Cut the Cake

Melanie James & Tania Hall

Welcome to the Cut The Cake Podcast, where we are here to help you navigate the wonderful, yet sometimes overwhelming, world of wedding planning.
In this podcast you'll go behind the scenes on the wedding industry with us, Melanie and Tania, two wedding-obsessed girls from Melbourne, Australia. With over 20 years of combined experience in the wedding and events industry, we bring you no-nonsense advice, industry secrets, and plenty of laughs along the way.
Melanie, the coffee-loving, fun-obsessed wedding planner, stylist, and coordinator, will be your go-to for all things weddings. While Tania, the creative director and expert in design, will bring your wedding day vision to life through beautiful stationery and signage.
Together, we'll tackle hot wedding topics, have informal and fun chats with leading wedding vendors, and share insights and answers to all your burning wedding questions. No BS, just real talk about planning and enjoying your special day.
So, if you're feeling overwhelmed, elbow deep in a tub of ice cream, and in need of some wedding intel, subscribe to Cut the Cake on your favourited streaming platform. And don't forget to slide into our DMs on Instagram @cutthecakepodcast or email us at [email protected] with all your burning wedding questions.

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Top 10 Cut the Cake Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Cut the Cake episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Cut the Cake for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Cut the Cake episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Short & Sharp Series | Planner, Stylist & Coordinator: What's the Difference and Do You Need All 3?

Cut the Cake

02/17/25 • 7 min

Are you planning a wedding in Australia and feeling a little overwhelmed? Or maybe you’re feeling like planning your wedding is becoming a second full time job, and you just wish there was something out there that could help you with short, sharp but more importantly helpful wedding planning tips!
Well get ready lovers, because our newest season of Cut The Cake which we have dubbed the Short & Sharp Series is made for engaged couples looking for quick, to the point, real talk helpful wedding planning tips!

We have so much wedding planning intel to share and we know everyone’s time is valuable. So each episode of the Short & Sharp Series will be less than 5 minutes long allowing you to get the valuable wedding planning intel you need and want, fast!
Listen to a new episode every Tuesday and remember to also follow us on social media @cutthecakepodcast @mellyraincreative and @eventwandererco for extra wedding planning tips throughout 2025.

About Melanie
Mellyrain Creative is a wedding planning and styling company and we specialize in designing luxe countryside weddings across regional Victoria. As the head wedding planner and stylist at Mellyrain Creative, her team continues to grow and assist in styling design as well as wedding day coordination and execution of styling set ups at weddings all over Victoria. Prior to weddings Mel worked in sport and entertainment events in Melbourne and she is obsessed with her golden retriever pup Duncan who you’ll see on the gram from time to time. Mel love's to call country Victoria her happy place so when she's not working, you’ll still find me exploring new places, mostly something with mountains as a backdrop.
instagram.com/mellyraincreative
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/

The Guest Book Revamped with Video and One Stylish Man On A Mic: A Conversation with Tommy Casha

Cut the Cake

10/16/23 • 42 min

In this episode of Cut The Cake, we had the pleasure of chatting with Tommy from Wedding Chats. A stylish man on a mission to create fun video versions of the traditional wedding guest book. We discussed the light bulb moment that started wedding chats. The services wedding chats provides and what guests can expect and receive. Tommy’s plans for his growing team and his newest offering, Party Chats. And of course the serious questions like curveball answers wedding guests provide and how he can sneak in a slice of wedding cake before leaving a couples special day.
Wedding Chats is not just a wedding day service. It's an experience that captures the love and emotions of a couple’s story from the ones who know them the best. Through heartfelt interviews, simple but oh so powerful questions, and a few curveball answers, the end product of what Wedding Chats provides for couples goes beyond “just a video”. It's a powerful reminder of the love and connection that brings people together on such a special day. Wedding Chats has become the newest game-changer in the industry and we are honoured to have Tommy on Cut The Cake. Now let’s get into the episode.
About Tommy + Wedding Chats
Tommy Casha is the founder of Wedchat, a company that provides a unique and modern guest book experience for weddings. With a background in journalism and content creation, Tommy brings his skills to weddings by interviewing guests and capturing heartfelt messages for the couple.
Instagram: instagram.com/wedding.chats/
Website: weddingchats.com.au
Follow us at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cutthecakepodcast/

Website: https://www.cutthecakepodcast.com.au/

If you’ve enjoyed this episode and you'd like to hear more of us in your ears, subscribe to Cut The Cake on your streaming platform and leave us a review.

We’d love to hear from you so if you hve a burning wedding question for us, be sure to slide into our DMs on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]

Thanks for listening and remember, a party without cake is just a meeting!

Creating your wedding day timeline and avoiding wedding day chaos!

Cut the Cake

10/09/23 • 35 min

Putting a timeline together for your wedding day can be a daunting task, but fear not! We have the extraordinary wedding planner, Mel, here to guide you through the process. In this episode of Cut The Cake we discuss how to create your wedding day timeline to avoid wedding day chaos including key questions you need to ask your vendors, things to consider when creating your wedding day timeline and hot tips we know you’ll love so you don’t end up in the fetal position on the couch with a large block of Cadbury chocolate!
In this episode we are discussing a hot wedding planning topic - your wedding day timeline! As your wedding day approaches, your venue and vendors are going to ask you for your wedding day timeline so if you haven’t hired a pro wedding planner to do this for you, the task sits with you to complete.
We know the emails are going to start flooding your inbox and the task to create your wedding day timeline can feel daunting and stressful. Where do you start? What information do you ask your vendors? How do you put together your wedding day timeline without you ending up in the foetal position on the couch with a large block of Cadbury chocolate?
We are going to deep dive into the key questions you need to ask your vendors, the important things you need to consider when creating your wedding day timeline plus all the hot tips we know you’re going to appreciate now before you start reaching for the Cadbury chocolate.
So let's jump right in!
LINKS

Follow us at:
cutthecakepodcast.com.au
instagram.com/cutthecakepodcast/
Email: [email protected]
Connect with Mel
mellyrainevents.com.au
instagram.com/mellyrain_events
Connect with Tania
eventwandererco.com.au
instagram.com/eventwandererco
Podcast produced by The 81 Company.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode and you'd like to hear more of us in your ears, subscribe to Cut The Cake on your streaming platform and leave us a review.
We’d love to hear f

Capturing Your Day Using the Magic of Film Photography: A Conversation with Analog Modern

Cut the Cake

12/18/23 • 33 min

Recently there has been a “buzz” in the wedding industry. And the buzz is all about film photography. In this episode of Cut The Cake, we are joined by Nathan, photographer and owner of Analog Modern, who specializes in capturing magic moments using film photography.

In our chat, Nathan shares his process of shooting with film and the unique qualities it brings to photography. The editing process of film photography and what clients can expect in this photography style. As well as Nathan's approach to photography and capturing the true feeling of a wedding day for his clients using film photography. So without further ado, let’s get into the episode.
About Analog Modern

Nathan Kaso is the brains behind Analog Modern and a passionate and seasoned photographer. He first found love in documenting the moments of his family life and from here, it became his profession. He started shooting on 35mm film because he wanted the photos of his kids to have the same nostalgic feel as the images from my own childhood.

Photographing weddings very much feels like an extension of his own family photography. While it wasn't the reason he began shooting weddings, his approach has stayed the same. Nathan aims to capture images that transport you back into the moment they were taken, and fill you with the feelings you had at that exact point in time.

For Nathan, the best images aren't the prettiest ones, or those that are technically correct, it's the photos where you can see a bit of someone's personality, and can be reminded of who they really are, even if it's only in the smallest way.

Connect with Nathan
Website: https://www.analog-modern.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/analog_modern/

How to Enquire with Wedding Vendors from The Beginning So You Don’t Get Ghosted.

Cut the Cake

01/08/24 • 26 min

We know a lot of couples get engaged over the Xmas and New Year holidays and with that, comes the start of planning your wedding. When you start planning your wedding, you’ll start getting in contact with vendors.
And here’s the truth bomb. Ghosting is not just prevalent in the dating world, it’s also very common in the wedding industry. We're talking about couples ghosting vendors. And even vendors ghosting couples. We see both sides of this and why this happens. Sometimes it’s because of simple laziness. But most times it’s because couples are not contacting vendors the correct way, and when they do, they’re not providing vendors what they need to quote accurately.
In this episode of Cut The Cake we talk through how to proactively engage with your vendors from the beginning, so there’s no ghosting and you, the couple, essentially get an accurate quote. And us, the vendors, are essentially not wasting time with lots of back and forth with potential clients. So with all of that said, we have broken it down into 4 steps for couples on what you need to be telling your vendors from the get go, and how to communicate with them so everyone is happy.

The Wonderful World and Cost Truths of Wedding Florals: A Conversation with Sir Botanical

Cut the Cake

01/15/24 • 29 min

Kate is a florist and co-founder of Sir Botanical. A floral design company based in Western Australia. With over six years of experience in the industry, Kate and her team specialise in creating stunning floral arrangements for weddings and events.

In this episode of Cut The Cake, we discuss the world of florals and deep dive into why they cost what they do. Kate also provides tips for couples on how to keep their floral costs down. The types of floral pieces you could include on your wedding day. Upcoming trends and styles that are going to be huge in 2024. And also the importance of open communication with florists in your budget expectations and how florists can work with your budget. So without further ado, here is Kate from Sir Botanical.
About Sir Botanical
Sir Botanical is a floral art studio founded by Kate, Georgia and Gen in 2018. We create unique and high-end florals for all occasions.

With years of experience, as well as a passion for contemporary design we believe this is the perfect recipe for our refined and sophisticated take on floral art.

The Sir Botanical team works on a wide range of projects including weddings, large scale installations, private and corporate events and editorial.

With a studio based in Fremantle the team are available to travel within Western Australia.
Connect with Sir Botanical
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sir_botanical/
Website: https://www.sirbotanical.com/

From Blank Paddocks to Wedding Perfection: A Conversation with ETC Event Styling

Cut the Cake

04/01/24 • 33 min

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 property weddings. In this episode of Cut The Cake, we discuss with Lauren the logistical and infrastructure requirements you need to think about when planning a property wedding. The misconception of property wedding being a cheaper alternative and what you realistically need to budget for when planning a property wedding. And most importantly, the pros of having a property wedding cause there are so many! We couldn’t think of anyone better to discuss the topic of property weddings with so without any further ado, here is Lauren from ETC Event Styling.
About Lauren + ETC. Event Styling

Lauren is the founder and creative director of ETC Event Styling. With a background in visual merchandising and retail store design, Lauren has been designing, planning, and styling weddings across regional Victoria for over 12 years. Specializing in marquee and private property weddings, Lauren brings her expertise and creativity to create unique and personalized wedding experiences for her clients.
Connect with Lauren
Wedding Planning Checklist: https://www.etcevents.com.au/wedding-planning-resources
Private Property Checklist: https://sincere-voice-767.myflodesk.com/vdm5j01b2y
Private Property Ebook: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63f41e8fa48787c3c5ff6498
Website: https://www.etcevents.com.au/contact
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/etc.eventstyling/

How to Be Savvy with Your Wedding Costs: Our Guide & Thoughts

Cut the Cake

05/06/24 • 32 min

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.
So hold on whilst we help you reflect on your biggest areas of expenditure, give you our thoughts on your must-haves and where not to scrimp & save and also, what you can potentially ditch as a whole! & some we know might surprise you!

The Wedding Planning Series | Step 3: The Importance of Save the Dates

Cut the Cake

09/23/24 • 24 min

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 way to set the tone for your big day while playing a key role in guest management.
From nailing down the timeline and budget to making sure you’ve got a backup plan in case the guest list changes, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we offer practical tips like using CRM systems for email save the dates and ordering extra physical ones just in case!
Resources mentioned:
The Event Wanderer Co. Guest Planning Spreadsheet: https://eventwandererco.com.au/pages/planning

DJing the Modern Wedding & No More Nutbush: A Conversation with One More Song DJ

Cut the Cake

02/19/24 • 62 min

Music undoubtedly plays one of the most pivotal roles in crafting the atmosphere and sustaining energy throughout an event or wedding. It sets the tone from the first steps down the aisle to the final dance of the night. So finding the right DJ for your day is absolutely crucial.

In this episode of Cut The Cake, we have an amazing chat with Aleks and Eddy from One More Song DJ who are the King and Queen of curating the perfect music experience for events and weddings. We discuss the role of a DJ beyond the turntables and why personalisation trumps tradition every time when it comes to music. Oh. And also why the nutbush is banned from their vocabulary.
About One More Song
DJs Eddy and Aleks, owners of One More Song and avid party enthusiasts, hail from Brunswick. Individually, they spin tunes at weddings every weekend in Melbourne and throughout Victoria.
They want to make it clear: they're not your typical agency. Rather, think of them as akin to your photographer or celebrant—folks you'll bond with before the big day and who'll be there to keep the party going! Whichever of the dynamic duo manages your booking will also be your DJ! Hooray!
Their passion for fantastic music (#nomorenutbush), epic celebrations, and forging friendships with their clients knows no bounds. Even after the wedding bells have rung, they often find themselves DJing at milestone events for their beloved couples (think birthdays and beyond!). Be sure to groove to some of their sample mixes!
Coming from backgrounds in client services, they're all about delivering top-notch experiences for their clients.
Oh, and did they mention? They host a wedding industry podcast called Project Engaged where they chat with fellow wedding suppliers and even some of their past couples! Tune in for the fun.
Connect with One More Song
Website: https://onemoresong.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onemoresongdjs/

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FAQ

How many episodes does Cut the Cake have?

Cut the Cake currently has 64 episodes available.

What topics does Cut the Cake cover?

The podcast is about Photography, Society & Culture, Wedding, Event Planning, Love, Podcasts, Melbourne, Education and Relationships.

What is the most popular episode on Cut the Cake?

The episode title 'Couture Bridal Wear Explained with Sustainability in Mind: A Conversation with Olivia Waters Couture' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Cut the Cake?

The average episode length on Cut the Cake is 31 minutes.

How often are episodes of Cut the Cake released?

Episodes of Cut the Cake are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of Cut the Cake?

The first episode of Cut the Cake was released on Sep 19, 2023.

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Cut the Cake

Melanie James & Tania Hall

Top 10 Cut the Cake Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Cut the Cake have?

What topics does Cut the Cake cover?

What is the most popular episode on Cut the Cake?

What is the average episode length on Cut the Cake?

How often are episodes of Cut the Cake released?

When was the first episode of Cut the Cake?

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