Engaged on Valentine's Day? How to Start Wedding Planning Without the Stress
- Jennifer Wilson
- Dec 27, 2025
- 6 min read
Getting engaged on Valentine’s Day feels like a fairytale. There’s love in the air, a beautiful engagement ring on your finger, many happy tears, and a rush of positive feelings and excitement for your future. And then… reality gently taps you on the shoulder.
Suddenly everyone around you is asking:“So when’s the date?”“Have you picked a wedding venue yet?” “What colors are you thinking?” "Who's your maid of honor?"
Valentine's Day Engagements
are SO Sweet!🍭
If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath. You’re not behind, you have plenty of time to plan. You’re not doing it wrong, you just don't know where to start. And you don’t need to figure everything out at once, you just need an expert to guide you.
As a Michigan wedding venue owner who has helped hundreds of couples plan their dream weddings, I want to walk you through how to start wedding planning without the stress, without the debt, and without losing the joy of your Valentine's Day engagement.
First Things First: Enjoy Being Engaged
Before you open Pinterest (even though we have a pretty amazing one for Celestial Farms) or download a planning app, pause.
Being engaged is a special season of your life. It deserves to be felt, not rushed or stress-filled. Celebrate it. Tell your favorite people. Take tons of photos together. Go out for romantic dinners and romantic getaways. Let it sink in that you’re marrying your most favorite person in the world.
Wedding planning will still be there next week. I promise.
Step One: Set a Realistic Budget (and Protect It)
This might not be the most romantic step, but it’s 100% the most important, and sometimes the most forgotten.
Sit down together and talk honestly about:
How much you can realistically spend
What you’re comfortable paying out of pocket
What (if anything) family is contributing
Here’s the advice I give every couple:
Do not start planning without a budget.
And even more important:
Don’t go into debt for one day.
Your wedding should be a celebration of your future, not the reason you start it stressed or financially strained. There is no prize for spending the most. The best weddings aren’t the most expensive ones — they’re the most intentional.
Once you set a number, commit to it. Let that budget guide your decisions instead of emotions or outside pressure.
A Valentine's Day Engagement Deserves
Joy, Not Press Pressure!
Step Two: Choose Your Guest Count Wisely
Guest count affects absolutely everything:
Venue options
Catering costs
Bar pricing
Rentals
Decor
Time management on wedding day
Overall vibe on wedding day
Before you fall in love with one of the many beautiful wedding venues in Michigan or even create a vision, have an honest conversation about who you truly want there on one of the most important days of your lives.
Ask yourselves:
Do we want something intimate or a huge celebration?
Are we inviting people out of obligation or true connection?
Would we rather spend more per guest for an upscale feel or invite more people?
A smaller guest list often means:
More flexibility in your budget... WAY more
Less stress during wedding planning and on wedding day
More time with the people who matter most on a fast paced day
There is nothing wrong with a large wedding — and there's also nothing wrong with a smaller one.
What matters is choosing a guest count that aligns with your values, vision and your budget, not the expectations of others.
Step Three: The Wedding Venue Is Usually the First Big Decision
Once you have a rough budget and estimated guest count, the wedding venue is typically the next step — and for good reason.
Celestial Farms Wedding Venue:
3116 E. Vienna Rd. Clio, MI 48420
When you're searching for wedding venues near me, keep this in mind:
Your wedding venue sets:
The date
The season
The style
Many of the vendor decisions that follow
When engaged couples search for wedding venues near me, I always encourage them to look beyond the photos.
Ask deeper questions:
What’s included?
Is there staff support on the wedding day?
Do they help with timelines?
What happens if something goes wrong?
What's the backup plan for weather?
Can we use our own vendors?
Are there hidden costs?
A beautiful wedding venue is important. But the team that stands behind you on wedding day is even more important.
Step Four: Choose a Wedding Venue With a Coordinator (or Hire One)
This is one of the things I find myself saying over and over — because it matters that much.
Whether your wedding venue includes a day-of coordinator or you hire one separately,
Someone needs to be in charge
on your wedding day who is not you!
A wedding coordinator:
Manages your timeline (and at Celestial Farms-helps you create it)
Handles vendors (At Celestial Farms we take over all vendor communication on wedding day)
Solves problems before you even know they exist (We see it all, and we're preventing problems before they arise)
Keeps things running smoothly (Our team of experts can't be beat)
Protects your peace (EVERY employee at Celestial Farms is trained to place the wedding experience of our couples at the very top of the priority list. NOTHING matters more)
Without one, those responsibilities often fall on:
A parent
A sibling
A bridal party member
Or you
And that’s not fair to anyone.
Valentine’s Day engagements are easier when you plan with purpose
Your only job on your wedding day should be to show up, have a good time, marry your best friend, and soak every single moment in. Everything else should be handled by experts not only in weddings and wedding planning, but experts on your specific wedding venue. Celestial Farms is a team of passionate professionals that know weddings and our venue inside and out.
Step Five: Skip the Unnecessary Stuff
Not everything you see online needs to be part of your wedding day.
You don’t need:
Every trending detail
Ten different signs (Our staff at Celestial Farms will direct guests every step of the way)
A photo moment in every corner (A great photographer is all you need)
Favors people will forget at home (Wedding favors-the FIRST unnecessary detail I recommend skipping)
Ask yourself with every decision: Does this have meaning to us? Or will this be a forgotten detail in the years to come?
Some of the most meaningful weddings I’ve hosted focused on:
Guest Experience
A solid timeline that builds excitement and flows smoothly
Great music and amazing emcee skills
A comfortable, welcoming atmosphere where every moment and every detail is memorable
Wedding guests remember how a wedding felt, not how many extras it had.
Skipping unnecessary things does not make it less special, it's the opposite. It means it’s more intentional, therefore more memorable and enjoyable for everyone.
Step Six: Don’t Ask Too Many Opinions
This one can be tough for our couples— especially early on.
Everyone means well. Truly. But too many opinions can create confusion, self-doubt, and way too much stress.
Here’s what I recommend:
Choose one or two trusted people for feedback and to come along on tours
Tune out the rest of the opinions
Make decisions with your partner, not a self-assigned committee (aka family)
This is YOUR wedding day. Not your mom’s redo. Not your friend’s Pinterest board. Not a performance for anyone else..EVEN if they are paying for it. If it isn't yours, what's the point?
If something feels right to you, it's right. If something feels wrong to you, it's wrong.
Step Seven: Do What Feels Right for You
There is no single “right” way to plan a beautiful wedding.
You don’t have to:
Follow traditions that don’t resonate with either of you
Invite people you’ve outgrown or barely know
Spend money where it doesn’t matter to you or doesn't create a better wedding experience
Some of our couples care most about the dance floor. Others care more about the menu, photography, or an intimate ceremony with plenty of time to greet each and every guest.
The key to stress-free wedding planning is aligning your choices with what actually matters to both of you. It's YOUR day!
When couples do this, everything else falls into place.
Step Eight: Take It One Step at a Time
Wedding planning isn’t something you need to finish in a weekend, don't panic buy, don't sign any contracts before researching, and don't make decisions because you feel pressured.
Focus on:
Budget
Guest count
Wedding Venue
Your team (At Celestial Farms our couples know they can rely on our team for anything)
One thing at a time
You don’t need to have all the answers right now. You just need to take the next right step.
Support matters more than details after a Valentine’s Day engagement
A Final Word From a Locally Owned Michigan Wedding Venue Owner-Jennifer Wilson
Jennifer Wilson- Owner of Celestial Farms Wedding Venue
I’ve watched couples plan weddings filled with so much pressure and stress… and weddings filled with nothing but joy and intentional experiences....The difference isn’t money or size!
It’s intention, support, and boundaries.
If you were engaged on Valentine’s Day, congratulations on this special time in your lives. This is the beginning of something absolutely beautiful. Let us help you plan a wedding that honors your relationship, protects your peace, and doesn’t ask you to sacrifice your future for one day.
And remember — stress-free wedding planning is about focusing on what matters most.
Comments