How Feel Good Events Can Help You Every Step of the Way
Let’s be honest, planning a wedding can feel like juggling ten things at once (while blindfolded). That’s why many couples now turn to stress-free wedding planning services to avoid burnout and confusion. You’re trying to create something personal, meaningful, and fun, but you’re constantly battling decisions, deadlines, and family opinions. On top of that, there’s pressure to make it look amazing and make sure everyone has a good time. Most wedding planning advice starts with “book a venue” or “set a date”, but that’s not where the real planning should begin. At Feel Good Events, we believe the best weddings start with one simple question:
“How do you want your wedding to feel, for you and your guests?”
When you start with the experience, everything else falls into place. Here’s our updated step-by-step wedding planning process that puts people, purpose, and layout first with expert help at every stage. If you’re planning a wedding in Melbourne, this timeline will walk you through everything and show how a professional wedding planner who couples trust can help.
Step 1: Plan the Guest Experience and Define the End Result
Recommended: 12+ Months Before
Before you make a single booking, ask yourself:
- What do I want our guests to feel throughout the day?
- Should it be romantic, relaxed, exciting, formal, or fun?
- How important is dancing, energy, comfort, or a WOW moment?
- What memories or feelings do you want to have when you look back at your wedding in 10 years time?
The emotional “end result” becomes your planning foundation. From here, we’ll design the layout, music, lighting, seating, and styling to support the vibe you want to create.
How Feel Good Events Helps:
This is the first step in our Feel Good Formula, planning for feeling before décor. We’ll guide you through mood setting questions, suggest layouts and styling choices that boost guest comfort and energy, and ensure your whole day supports the kind of experience you’re trying to create.
Step 2: Create Your Guest List
Recommended: 12 Months Before
Guest numbers determine everything from your venue, your budget, your layout, even your furniture hire. Skipping this step leads to frustration later. Start by estimating:
- Total guests you’d ideally invite
- How many are non-negotiable
- Whether you’ll have separate ceremony/reception guest lists
Guest Number Tips:
Only invite guests you think you’ll be friends with in 5 years. If you want to save money, keeping guest numbers down is the easiest way.
How Feel Good Events Helps:
We’ll use your guest count to help you design efficient venue layouts, styling zones, and entertainment setups, all based on how people move, mingle, and interact.
Step 3: Do Your Research Before You Set the Budget
Recommended: 11-12 Months Before
Too many couples try to set a budget before they know what things cost. This often leads to stress and disappointment later. Spend time researching:
- Average costs for venues, food, and wedding suppliers in your area
- Wedding decoration hire and styling pricing
- What’s included with venues (and what’s not)
- Peak vs off peak season differences
How Feel Good Events Helps:
We’ll give you realistic price breakdowns based on your guest count, venue type, and overall style. We’ll also help you see where it makes sense to spend vs. save based on what affects the guest experience most.
Step 4: Set a Budget You Can Actually Stick to
Recommended: 10-11 Months Before
Now that you know what things cost and how many people you’re hosting, you can build a clear budget. Break it down by:
- Venue
- Food and drink
- Styling/décor hire
- Entertainment
- Photography/video
- Planning and coordination
- Transport, signage, and extras
How Feel Good Events Helps:
Our team will help you allocate your budget based on your priorities. We’ll track spending, offer alternatives if things run over, and keep your wedding financially stress-free.
Step 5: Start Designing Your Styling & Décor
Recommended: 9-10 Months Before
Once the purpose and budget are set, it’s time to bring your vibe to life visually. This is where wedding design and planning decisions start to come to life. Key things to consider:
- What style suits your venue and personality?
- What kind of lighting will create the right atmosphere?
- Do you want fresh or artificial flowers?
- What hire items will help build your overall look and feel?
How Feel Good Events Helps:
We’ll create your custom mood board, help you select hire items, manage delivery/setup, and make sure everything looks and feels right. We design for all five senses, not just aesthetics.
Step 6: Lock in Your Venue & Date
Recommended: 8-9 Months Before (this may need to be earlier if it is a popular venue or you have a specific date in mind)
Now that you know your guest count, budget, and styling goals, finding a venue becomes easier, as you’re booking with purpose, not guesswork. Choosing the right venue isn’t just about capacity, it’s also about compatibility with your wedding planning, styling needs, and logistics. Look for:
- Indoor/outdoor flexibility
- A venue that can accommodate your guest numbers
- A venue that can accommodate your décor and any extra hire furniture, etc.
- A venue that matches your wedding theme or style
- A venue that matches your wedding vibe
- Included furniture and décor vs. what needs to be hired
- Venue rules on music, catering, lighting, etc.
How Feel Good Events Helps:
We’ll help you shortlist venues that align with your styling and guest experience goals. We also handle communication with venues about layout access, bump in times, and logistics.
Step 7: Book Your Key Suppliers
Recommended: 7-8 Months Before
Once the venue is booked, it’s time to lock in the rest of your supplier team:
- Photographer & videographer
- Celebrant
- DJ or Band
- Florist (if not handled by Feel Good Events)
- Hair & makeup
- Catering (if not included)
How Feel Good Events Helps:
We work with top Melbourne wedding suppliers and can recommend the right people for your wedding style and budget. We also manage all bookings, contracts, and communication.
Step 8: Finalise the Layout & Guest Experience Details
Recommended: 4-6 Months Before
With the big elements booked, now it’s time to:
- Plan ceremony and reception timing
- Create your day-of run sheet
- Finalise signage, transport, seating layout, and lounge zones
- Go through the guest experience from start to finish to see if anything can be improved
One of the biggest differences between DIY weddings and using expert wedding coordination services is how well the guest experience is planned.
How Feel Good Events Helps:
We map out the day to keep guest energy high and avoid dead time. We’ll manage the run sheet, comfort planning, and all the small touches that make the day feel smooth and stress free.
Step 9: Let Us Handle the Setup, Coordination, and Pack Down
Wedding Week + Day Of
When the big day arrives, the last thing you want is to be taking phone calls from the florist or making sure the tables are set.
How Feel Good Events Helps:
We’re on site from the start of setup to the final pack down. We manage all supplier arrivals, styling installs, timing, and guest issues. You just enjoy the day and we handle the stress.
Wedding Planning Mistakes to Avoid
Top 7 Wedding Planning Mistakes to Avoid:
- Setting a budget before researching the real costs
- Booking a venue that doesn’t support your styling ideas
- Not allowing enough time for setup and supplier bump in
- Overlooking heating, cooling, and guest comfort
- Leaving layout and timing to the last minute
- Trying to do everything yourself
- Asking friends and family to help with set up and pack down so that they end up working at your wedding rather than enjoying it
Want a wedding that feels as good as it looks?
We help Melbourne couples design weddings that feel warm, fun, stylish, and stress free. Whether you want full service planning, on the day coordination, or expert styling only, we’re here to help.
Get in touch with our team today! Or, explore our wedding decorating options.
Author – Marcus Prentice – Wedding & Event Planner and Partyologist
