S6, EP4: Throwing out the wedding rulebook with Jacinta from Champagne Electric

The core philosophy of hosting over performing

In this episode of the Project Engaged podcast, hosts Eddy and Aleks, who work as celebrants, DJs, and MCs, sit down with Melbourne – based wedding vibe curator Jacinta from Champagne Electric. A central theme of their discussion is encouraging couples to throw out the traditional wedding rule book and shift their mindset from performing to hosting. Jacinta observes that many modern weddings feel like carefully staged productions, largely driven by the pressure to create fake, posed moments for social media and content creators. This performative approach often leaves couples feeling disconnected and stressed. Instead, she advises couples to think about their wedding as the ultimate dinner party. When inviting people into your home, the primary goal is simply to create a beautiful atmosphere where the guests and the hosts have a genuinely good time. By removing the heavy expectations of the wedding industry, couples can make decisions that authentically reflect their personalities. For example, if a couple is introverted and uncomfortable showcasing their love publicly, there is absolutely no rule saying they must read deeply personal vows in front of a crowd. They could exchange private words two weeks prior and simply repeat the short legal requirements on the day, focusing the rest of their energy entirely on the celebration.

Establishing a vibe brief and Your Electric Day

To help couples discover what they actually want before they get overwhelmed by algorithms and Pinterest trends, Jacinta uses a visualisation process to establish a formal vibe brief. She asks couples to imagine their perfect day, and crucially, to visualise the entire event through the lens of their guests. This exercise often reveals how much of the day the couple might unknowingly spend separated from their friends and family. The vibe brief then acts as an accountability piece and a North Star to guide all future planning decisions. Recognising the disconnect that can happen between a couple’s creative vision and the logistical reality of executing it, Jacinta created a hybrid service called Your Electric Day. This package merges floral and styling design with behind – the – scenes vendor sourcing and hands – on, on – the – day coordination. Eddy and Aleks note that this hybrid approach mirrors their own dual roles as celebrant – DJs. By marrying the couple earlier in the day, Eddy and Aleks build an immediate sense of authority and familiarity, making guests much more relaxed and responsive when it is time to transition into the evening party.

Mastering the flow and timeline of the day

Eddy and Aleks are deeply passionate about the flow of the day, arguing that stunning aesthetics mean absolutely nothing if the energy drops or the couple is too stressed to enjoy it. To protect the couple’s experience, Jacinta strongly advocates for extending the traditional cocktail hour to a minimum of 90 minutes. A standard 60 – minute window is instantly eaten up by 20 minutes of mandatory congratulations, organising family photos, and shooting couple portraits, leaving the newlyweds no time to actually join their own party, have a drink, or take a breath. Furthermore, Jacinta stresses the importance of having a wedding professional review the run sheet in advance to ensure the timings are realistic. On the day itself, a dedicated coordinator is essential for maintaining flexibility. If speeches run longer than expected or the couple needs 15 minutes in a private room to eat and use the restroom after their portraits, a coordinator can confidently instruct the venue to delay the grand entrance. Eddy and Aleks point out that standard venue coordinators are usually focused strictly on food service, safety, and turning the room over, so having someone explicitly tasked with managing the party vibe is crucial. They also highlight that even a highly relaxed wedding requires an MC to direct guests; without clear guidance, beautiful moments like a first dance can completely fall flat because half the room is not watching.

Setting the scene with lighting and interactive elements

When it comes to the physical design of the reception, Jacinta recommends incorporating multi – functional, interactive elements that naturally spark conversation among guests. Brilliant examples include setting up a heartbreak booth, using unique op – shop teacups as party favours, offering an interactive crossword puzzle during the signing, and creating clever seating charts that assign guests celebrity alter – egos. Lighting is another foundational element that fundamentally dictates the atmosphere, yet it is often treated as a costly afterthought. Jacinta warns that many venues only offer basic dimming switches, which can leave a room feeling either jarringly bright or far too dark. She encourages couples to design their lighting intentionally from the start, whether that means bringing in warm lamps and candles for an intimate dinner, or installing disco balls and party lights to signal that it is time to dance. Eddy and Aleks share a memorable story of a groom who, staying entirely true to his authentic love of 2005 – era trance music, hired a massive laser light setup for his reception at a quaint, intimate winery. While it logistically clashed with the small venue, it delivered a brilliant rave – cave energy that perfectly reflected his personality.

Protecting the dance floor

If an electric, packed dance floor is one of the couple’s main priorities, they absolutely must lead by example. Jacinta notes that guests will naturally gravitate toward the couple all night; if the newlyweds are hanging out by the bar, the dance floor will remain empty. The couple needs to fully commit to being on the dance floor for the first 30 minutes to ensure the party kicks off properly. A major pet peeve shared by Jacinta, Eddy and Aleks is when photographers pull the couple outside for sunset photos or flash photography just as the dance floor opens. They recommend shifting the run sheet entirely to ensure the couple is present for that crucial window. To maximise their time dancing later in the night, Eddy and Aleks highly recommend the Irish exit. Instead of wasting a full hour individually saying goodbye to older guests or parents leaving early, the couple can just stay on the dance floor, allowing guests to slip away without guilt while the core party continues uninterrupted.

Budgeting priorities and navigating the cost of living

For the typical Melbourne wedding with 80 to 100 guests, the average budget sits around $50,000. Jacinta notes that up to 50 percent of this budget is usually consumed by the venue, food, and beverages. If couples want to invite a large number of people but need to keep costs down, she suggests opting for a cocktail – style reception. This format still provides substantial food, like mini pizzas and hearty canapes, but drastically lowers the cost per head while encouraging mingling. The key to successful budgeting is for couples to identify their top three non – negotiables, such as a top – tier DJ, incredible cocktails, and a silly, fun energy, and immediately allocate their funds to those specific vendors. Eddy and Aleks point out that leaving the entertainment until the very end of the budget often results in hiring a cheap, inexperienced DJ who shows up late with a terrible lighting rig, ultimately killing the vibe. The group also discusses the current cost of living crisis, referred to as cosy livs, acknowledging that wedding vendors are doubly impacted by rising business expenses and personal mortgages. Jacinta makes it clear that the wedding tax is a myth; prices reflect the actual cost of goods and labour. Rather than asking a vendor to discount their services and devalue their work, couples are much better off politely asking if the vendor can include a value – add, like a complimentary buttonhole or an early bump – in time, particularly if the wedding falls on a weekday like a Thursday.

Making smart budget cuts without killing the vibe

When the budget simply will not stretch, Jacinta offers a highly effective, though slightly controversial, piece of advice: ruthlessly slash the guest list. Eliminating extraneous guests, such as children, distant acquaintances, colleagues you actively dislike, and plus – ones you have never met, makes the most significant dent in venue and catering costs. Jacinta challenges couples to visualise their wedding day and ask themselves if they would realistically step away from their partner or best friend on the dance floor to chat with that specific person; if the answer is no, they do not belong on the guest list. Rather than inviting random partners just so a single friend feels comfortable, Jacinta suggests being pragmatic about seating arrangements and using interactive elements to help them mingle. For less dramatic savings, couples should easily cut the wedding cake and traditional wedding favours like sugared almonds, unless the favour holds deep personal significance, such as olive oil from a family farm in Greece. Finally, to maximise a floral budget, couples should ask for in – season flowers, skip personal bouquets for large bridal parties, and focus on high – impact floral installations. Crucially, ceremony flowers should always be repurposed for the reception, such as framing the photo booth, and a great florist will even set up a wrapping station at the end of the night so guests can take the blooms home.