The Feel Good Wedding Podcast by Polka Dot Wedding Polka Dot Wedding

Marquee weddings offer a charming blend of natural landscapes and customisable celebration spaces. Today, we're exploring what you need to know about planning a seamless marquee wedding day as we chat with Julia Vardy from the picturesque Mewburn Park.
Nestled 2.5 hours from Melbourne, Mewburn Park marries historical buildings with beautiful country surroundings. With multiple wedding spaces, including a grand clear marquee, and on-site accommodation, it's an ideal choice for a weekend escape wedding. Julia's expertise makes her the perfect guide for navigating marquee wedding logistics.


In this chat, we discuss:
The amazing history of the family-run Mewburn Park businessTips for selecting the right wedding venueThe importance of vibing with your vendorsPros and cons of a marquee weddingKey considerations for a summer marquee celebrationCreative ways to personalize the marquee's blank canvasFrom understanding power requirements to preparing for weather contingencies, Julia shares her insights on merging your dream vision with realistic planning. We'll also cover coordinating with other vendors and personalizing marquee decor to craft a unique atmosphere reflecting your styles.
Julia offers a behind-the-scenes look at running a venue, highlighting special moments that make each event memorable - from the pre-ceremony excitement to the magic of the grand reveal. Learn how to create an unforgettable experience by finding the perfect setting and thinking through all the details.
Tune in for a practical guide to planning your marquee wedding at Mewburn Park's breathtaking venue, leaving nothing to chance.


Links & Vendors Mentioned:
Mrewburn Park Instagram


Find Julia & Mewburn Park
On Polka Dot Wedding: Mewburn Park
On The Web: Mewburn Park
On Facebook: Mewburn Park
On Instagram: Mewburn Park
On Pinterest: Mewburn Park


Find Dorothy & the Polka Dot Wedding team:
On Instagram: @polkadotwedding
On the website: polkadotwedding.com
This podcast was produced by Polka Dot Wedding


The Polka Dot Wedding team is honoured to conduct our work on the land of the BoonWurrung, WoiWorung, Eora and Kuring-gai people. We honour the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past & present.

A wedding day where everything falls magically into place - that's the power of a great wedding planner. In this month's episode of The Feel Good Wedding podcast, Sarah Johnston from Girl Friday Weddings pulls back the curtain on hiring a pro for your big day.
With over 15 years of experience, Girl Friday Weddings opened its doors in 2009. This award-winning Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane boutique wedding planning agency offers services ranging from full planning to day-of coordination. Founder Sarah Johnston has built the business around helping couples create their dream wedding, whether that's an intimate elopement or a grand affair.


In this episode, Sarah shares insider tips on how locking in a planner early on can be a game-changing move. She provides a behind-the-scenes look at the strategic decisions that elevate your celebration while keeping it budget-conscious. You'll learn Sarah's approach to assembling a dream vendor team and avoiding common pitfalls and overwhelmed feelings during planning. She also shares advice on crafting a wedding day that feels effortless, seamless and completely you.
 
In this chat, we discuss:
The benefits of wedding plannersWhat is an in-house planner vs an external wedding planner?How can you choose your wedding vendors wisely?The value of relationships in weddings How to beat overwhelm and prioritise what is important to youThe wedding word budge mythHow to make the most of your wedding budget and figure out what's importantIf you're looking to better understand the role of a wedding planner and how they can help craft your perfect day, don't miss this episode
 
Links & Vendors Mentioned:
Girl Friday Weddings
Celebrant Kate
 
Find Sarah & Girl Friday Weddings
On Polka Dot Wedding: Girl Friday Weddings
On The Web: Girl Friday Weddings
On Facebook: Girl Friday Weddings
On Instagram: Girl Friday Weddings
On Pinterest: Girl Friday Weddings
 
Find Dorothy & the Polka Dot Wedding team:
On Instagram: @polkadotwedding
On the website: polkadotwedding.com
This podcast was produced by Polka Dot Wedding
The Polka Dot Wedding team is honoured to conduct our work on the land of the BoonWurrung, WoiWorung, Eora and Kuring-gai people. We honour the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past & present.

Often, there’s a dilemma when it comes to wedding photos. We all want to have beautiful pictures that contain even just a speck of the emotion of the day—but so many of us feel awkward in front of the camera.
Fortunately, this isn’t an impossible problem. This month's guest, Dani Bartlett exemplifies our point that no one is truly “unphotogenic.” All they need to do is find the right photographer that helps them get comfortable.


Dani is the face,  the talent behind Melbourne-based wedding photography studio, Dani Bartlett Photography, providing wedding photography and family portraits for lovers of fun and colour.


In this chat, we discuss:
How to not feel awkward posing for wedding photosWhat to look for in wedding photographersBalancing candid and formal photographersCompletely candid vs guided candid photographersGames for candid photographyEffective posing techniquesBreathing fresh life into family portraitsYour wedding photos are treasures you only have one day of getting. You’ll probably look through hundreds of wedding photographers as you search for the right one. One way to help you is to look through their galleries. That way, you can get a clearer sense of the ins and outs of their work throughout the ceremony.
When you’ve chosen a photographer, communication is key. Meet with them in person, have dinner, and just chat to help you get to know them better and—importantly—feel more comfortable. How relaxed you feel with them allows you to feel more confident in front of the camera on your pre-wedding shoot and wedding day, and it’ll translate in the photos.
Ultimately, what’s important is to trust your photographer and have fun. Communicate what you want and trust their direction. They might throw a prompt or game at you to lighten your portraits. Go with the flow. Explore where the prompts take you; you’d be surprised at how lovely you and your partner look when you’re just relaxing and having fun.


Links & Vendors Mentioned:
Dani Bartlett Photography


Find Dani Bartlett Photography:
On Polka Dot Wedding: Dani Bartlett Photography
On Facebook: Dani Bartlett Photography
On Instagram: @danibartlettphotography
On Pinterest: Dani Bartlett Photography


Find Dani Bartlett:
On LinkedIn: Danielle (O’Halloran) Bartlett


Find Dorothy & the Polka Dot Wedding team:
On Instagram: @polkadotwedding
On the website: polkadotwedding.com
This podcast was produced by Polka Dot Wedding


The Polka Dot Wedding team is honoured to conduct our work on the land of the BoonWurrung, WoiWorung, Eora and Kuring-gai people. We honour the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past & present.

A wedding’s style isn’t just about aesthetics. Floral and event designer Steph Jordan makes sure that every design detail and flower arrangement reflects the couple accurately. 
Steph is the Owner and Director of Nunu Designs, award-winning wedding florists passionate about making your event even better than how you imagined.
 
In this chat we discuss:
●      The difference between a wedding stylist and wedding florist 
●      Hiring the right wedding stylist and florist 
●      How to start the styling process
●      Bringing style and floral ideas to life
●      Budgeting for styling
●      Deciding the final look
●      Personalising a wedding’s style
●      Streamlining the styling process
 
Arguably, one of the most critical parts of a wedding is its look. Whether you’ve been thinking about what your dream wedding would look like since you were a kid, saved design inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram, or haven’t got a clue about flower pairings, a professional stylist and florist will help you bring your ideas to life.
 
It’s integral to build trust and a rapport with your vendor. Ultimately, it’s a collaboration between you and them. 
 
Meeting with the stylist, whether face-to-face or online, allows you to explain your thoughts in detail to help them make the best design decisions on your behalf. They can help you stay within your budget while maintaining the wow factor and personalisation of your wedding. 
 
Links & Vendors Mentioned:
Nunu Designs
 
Find Nunu Designs:
On Polka Dot Wedding: Nunu Designs
On Facebook: Nunu Designs
On Instagram: @nunuau
On Pinterest: @nunudesignsau
 
Find Steph Jordan:
On LinkedIn: Stephanie Jordan 


Find Dorothy & the Polka Dot Wedding team:
On Instagram: @polkadotwedding
On the website: polkadotwedding.com
This podcast was produced by Polka Dot Wedding


The Polka Dot Wedding team is honoured to conduct our work on the land of the BoonWurrung, WoiWorung, Eora and Kuring-gai people. We honour the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past & present.

People marvel at weddings, but it’s the preparation and hard work that makes it happen in the first place! For this week’s episode, the Polka Dot Wedding team chats about the mental load of wedding planning. The pressure to plan typically falls on the bride, but Ms Polka (Dot), Ms Rose (Mary), and Ms Peacock (Julia) give tips on how to share the work load as a couple.
In this chat we discuss:
How we each approached planning our own weddingsThe pros and cons of DIY weddingsPlanning your wedding together as a coupleWedding mission statementsProtecting your emotional bandwidthThe post-wedding comedownHow to have fun while wedding planningWeddings are a celebration of a couple’s love story, so it’s only right that both partners are involved in the planning process.
Before you begin, draft a wedding mission statement together. Write down and decide the most important aspects of your wedding. The mission statement will serve as your guide, allowing you to prioritize what’s essential and to compromise on what’s not. It also ensures that both of your wishes are reflected on your big day.

If you’d like, you can create a joint email address so that both partners are always in the loop about wedding planning. Attending meetings together is also a good strategy. Always be open and honest about how you’re feeling and the responsibilities that each of you can take on. It’s important to spend time together outside of wedding planning and to make time for self-care.


When things get too overwhelming, don’t be afraid to seek help. Delegate tasks to friends and family members who are willing to step up. Lean on your vendors because they can help lighten your mental load. Hire a wedding planner or give yourself more time, if that’s what you need.


Find Dorothy & the Polka Dot Wedding team:
On Instagram: @polkadotwedding
On the website: polkadotwedding.com
This podcast was produced by Polka Dot Wedding


The Polka Dot Wedding team is honoured to conduct our work on the land of the BoonWurrung, WoiWorung, Eora and Kuring-gai people. We honour the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past & present.

Music enhances whatever emotion we feel in the moment. That’s why it’s so important to curate your wedding playlist. To help us get started, musician Lucas Evans reveals his favourite songs to play at weddings that really sets the mood.
Lucas is the drummer and band leader of Orlando Combo, one of Melbourne’s finest jazz bands. The band regularly performs at the Australian Tennis Open, Australian Grand Prix, AFL Grand Finals, and of course, weddings!


In this chat we discuss:
About Orlando ComboOrlando Combo's jazz wedding repertoireSetting the mood for the ceremony and receptionMusic for guests of all agesBuilding the ultimate wedding playlistThe perks of live bandsRearranging songs for the weddingLucas’ go-to song for weddingsBefore you start building your ultimate wedding playlist, consider the flow of the day. For the ceremony, you can have instrumental music or music with lyrics. If you choose the latter, make sure the message of the song suits the occasion. Typically, gentle melodies work best during the processional and then it’s followed by more upbeat tunes during the recessional.
The volume of music is also worth paying attention to. Guests will want to mingle and chat at the start of the reception, so light music should be sufficient. The music shouldn’t be at full blast the whole time, because it can make the wedding feel a little one note (pun intended!).
The perks of having a live band like Orlando Combo is that they’re skilled musicians who can read the room and adjust accordingly. Couples can also ask a live band to reimagine personally meaningful songs so that it’s included in their big day. Song choice does matter, but how they’re performed definitely affects the crowd’s engagement and enjoyment.


Links & Vendors Mentioned:
Orlando Combo
What Would They Know? Lucas Evans of Orlando Combo


Find Orlando Combo: 
On Polka Dot Wedding: Orlando Combo
orlandocombo.com.au
On Instagram: @orlandocombo
On Facebook: Orlando Combo
On YouTube: @OrlandoCombojazzbandMelbourne


Find Dorothy & the Polka Dot Wedding team:
On Instagram: @polkadotwedding
On the website: polkadotwedding.com
This podcast was produced by Polka Dot Wedding


The Polka Dot Wedding team is honoured to conduct our work on the land of the BoonWurrung, WoiWorung, Eora and Kuring-gai people. We honour the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past & present.