Cut the Cake

In this episode of the The Wedding Planning Series, we’re chatting all things wedding invitations and RSVPs—because let’s be real, getting those invites out and RSVPs back is way more complex than just popping them in the post.

We’re breaking down the different types of invites: traditional paper, digital, and hybrid, so you can figure out what works best for your big day. Plus, we’ll talk timelines—like, when exactly should you be sending out those invites? Spoiler: it depends if you’ve already sent a save-the-date!

We’re also diving into why...

We’re all about crafting a personalized wedding vibe and in this episode of The Wedding Planning Series, we are uncovering the key visual elements that make your wedding style truly one-of-a-kind. We dive into popular trends like vintage and modern, and highlight must-haves like florals and stationery. We’ll help you find that sweet spot between creativity and budget, while making sure it all reflects your personal flair as a couple.

We also share practical tips and real-world examples to help bring your wedding styling dreams to life. From chatting with vendors like florists and decor expe...

In this episode of The Wedding Planning Series, we’re diving into one of the most exciting parts of wedding planning—finding the perfect wedding dress and suit! Whether you’re a bride, groom, or both, this episode is packed with helpful tips and advice on choosing attire that suits your style, budget, and the season. We cover everything from classic wedding dress silhouettes like A-line and mermaid, to sleek suits and tuxedos for every type of celebration.

We’ll also guide you through the best places to shop—bridal boutiques, second-hand gems, and even designer trunk shows—so y...

In this episode of our wedding planning podcast, we’re back at it, getting one step closer to our dream wedding day—this time, it’s all about locking in the last few vendors. We’re talking all the key players who’ll set the vibe and make sure everything runs without a hitch on the big day. Following up on the last chat where we tackled the must-have vendors like caterers and photographers, today we’re diving into DJs, MCs, hair and makeup artists, transport, and of course—the all-important wedding cake. We’ll touch on everything from costs to what to...

In this episode of our "12 Steps from Engaged to I Do" series, we’re focusing on Booking Your Key Vendors First. We’re diving into why you need to book key vendors like caterers, celebrants, photographers, and videographers early in the planning process. Since many of these vendors only handle one wedding per day, locking them in ahead of time ensures you secure your preferred team for the big day.

Catering can be one of the larger expenses, especially if your venue doesn’t include it, and the type of catering you choose will impact your budget signif...

In this engaging episode of "Cut the Cake," we dive into the crucial step of sending out save the dates for weddings. 

Step three in our Wedding Planning Series highlights the importance and perfect timing for this essential pre-invitation. We explore how save the dates give guests a heads-up on your wedding date and location, especially for those traveling from afar, helping make the planning process smoother for everyone.

We share tips on designing save the dates and discuss the pros and cons of physical versus digital formats. Save the dates are such a fun w...

In this episode  of The Wedding Planning Series, we’re diving into one of the biggest steps in wedding planning – finding the perfect venue! 

Whether you're dreaming of a rustic barn or a chic city warehouse, the right venue sets the tone for your big day. 

We’ll break down the process into four simple steps, from creating your vision and checklist to visiting venues and making the final decision. 

About Melanie
Mellyrain Creative is a wedding planning and styling company and we specialize in designing luxe countryside weddings across reg...

In this episode of the The Wedding Planning Series, we dive into two of the most pivotal aspects of planning a wedding: creating a budget and organising the guest list. Starting with a light-hearted chat about hot chocolate preferences and some personal stories, our easy-going banter sets the tone for an informative session.

We cover the critical first steps of wedding planning, stressing the importance of setting a clear budget and prioritising the non-negotiables. We explain the tedious but essential task of researching vendor costs and putting together a detailed spreadsheet to visualise expenses. We also tackle...

In our Wedding Planning Series: Twelve Steps from Engaged to I Do, we're setting the stage for a straightforward guide to help simplify the often overwhelming process of planning your wedding.

Over the next twelve weeks, we'll be taking you on a journey, offering practical, step-by-step advice to make wedding planning less daunting. We’ll dive into everything from creating your wedding budget to finding your perfect venue, booking key vendors, and so much more. This season of Cut the Cake is designed to be your ultimate wedding planning companion, so you can enjoy every mo...

Weddings are days filled with joy, laughter, and sometimes a touch of regret. When a couple's wedding has been and gone, upon reflection there are sometimes regrets. In our time as wedding pros, we see that these regrets are usually the same for most couples. Things they didn’t do that they wish they had. Things they didn’t take into consideration when they probably should have. Putting way too much time into areas and didn’t mean diddly squat on the day. And even thinking “I don’t need to do that” to only look back and say “yep… I should...

This isn’t a regular episode but a quick public service announcement. We've been dropping new episodes every week for 36 weeks, and time has flown—it's already June! For those in Victoria, Australia, especially in the wedding industry, Winter is the off-season. Not many weddings happen, and many people, including vendors, take this time to recharge or travel.

So, here’s our announcement… drum roll, please. We're taking a short break over Winter! But don’t worry, we have epic plans for when we return. We’ll be back with more structured episodes and vendor insights—perfect for wedding pl...

In this episode of Cut The Cake we tackle more wedding planning questions you, our lovely listeners, have sent our way for not only advice. But for the honest truths to help you plan your wedding without any unnecessary stress.

Questions we discuss include whether florists take back wedding florals at the end of a wedding and if this is normal. Venue requirements for packing up styling pieces and how this differs from venue to venue. The feasibility of planning a winter wedding in Victoria. And probably the most common question we have been asked recently around...

Planning a property wedding is sometimes viewed as the easier wedding planning option. BUT, we are here to tell you that when couples do opt to wed at a property, whether it’s a private estate, a family garden, or an empty paddock, the logistics and details involved can quickly become overwhelming. But with that said, there are so many incredible benefits of planning a property wedding. So we thought what better way to give you real insights than by chatting with a real bride who planned a property wedding at her family farm.

In this episode of...

With many couples finding love on dating apps, the concept of planning a wedding through a similar platform seems like a natural next step - yes? Enter The Best Wedding App! The Best Wedding App encourages couples to swipe right for their favored wedding vendors, just as they would for a prospective love match on a dating app. But it's not just about the swiping; it's about planning your wedding with ease, simplicity and convenience!

In this episode of cut the cake, we have the fabulous Charis White, an experienced wedding celebrant joining us who is also...

When you’re planning a wedding, it’s easy for the expenses to add up. At the end of the day, a wedding is a luxury and there are costs that come with having any type of event, big or small. But even so, whatever your budget is, there are ways to be savvy with you spend your money.

What's more, we have been involved in planning and delivering countless weddings so we have tips galore when it comes to being a Savvy Sally/ Sam and we want to share these with you in this special episode. 
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In this episode of Cut The Cake we delve deep into the intricacies of wedding planning by tackling an array of questions submitted by you, our loyal listeners. Questions like, how do I chase my RSVPs without being annoying. What exactly is a micro wedding? What's better, a band or DJ? 

And even the classic partner debate… Do we really have to navigate our wedding date around the AFL grand final? It’s another great round of questions so let’s not waste any time and get into today’s episode.

About Melanie
Me...

In the world of weddings, guestbooks have long been a staple for couples to capture the well-wishes and memories of their loved ones. However, in recent years there has been growing popularity for couples to move away from written guest books and incorporate an audio guestbook on their wedding day.

Today on Cut the Cake, we have the privilege of chatting with Liz, the co-founder of Off The Hook. Off the Hook is one of the OG audio guest book companies in Australia and prides themselves in offering audio guest books with no hidden costs, no cords...

If you haven’t heard of Panama Dining Room, we are sure you have seen its iconic arched windows pop up on your Instagram feed. Yes those windows are spectacular, but Panama Dining Room offers so much more than just that picture-perfect Instagram photo.

In this episode of "Cut the Cake," we are joined by Luke Stepsys, owner of Panama Dining Room; Luke shares his journey from being a chef to becoming a restaurateur and how he fell in love with Panama Dining Room at first sight. He explains the unique concept of the venue, which operates as...

Planning a wedding can be a daunting task, and many couples find themselves overwhelmed with the number of tasks that need to be completed. This is where delegating roles and responsibilities to friends, family, and your wedding party can be incredibly helpful. 

In this episode of Cut The Cake, we discuss the various tasks that can be delegated to your friends, family and wedding party that include traditional roles, as well as alternative options. 

So, let’s get into the juicy info we know you are craving.

About Melanie
Mell...

When we say property wedding, what comes to mind? Perhaps a beautiful marquee under a starry night with the most gorgeous sunset you ever did see across rolling hills as far as the eye can see? We’re the first to admit we love a property wedding. But here’s the thing. There is actually so much you need to consider when planning a property wedding. So, we have brought in an expert to talk all about this hot topic.

Lauren is the founder and creative director of ETC Event Styling and specialises in marquee and private prop...

When we started Cut The Cake, we wanted to give couples a platform to ask anything and everything they were going through in their wedding planning process. This month we have had some great questions sent our way!

Questions like, what styling trends are hot this wedding season? Are mix and match bridesmaids dresses still a thing? How do I find good wedding vendors? And even some curly questions like can I invite guests 4 weeks out from my wedding date and should you invite people to your hens if they aren’t invited to your wedding? Get re...

Makayla Donovan, along with her husband Tom are the founders of The Moissanite Company. A company based in Brisbane Australia that specialises in crafting bespoke ceremonial jewellery. Makayla’s mission is to create positive change within the jewellery industry, removing the stigma around cultured gemstones and allow couples to create their dream engagement and wedding rings that are affordable, luxurious and ethical.

In this episode of Cut the Cake, Makayla explains the unique qualities and benefits of Moissanite as a gem stone alternative. As well as the process of creating custom jewellery at The Moissanite Company and th...

Weddings are a joyous occasion. And yes, they come with a price tag. Couples often go into the planning process with little knowledge of what everything costs when putting a wedding day together, which in turn leads to unexpected expenses and budgeting stresses. Weddings can be a significant financial investment, so we think it is important for couples to have a realistic understanding of what your wedding could cost.

In this episode of cut the cake, we dive into the hot topic of wedding costs and provide a comprehensive overview of wedding expenses that couples may encounter...

If you haven't heard of Letterpress stationery, do not fear, as you are not alone. It’s an incredibly beautiful printing technique you can use when creating wedding or event stationery and instead of us explaining exactly what it is, where it came from and how you can use it in your stationery, we have brought in the experts from D&D Letterpress.

In this episode, Danika and Doug from D&D Letterpress explain the process of letterpress printing, its history, and how it differs from other printing methods. They also share insights into the cost of le...