10 Wedding Decorating Tips for 2025 Brides. Every couple should know these things.
Decorating your wedding should feel exciting, not overwhelming, but most Melbourne couples discover pretty quickly that choosing decor is harder than picking a colour palette and a few centrepieces. Every wedding has its own challenges, from venue layout and guest comfort through to mood, flow, lighting, and budget trade offs. That’s why our team created this video. In it, Monique from Feel Good Events shares the 10 things couples always need to consider before they start decorating their Melbourne wedding. These tips come straight from years of styling real weddings in Melbourne, so they’re based on what actually works in real venues, not just styled shoots.
One of the biggest mistakes couples make is ignoring the look and feel of the venue they’ve already chosen. You book a venue because you like something about it, whether it’s the architecture, the lighting, the garden, the beams, or the overall vibe. Your wedding decor should work with that, not fight it. If you try to transform a rustic barn into a sleek modern space, you’ll end up spending a lot more than you expect. Working with the venue instead of against it helps the whole wedding feel more natural, and it also saves money.
Another key part of styling is knowing your priorities. Most couples want everything to look amazing, but your budget always has limits. Monique explains why making a top three list is one of the smartest things you can do. Your wedding decor priorities might be a dance floor, entrance signage, and ceiling florals, or perhaps it’s the tables, the bar, and the ceremony arch. Once you know what matters most, you make better decisions and avoid getting talked into things that don’t really move the needle.
Lighting is another area couples don’t think about enough. It completely changes how your guests feel. Warm lighting creates romance and comfort, while coloured lighting and movement lighting bring the party atmosphere to life later in the night. Understanding the feeling you want at different parts of the wedding helps you pick the right lights, not just the pretty ones.
Comfort is another underrated part of wedding decorating. You’ll have people of all ages at your wedding. If you’re having a cocktail style reception or post ceremony drinks, make sure you include a mix of seating so everyone can relax. High stools are great for younger guests, but your grandparents probably won’t love climbing onto them. Small layout changes like this make a big difference to how relaxed people feel.
Monique also talks about focusing your budget on the areas that matter most. Guests spend most of their time at the ceremony, reception tables, dance floor, and bar, so that’s where your styling has the biggest impact. You don’t need to decorate every corner for it to feel thoughtfully styled.
Colour choice is another area where couples sometimes get stuck. Too many colours can make the room feel busy or disconnected. Choosing two or three main colours with a small accent shade keeps the room cohesive without feeling flat. Your colour palette influences everything, from florals to signage to furniture, so taking the time to refine it pays off.
Speaking of style, choosing decor that matches your theme also makes the rest of the design process easier. Whether you’re leaning towards modern, boho, classic, or rustic, having a clear direction helps you narrow down the right textures, florals, layouts, and lighting.
Monique also covers why signage is more important than people realise. From your welcome sign to your seating chart, bar signs, menu signs, and even custom decals, these pieces are both functional and decorative. They guide your guests while adding personality to the space.
The last tip is something we recommend to almost every couple: repurpose your decor wherever you can. Moving flowers from ceremony to reception, reusing signage, or relocating feature pieces not only helps your budget, it keeps your styling consistent throughout the whole day.
If you want real, practical advice for styling your wedding in Melbourne, this video is a great place to start. Watch it to learn how to avoid the common decorating mistakes, make the most of your budget, and create a wedding that feels beautifully put together from the minute guests arrive.
