A WEDDING cake designer from Clutton has been announced as a South West regional winner at The Wedding Industry Awards 2026 in the ‘Wedding Cake Designer’ category.

Excitement reached fever pitch last week for Claire Hansen as The Wedding Industry Award South West Winners were announced at a glittering event at Aldwick Estate in North Somerset.

Claire, who grew up in Bishop Sutton and is a former pupil of Chew Valley School, and owner of Claire Hansen Cakes, said it was a “huge honour” to win The Wedding Industry Awards.

She said: “It means the world to me that the award is voted for by my real wedding couples. I absolutely love being a small part of their special day and bringing their creative visions to life in sugar.”

Based on average voter scores and feedback from customers from the past 12 months and the opinion of more than 160 expert judges, the 2026 wards saw 26,747 votes cast for 1,300 entrants. Of these, 1,000 wedding businesses became regional finalists.

Founder of The Wedding Industry Awards, Damian Bailey said: “TWIA is the most rigorous, respected and coveted awards in the UK wedding industry so the regional Winners really are at the top of their game.

“The competition is tough, the standards very high indeed, but thanks to over 26,747 client votes and our panel of more than 160 expert judges, the Regional Winners have risen to the top in an industry that absolutely demands the best.”

With the UK wedding industry being worth an estimated £15-billion annually, it’s no surprise that wedding suppliers are working hard to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Regional winners will now go through to the national final in Liverpool on January 21.