Getting Married in Italy in Times of Coronavirus: Things you have to know
Planning your destination wedding in coronavirus times may feel intimidating. We are facing an unprecedented worldwide situation. Uncertainty may trigger your deepest fears, especially while planning such a special event as your dream wedding in Italy. But there is good news too! Here in Tuscany and throughout Italy, the Covid19 situation has been gradually improving, getting us almost ready for phase two. It seems that social distancing will be an important part of it. No one knows when the world will return to normal but we can find some silver linings in this tricky situation and focus on what we can control. I am here to cheer you up with some useful tips and to-dos for your Italian wedding in times of uncertainty.
Postpone your wedding
If your dream is to get married in Italy, you don’t have to give up on it. Postpone your wedding, don’t cancel it. Contact your wedding planner to choose a new date as soon as possible. Most of our vendors understand the situation and will go above and beyond to help you reschedule the wedding without penalties. If you don’t have a wedding planner, contact the vendors as soon as you can, to ensure that they are still available. Many dates for 2021 are already booked.
Be flexible and consider midweek days, according to the experts interviewed by Harper’s Bazaar, they can become a new trend next year. But hey, if you are having a destination wedding in Italy, you and your guests will be taking at least 4-5 days off in any case, so it doesn’t really matter if you pick a Tuesday or a Wednesday rather than a weekend!
Put up a smaller ceremony
We all have some relatives who didn’t show up in ages, but your parents want to invite anyway, right? Well, now you don’t have to! This is the perfect time to organize a smaller wedding, with your dearest and nearest only. This wedding format will provide a more intimate atmosphere and greater attention to your guests. Call the ones you can’t imagine your perfect day without and ask if they are available to travel on the new dates you chose.
Having fewer people attending the wedding means more original particulars that will truly pamper your guests. Immagine you can now add even more luxurious details to your special day! There are no limits to our fantasy for your “Dolce Vita” experience. You can have unique handmade welcome gifts from local artisans or welcome bags with Tuscan delicacies. You can offer them cooking classes from a local chef or a Vespa ride in the countryside. Your Italian wedding will become an unforgettable one for you and for your guests.
Enjoy a tech-savvy celebration
What if your grandparents or other guests can’t travel? They don’t have to miss your dream wedding in Italy! We can use technology to make them part of your ceremony and celebration. If there’s something social distancing is teaching us, it’s that we can always stay connected. We can stream your wedding, so the ones you love can be part of this special day with you, directly from their living room couch.
The other day I was speaking with my friends – the photographer Adrian Wood and one of my favorite videographers Luigi de Gregorio and it occurred to us that we can make a “Same day video edition” of your wedding for those who couldn’t attend the ceremony. In 24 hours or so, we’ll have ready a wedding trailer with the highlights of the day, so you can share it right away on your favorite social media. In this way, your guests, even at a long distance, can feel part of it and share the excitement.
Savor more time for planning your wedding… and your relationship
Postponing your wedding means more time for planning and a more relaxed schedule for you. You can use this time to reassess your concept, to check that your documents are still valid in the new dates and to learn even more about your wedding destination. Italy has so many gorgeous wedding locations and truly outstanding romantic traditions, savours and scents. And you don’t have to rush anymore. You can immerse yourself in the dolce vita relaxed lifestyle immediately, starting from today. It is also useful to keep things in perspective, you have more time to cultivate your loving relationship now, and at the end of the day, this is what matters, right?
Reconnect to your creativity with these wedding planning ideas
Creativity is a great resource to beat the uncertainty concerns and to be sure that your wedding day is going to reflect your personality. Since you have more time to cure the details, you can use some of these suggestions during the quarantine. With a sparkle of inventiveness you will transform this to-do list in a fun journey to reflect your stunning ideas:
– Use the Ciarra Claire Free Digital Download template to inform guests of new arrangements for weddings in light of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
– Design your wedding seating chart.
– Share important wedding and rehearsal information with your bridesmaids, including timeline, directions, duties, etc.
– Start your wedding gift registry.
– Send thank-you notes for any gifts received.
– Review & note your stationery needs.
– Update your wedding website with travel and destination information, if you haven’t already.
– Create a list of any traditions or wedding customs that you want to incorporate into the wedding.
– Confirm readers for the ceremony and share with them appropriate information.
– Review ceremony details and decide on the ceremony standing order for the bridal party, processional & recessional order, and reserved seating.
– Finish writing your vows.
– Create a photo shot list for any group and family photos that can later be shared with your photographer.
– Start the playlist for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.
– Take online dancing lessons for the first dance.
– Select favors & determine favor packaging/presentation & placement at the reception.
– Purchase gifts and cards for your Maid of Honor and bridesmaids.
– Purchase gifts and cards for your Best Man and groomsmen.
– Check the 8 things to consider before planning your destination in Italy.
– Watch this “Dolce Vita” traditional Italian style wedding video to get inspired or the “Italian Love Story” video to keep dreaming of your Tuscan Wedding.
More gorgeous Italian nature for your wedding
As people all over the world stay inside, nature becomes cleaner than ever before. You have probably seen the flourishing Venice lagoon photos and videos of animals taking back the streets all over the world. This is especially the case for Italy now. The lockdown reveals its amazing essential beauty. I can seize this change here in Tuscany, the other day I even saw a hedgehog out of my door, it has never happened before.
According to some theories, pollution contributes to the spreading of the virus, so maintaining the air cleaner will probably be a priority for the years to come. This means your wedding will become even more beautiful, with stunning photos and videos, no matter what Italian scenery you choose for it.
I am here for you
This situation is new for all of us but we are in this together. I am always looking for new creative ideas to support you and to make your marriage unique and unforgettable. I am confident that we will come out of this even stronger and more resilient. Organizing a marriage always has some challenging sides, this is just another one and we can overcome it.
Stay home, stay safe, and don’t buy crazy amounts of toilet paper. Why did people in other countries buy it all, anyways? It never was a thing here in Italy, we were too busy buying pasta.
What are your fears and/or concerns during this time of uncertainty?
Leave a comment below and let’s discuss them together.