Newly Engaged After Christmas? Congrats — Here’s How to Make Wedding Planning Easy (and Actually Fun)
- William L. Phelan
- Dec 26, 2025
- 4 min read
If you’re reading this sometime around Christmas and New Year's Day, there’s a good chance you’ve either just gotten engaged or you know someone who has.
That’s not a wild guess. This stretch of the holidays is one of the biggest “engagement seasons” of the year. People are home. Families are together. Photos are happening. Big moments feel a little more… big.
So first: congratulations. Seriously. Getting engaged is one of those rare life moments where you can feel the future opening up in front of you. It’s exciting, emotional, and (if you’re like most people) it’s followed immediately by the thought:
“Okay… what do we do now?”
Here’s the good news: wedding planning doesn’t have to be chaotic. It can be organized, fun, and surprisingly stress-free—if you take it step by step and make a few smart decisions early.
Below is a simple, practical game plan I’ve seen work again and again.
Step 1: Take a Beat (Yes, Really)
Before you dive into Pinterest boards and spreadsheets, take a week or two to just enjoy being engaged.
Call your people. Celebrate. Take a photo you actually like. Soak it in.
Then—when you’re ready—start planning with a clear head.
Step 2: Pick Your “Big 3” Priorities
Before you book anything, sit down together and decide your top three priorities.
Examples:
Great food
Packed dance floor
Gorgeous photos
Keeping it affordable
Low-stress day
Having everyone in one place
A unique venue with character
This one step prevents a ton of conflict later, because every decision becomes: “Does this support our Big 3?”
Step 3: Talk Budget Early (and Keep It Simple)
You don’t need a perfect budget right away. You do need a realistic one.
Start with:
What you can comfortably spend
Who (if anyone) is contributing
A “padding” amount for surprises (they happen)
A helpful trick: instead of obsessing over every tiny cost, focus on your biggest categories first—venue, food, bar, photo/video, music—and build outward.
Step 4: Choose a Date Range, Not a Single Date
If you go in with one exact date, you’ll either:
get lucky, or
get stressed fast
A smoother approach:
pick a season (spring/summer/fall/winter)
pick a 2–6 week window
be open to Friday/Sunday if it helps
Flexibility is one of the biggest stress reducers in wedding planning.
Step 5: Book Your Venue First
Your venue is the foundation. It affects:
your available dates
your guest experience
your vibe and photos
what you need to rent (or don’t need to rent)
how complicated your day logistics will be
Once your venue is locked in, everything else becomes easier.
Step 6: Line Up the “Core Vendors”
After the venue, think in this order:
Photographer / Videographer (they book up early)
Caterer
DJ / Band
Officiant
Florals / Hair / Makeup (especially for peak-season Saturdays)
You don’t need every detail decided right away—you just want the key people on your team.
Step 7: Build a Simple Planning Timeline
Here’s a general, low-stress timeline that works well for most couples:
10–12 Months Out
Book venue
Book photographer/video
Rough guest list
Start looking at catering and entertainment
6–9 Months Out
Finalize major vendors
Send save-the-dates (especially if guests travel)
Start attire shopping
Begin ceremony planning
3–6 Months Out
Invitations
Finalize menu
Plan décor + layout
Book any rentals (if needed)
6–8 Weeks Out
Final headcount planning
Seating chart starts
Confirm timeline with vendors
2–4 Weeks Out
Final vendor confirmations
Final walk-through
Prep tips, music requests, and day-of details
Week Of
Delegate (don’t carry everything yourself)
Pack what you need
Sleep, hydrate, eat real meals
Let it be joyful
Step 8: Make the Day Easy by Keeping Things in One Place
Here’s one of the biggest stress points I see: couples unintentionally create a wedding day that requires constant travel, coordination, and herding people around.
The easiest weddings (for couples and guests) tend to have:
ceremony + reception in the same building
getting-ready spaces on-site
a comfortable area for guests to mingle
a clear flow from one part of the day to the next
When the logistics are simple, the day feels more relaxed—and you actually get to enjoy it.
Step 9: Give Yourself Permission to Keep It Simple
You don’t need:
100 custom signs
20 separate décor “moments”
a schedule down to the minute for every human being
You need:
a plan
a few trusted people to help
a space that supports the day
vendors you trust
room to breathe
A wedding isn’t a performance. It’s a celebration.
Where The Silver Fox Fits In
If you’re looking for a venue that makes planning easier and the day smoother, The Silver Fox was built for exactly that.
A few ways we help couples keep things easy and stress-free:
Ceremony, cocktail space, and reception all in one location
A cocktail lounge that keeps guests from being stuck in the same seat all night—people can mingle, relax, and actually talk (without shouting), while still being right next to the party
We provide so much of what couples typically scramble to rent: tables, chairs, tablecloths, place settings, napkins, and more
A comfortable, “make yourself at home” setup with getting-ready spaces and a flow that just works
And most importantly: we’ve been doing this a long time, and we focus on keeping it as easy and stress-free as possible
If you’ve been thinking, “We want something beautiful, affordable, full of character—and different from the same old venues,” I’d love to show you around.
Contact us to schedule a tour:
Call or text: 815-409-5120
Email: info@silverfoxstreator.com
And again—if you just got engaged this week: congratulations. Enjoy this season. Then plan it one smart step at a time.
Good luck and have fun!
-Bill