Private Property Weddings: The Dream, The Reality and the Truth Nobody Tells You

In this episode of Cut the Cake, we dive deep into the world of private property weddings — the dreamy, sentimental kind that look effortless on Instagram but take some serious behind-the-scenes planning to pull off. Between the two of us, we’ve managed more than our share of outdoor and at-home weddings, so we’re lifting the veil on what really goes into hosting your day on a family property or meaningful piece of land.

We start with why couples are so drawn to private properties. There’s something incredibly special about getting married somewhere personal — a childhood home, a grandparent’s acreage, a family farm that holds generations of memories. And while the sentiment is beautiful, the reality is that most properties aren’t designed to be event venues. That’s where the planning really begins.

We talk about everything people don’t always consider early enough: power, lighting, shelter, restroom facilities, parking, waste management, accessibility, and all the small details that make a space safe, functional, and guest-friendly. We also break down marquee setups, why site inspections matter, and how important it is to bring in professionals to get structures installed correctly.

Budget is another big piece of the puzzle. Private property weddings often look cheaper, but the truth is they usually cost as much as — if not more than — a traditional venue once you factor in infrastructure, hire items, labour, generators, bathrooms, catering logistics, wet-weather plans, and bump-in/bump-out timelines. We walk through all the layers so you can decide whether this style of wedding is genuinely right for you.

We wrap up by sharing our recommended planning timeline — ideally 18 to 24 months — to ensure everything is booked, inspected, coordinated, and confirmed with enough breathing room for changes, approvals, and the inevitable last-minute curveballs.

If you’re dreaming of a private property wedding or even just curious about what goes on behind the scenes, this episode gives you everything you need to know to make an informed decision and plan with confidence.

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
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/
eventwandererco.com.au/cont...