The happiest day of newlywed Ashleigh Despirt's life turned to bloodshed when she stabbed her brother-in-law in the face with the wedding cake knife.

Despirt, 29, was celebrating her wedding reception at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, in Melbourne's south-west, when the festivities started spiraling out of control.

As family tensions reached boiling point, the groom and his brother - who also happened to be one of the groomsmen - became locked in a melee over a so-called 'angel table' that had been set aside for deceased family members.

It was then that the bridezilla picked up the knife, the Geelong Advertiser reports.

Newlywed bride Ashleigh Despirt, 29, stabbed her new brother-in-law in the cheek with a wedding cake knife during her own reception

Despirt's lawyer, Kristen Moore, this week confirmed to the Geelong Magistrates' Court that there had been existing animosity between her client and the 26-year-old victim in the lead-up to the wedding.

But Ms Moore claimed that Despirt 'wasn't thinking rationally or clearly' when she thrust the cake knife through her brother-in-law's cheek at about 11pm.

'It was her wedding day,' the lawyer stated.

Despirt was celebrating her wedding reception at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, in Melbourne's south-west, when the festivities started spiraling out of control - with the groom entering into a melee with his brother, who also happened to be one of the groomsmen

The brother-in-law was forced to undergo surgery for the gruesome injury, with Magistrate Peter Mellas noting that he would be reminded of the attack every time he looked in the mirror due to a visible scar left on his face.

Mr Mellas further concluded that Despirt clearly intended to injure the man - despite claims that she immediately fell to the ground and started crying after launching the savage attack.

He ordered her to complete 350 hours of unpaid community work as part of a two-year corrections order.

Despirt, who was joined by her husband in court, broke down in tears as her sentence was read out in court.

It wasn't just the one scuffle that plagued the momentous occasion, however.

Ms Moore told the court that multiple disputes and brawls broke out throughout the day and night.

'There was a lot of fighting occurring at the wedding,' she said.