We kick off the year on Cut the Cake by looking ahead to the wedding trends shaping 2026 — and it’s clear the shift towards intention isn’t slowing down. Across Australia, couples are moving away from tradition-for-tradition’s-sake and choosing celebrations that feel expressive, considered and deeply personal.

This episode zeroes in on purposeful design. Less clutter, more meaning. Fewer elements, but each one chosen with care. From refined styling to thoughtful colour stories, weddings are becoming about impact rather than excess.

Colour takes centre stage in 2026. We unpack the rise of Pantone’s Cloud Dancer alongside richer, moodier tones like chocolate, burgundy and maroon. These palettes are setting the tone across stationery, florals, fashion and overall event design — layered, warm and effortlessly elevated.

Formality is loosening its grip. Timelines are softening, celebrations are flowing, and connection is taking priority over ceremony. This shift is mirrored in the rise of editorial-style photography, inspired by global and celebrity weddings, capturing moments that feel natural, modern and unforced.

We also call out what’s fading fast — acrylic signage, champagne towers and overly controlled styling. In their place? Sustainable materials, tactile finishes and designs that invite individuality. Because trends aren’t rules — they’re signals. And 2026 is all about weddings that feel intentional, current and unmistakably you.

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...

In this Q&A-fuelled episode of Cut the Cake, we answer some of the most common — and most important — questions couples are asking right now. From where to start once you’re engaged, to how many guests you should invite, to whether you really need a planner, we unpack it all with honesty, experience, and a healthy dose of real-world practicality.

We also dive into styled shoots — what they are, why planners do them, and how they shape trends couples often fall in love with months later. Think: a testing ground for creativity, a way to show possibilities before they hit Pinterest boards, and a tool that helps couples visualise what’s possible for their own day.

With thoughtful insights, hard-earned knowledge, and our usual candid approach, this episode gives couples a grounded starting point and clarity around the choices that matter most.

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...

In this special bonus episode of Cut the Cake, we jump into the topic on everyone’s lips for 2026 — what will Taylor do? Specifically, we’re diving headfirst into the much-speculated future wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, a celebration many are already calling the Wedding of 2026.

With Christmas just around the corner, this episode blends industry insight (ours!), fan theory, and pure fun. We unpack what a wedding of this scale could look like — from the possibility of a coastal Rhode Island setting to the kind of luxury that still feels deeply personal and intentional. Celebrity weddings don’t just entertain us — they often set the tone for what couples start asking for next and with 2026 just around the corner, we couldn't resist!

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...