py
+++ b/src/program/admin.py
@@ -5,12 +5,22 @@ from .models import Event, Speaker, EventType, EventInstance, EventLocation, Spe
 
 @admin.register(SpeakerProposal)
 class SpeakerProposalAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
-    pass
+    def mark_speakerproposal_as_approved(self, request, queryset):
+        for sp in queryset:
+            sp.mark_as_approved()
+    mark_speakerproposal_as_approved.description = 'Approve and create Speaker object(s)'
+
+    actions = ['mark_speakerproposal_as_approved']
 
 
 @admin.register(EventProposal)
 class EventProposalAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
-    pass
+    def mark_eventproposal_as_approved(self, request, queryset):
+        for ep in queryset:
+            ep.mark_as_approved()
+    mark_eventproposal_as_approved.description = 'Approve and create Event object(s)'
+
+    actions = ['mark_eventproposal_as_approved']
 
 
 @admin.register(EventLocation)
diff --git a/src/program/migrations/0036_auto_20170316_0004.py b/src/program/migrations/0036_auto_20170316_0004.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e2168fdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/program/migrations/0036_auto_20170316_0004.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Generated by Django 1.10.5 on 2017-03-15 23:04
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import program.models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('program', '0035_auto_20170314_2325'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='speakerproposal',
+            name='picture_large',
+            field=models.ImageField(blank=True, help_text='A picture of the speaker', max_length=255, null=True, storage=program.models.CustomUrlStorage(), upload_to=program.models.get_speakerproposal_picture_upload_path),
+        ),
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='speakerproposal',
+            name='picture_small',
+            field=models.ImageField(blank=True, help_text='A thumbnail of the speaker picture', max_length=255, null=True, storage=program.models.CustomUrlStorage(), upload_to=program.models.get_speakerproposal_picture_upload_path),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/src/program/mixins.py b/src/program/mixins.py
index 6d7ac60f..34004532 100644
--- a/src/program/mixins.py
+++ b/src/program/mixins.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class EnsureUnapprovedProposalMixin(SingleObjectMixin):
     def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         # do not permit editing if the proposal is already approved
         if self.get_object().proposal_status == models.UserSubmittedModel.PROPOSAL_APPROVED:
-            messages.error(request, "This proposal has already been approved. Please contact the organisers if you need to modify something." % self.camp.title)
+            messages.error(request, "This proposal has already been approved. Please contact the organisers if you need to modify something.")
             return redirect(reverse('proposal_list', kwargs={'camp_slug': self.camp.slug}))
 
         # alright, continue with the request
diff --git a/src/program/models.py b/src/program/models.py
index d235cbad..106ea701 100644
--- a/src/program/models.py
+++ b/src/program/models.py
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@ from utils.models import CreatedUpdatedModel, CampRelatedModel
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from datetime import timedelta
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse_lazy
-import uuid
+import uuid, os
 from django.core.files.storage import FileSystemStorage
 from django.urls import reverse
 from django.apps import apps
+from django.core.files.base import ContentFile
 
 
 class CustomUrlStorage(FileSystemStorage):
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ class SpeakerProposal(UserSubmittedModel):
         upload_to=get_speakerproposal_picture_upload_path,
         help_text='A picture of the speaker',
         storage=storage,
+        max_length=255
     )
 
     picture_small = models.ImageField(
@@ -146,6 +148,7 @@ class SpeakerProposal(UserSubmittedModel):
         upload_to=get_speakerproposal_picture_upload_path,
         help_text='A thumbnail of the speaker picture',
         storage=storage,
+        max_length=255
     )
 
     @property
@@ -155,6 +158,26 @@ class SpeakerProposal(UserSubmittedModel):
     def get_absolute_url(self):
         return reverse_lazy('speakerproposal_detail', kwargs={'camp_slug': self.camp.slug, 'pk': self.uuid})
 
+    def mark_as_approved(self):
+        speakermodel = apps.get_model('program', 'speaker')
+        speakerproposalmodel = apps.get_model('program', 'speakerproposal')
+        speaker = speakermodel()
+        speaker.camp = self.camp
+        speaker.name = self.name
+        speaker.biography = self.biography
+        if self.picture_small and self.picture_large:
+            temp = ContentFile(self.picture_small.read())
+            temp.name = os.path.basename(self.picture_small.name)
+            speaker.picture_small = temp
+            temp = ContentFile(self.picture_large.read())
+            temp.name = os.path.basename(self.picture_large.name)
+            speaker.picture_large = temp
+        speaker.proposal = self
+        speaker.save()
+
+        self.proposal_status = speakerproposalmodel.PROPOSAL_APPROVED
+        self.save()
+
 
 class EventProposal(UserSubmittedModel):
     """ An event proposal """
@@ -191,6 +214,24 @@ class EventProposal(UserSubmittedModel):
     def get_absolute_url(self):
         return reverse_lazy('eventproposal_detail', kwargs={'camp_slug': self.camp.slug, 'pk': self.uuid})
 
+    def mark_as_approved(self):
+        eventmodel = apps.get_model('program', 'event')
+        eventproposalmodel = apps.get_model('program', 'eventproposal')
+        event = eventmodel()
+        event.camp = self.camp
+        event.title = self.title
+        event.abstract = self.abstract
+        event.event_type = self.event_type
+        event.proposal = self
+        event.save()
+        # loop through the speakerproposals linked to this eventproposal and associate any related speaker objects with this event
+        for sp in self.speakers.all():
+            if sp.speaker:
+                event.speaker_set.add(sp.speaker)
+
+        self.proposal_status = eventproposalmodel.PROPOSAL_APPROVED
+        self.save()
+
 
 #############################################################################################
 
diff --git a/src/program/templates/proposal_list.html b/src/program/templates/proposal_list.html
index 7aa1374f..f65b1ab4 100644
--- a/src/program/templates/proposal_list.html
+++ b/src/program/templates/proposal_list.html
@@ -24,8 +24,12 @@ Proposals | {{ block.super }}
             <td>
                 <a href="{% url 'speakerproposal_detail' camp_slug=camp.slug pk=speakerproposal.uuid %}" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs">Details</a>
                 {% if not camp.read_only %}
-                    <a href="{% url 'speakerproposal_update' camp_slug=camp.slug pk=speakerproposal.uuid %}" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs">Modify</a>
-                    {% if speakerproposal.proposal_status == "pending" %}
+                    {% if speakerproposal.proposal_status == "approved" %}
+                        <a href="{% url 'speakerproposal_update' camp_slug=camp.slug pk=speakerproposal.uuid %}" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs btn-disabled" disabled>Modify</a>
+                    {% else %}
+                        <a href="{% url 'speakerproposal_update' camp_slug=camp.slug pk=speakerproposal.uuid %}" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs">Modify</a>
+                    {% endif %}
+                    {% if speakerproposal.proposal_status == "pending" or speakerproposal.proposal_status == "approved" %}
                         <a href="{% url 'speakerproposal_submit' camp_slug=camp.slug pk=speakerproposal.uuid %}" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs btn-disabled" disabled>Submit</a>
                     {% else %}
                         <a href="{% url 'speakerproposal_submit' camp_slug=camp.slug pk=speakerproposal.uuid %}" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs">Submit</a>