Sara Bareilles’ Wedding Non-Negotiables with Fiancé Joe Tippett (Exclusive)

Sara Bareilles is certain about what she wants for her wedding to Joe Tippett.

Speaking to PEOPLE at the American Heart Association’s Red Dress Collection Concert in New York City on Thursday, Jan. 30, the “Love Song” singer, 45, dished on the important details that absolutely cannot be skipped when she and the American Primeval actor, 42, say their “I dos.”

“You can ask my wedding planner,” Bareilles jokes, referring to how serious she’s taking her big day.

For the “Gravity” singer, comfort is key.

“The non-negotiables are I want comfortable places to sit,” she tells PEOPLE. “I want lots of blankets in case it’s cold because I hate being cold.”

But Bareilles also has to be sure that her guests are well fed and entertained, adding, “The food has to be slamming and the music has to be amazing.”

 “I just want it to feel just really cozy and warm and inviting.”

Bareilles and Tippett met in 2015 while working on the play Waitress at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass. 

They went public two years later, making their red carpet debut at the opening night for All the Fine Boys, in which Tippett starred.

“At this point, I’m 45,” Bareilles tells PEOPLE at Thursday night’s event. “The dream of my wedding doesn’t look like it might have if I was in my early 20s.”

Though her vision for her wedding may be different these days, the Grammy winner says celebrating love is ultimately her goal.

 “What I really want to do is celebrate bringing our community of loved ones together to witness this journey we’re taking,” she tells PEOPLE. “And I really want my friends and family to feel like they had a great weekend.”

When explaining the meaning of the American Heart Association’s Red Dress Collection Concert to her, Bareilles tells PEOPLE it is an “incredible gesture” that supports the community affected by cardiovascular disease, particularly women.

“We are sharing stories and encouraging each other to take our health seriously and I just love everything that this event stands for,” she says. “It’s so important.”

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Bareilles previously spoke to PEOPLE about her wedding to Tippett at the purple carpet premiere of her sitcom Girls5eva in March 2024. At the time, she shared that while they were hoping to tie the knot that year, his busy schedule would likely push things back a bit.

“Oh man, we were aiming for this year,” Bareilles said. “But with his shooting schedule, I think it might be too hard to pull it together this year, so it might get pushed to next year.”

She also added that “Delicious food and people being warm” were among her must-haves.