Being recognised as the 'best' is an accolade most businesses aspire to and following the recently held West Country Wedding Awards, four companies in the 'Post' area are celebrating after achieving this against stiff competition.

The China Fleet Country Club, Saltash recently hosted the awards and 15 winners were announced at an evening packed with atmosphere and expectation. The event, held on April 15, saw 54 finalists come together as the best in the South West.

Organised by Samm Riley of Wedding Matters, the awards are to reward those doing well whilst inspiring others to do better, but most importantly, according to Samm, adding a healthy dose of competition to the industry, so that no business offering a service or product to the industry has the opportunity to rest on its laurels. This in itself will continue to keep standards high and therefore encourage more wedding tourism to Devon and Cornwall.

Samm Riley said: "The awards were introduced to create an industry commensurate with our soaring wedding destination status. Wedding tourism in the West Country is still on the up, despite the office of national statistics showing evidence that weddings in other regions are in decline."

The winners included: Best Wedding Venue Cornwall — Falcon Hotel, Bude; Best Floral Designer — Flowers from Bruallen, Delabole; Best Entertainment — Caricatures by Luke Warm, Hartland; Judges Choice — Geodesum, Bude.

Next year's awards opens for entrants in September 2009.

Samm said: "These awards and their ongoing presence are vital to the development of West Country wedding tourism. Whilst providing recognition to those who go all out to make special wedding days, it promotes and creates better business practices. This is essential if we are to keep attracting those discerning couples from outside the region who have larger wedding budgets and expectations to match."