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
Mel is a coffee-loving, too-loud laughing, Melbourne based wedding planner, stylist and coordinator bringing the #skillz approved by Sia to your open-air aisle, outside the city (yes sirly - she has worked with Sia!) Altering managing world-class events in sport and entertainment (think the Australian Open and Sir Paul McCartney), Melanie has rolled that experience in sunshine and hand-delivered it to couples for a personalised dream wedding experience *yes please* Mel's speciality is helping couples across Melbourne & Regional Victoria. She is a couples go-to and wedding day bestie so the whole wedding she-bang doesn’t become a second full-time job. #nothanks

instagram.com/mellyrain.creative
Contact Mel: mellyrain.com.au/contact

About Tania
Tania is an award nominated, coffee obsessed lover of love, and all round stationery nerd... & that is why she started the Event Wanderer Co. After years wrangling Ballkids at the Australian Open, she stepped into the world of weddings and turned her hand to design, combining a love of stationery with today's modern design and printing techniques to bring her biz baby to life. Tania's speciality is all things stationery and signage and also understanding the stress that event and wedding planning can bring and she's here to help you navigate the chaos of the journey.

instagram.com/eventwandererco/
Contact Tania: eventwandererco.com.au/pages/contact

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 the tricky dynamics of guest lists, offering practical advice on managing family expectations and categorising potential guests. This episode is packed with useful tips, ensuring listeners are well-prepared to kick off their wedding planning on the right foot.

Key Takeaways:

• Assessing Finances: Figure out where your wedding funds are coming from, whether it’s personal savings, family contributions, or loans. Clear communication about financial expectations helps prevent future conflicts.
• Prioritise Must-Haves: Identify and list the non-negotiable elements for your wedding day. This could be certain vendors, the venue’s look and feel, or specific services.
• Research Vendor Costs: Reach out to multiple vendors to get an idea of pricing. Use spreadsheets to compare and consolidate this information, helping to create a realistic wedding budget.
• Guest List Strategy: Make an initial list of potential guests, then categorise them using a traffic light system (Green for yes, Orange for maybe, Red for no). Be mindful of capacity and budget constraints.
• Family Contributions: If family contributions affect the guest list, be clear and set boundaries on how many guests they can invite.
  
  

Mellyrain Creative Freebie: Top 16 Wedding Costs Debunked -https://mellyraincreative.myflodesk.com/weddingcostsdebunked

Mellyrain Creative Freebie: Wedding Budget Template - https://mellyraincreative.myflodesk.com/wedding-budget-template

About Melanie
Mel is a coffee-loving, too-loud laughing, Melbourne based wedding planner, stylist and coordinator bringing the #skillz approved by Sia to your open-air aisle, outside the city (yes sirly - she has worked with Sia!) Altering managing world-class events in sport and entertainment (think the Australian Open and Sir Paul McCartney), Melanie has rolled that experience in sunshine and hand-delivered it to couples for a personalised dream wedding experience *yes please* Mel's speciality is helping couples across Melbourne & Regional Victoria. She is a couples go-to and wedding day bestie so the whole wedding she-bang doesn’t become a second full-time job. #nothanks

instagram.com/mellyrain.creative
Contact Mel: mellyrain.com.au/contact

About Tania
Tania is an award nominated, coffee obsessed lover of love, and all round stationery nerd... & that is why she started the Event Wanderer Co. After years wrangling Ballkids at the Australian Open, she stepped into the world of weddings and turned her hand to design, combining a love of stationery with today's modern design and printing techniques to bring her biz baby to life. Tania's speciality is all things stationery and signage and also understanding the stress that event and wedding planning can bring and she's here to help you navigate the chaos of the journey.

instagram.com/eventwandererco/
Contact Tania: eventwandererco.com.au/pages/contact

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 moment leading up to your big day without unnecessary stress. If you're recently engaged and looking for expert guidance, this series is for you!

About Melanie
Mel is a coffee-loving, too-loud laughing, Melbourne based wedding planner, stylist and coordinator bringing the #skillz approved by Sia to your open-air aisle, outside the city (yes sirly - she has worked with Sia!) Altering managing world-class events in sport and entertainment (think the Australian Open and Sir Paul McCartney), Melanie has rolled that experience in sunshine and hand-delivered it to couples for a personalised dream wedding experience *yes please* Mel's speciality is helping couples across Melbourne & Regional Victoria. She is a couples go-to and wedding day bestie so the whole wedding she-bang doesn’t become a second full-time job. #nothanks

instagram.com/mellyrain.creative
Contact Mel: mellyrain.com.au/contact

About Tania
Tania is an award nominated, coffee obsessed lover of love, and all round stationery nerd... & that is why she started the Event Wanderer Co. After years wrangling Ballkids at the Australian Open, she stepped into the world of weddings and turned her hand to design, combining a love of stationery with today's modern design and printing techniques to bring her biz baby to life. Tania's speciality is all things stationery and signage and also understanding the stress that event and wedding planning can bring and she's here to help you navigate the chaos of the journey.

instagram.com/eventwandererco/
Contact Tania: eventwandererco.com.au/pages/contact