Promises amid a Pandemic

Coronavirus and What it Means for Weddings in Italy

2020 was a year of ups and downs like no other. The downs emblazoned across the news each night and experienced closer to home on a personal level too. A year of postponed plans and sacrifices made. But there was (and remains) one constant through all of this, and today I want you to focus on that: each other.

Throughout 2020 your relationship has had to adapt and offer a place of sanctuary for each other in an entirely new way. During periods of lockdown where our movements were restricted, you quite literally became each other's worlds. So, as we look to the future, with renewed hope thanks to mass vaccination and we start to make plans again - your wedding 100% deserves to be one of them.

I've found that couples fell into two camps during 2020. Some who felt all the better for dreaming about what's to come, and some who didn't dare dream in case it didn't happen. In this blog, I want to share with you what weddings in Italy look like during the coronavirus pandemic, and what they could be in the not so distant future too. We all need celebrations to look forward to and a feeling of life moving forwards. Make your wedding one of them. You've waited patiently for long enough.

Before

Early on in the coronavirus pandemic, we decided that our couples needed certainty amid the rapidly changing restrictions. They needed a sense of calm, rather than constant wonders of what might happen. So, here at Sophisticated Weddings we made the difficult decision to reschedule every couple's 2020 wedding with us in Italy.

The venues, partner vendors and our couples throughout this difficult time have all been incredibly understanding, and with no small amount of effort, each of our couples had a new date saved. They had something to look forward to. There was no uncertainty, no struggle to reorganise suppliers or hard to stomach price hikes. We took care of it all so that they didn't need to worry - the biggest day of your lives should be all about happiness, whatever the world might throw at us.

During

While we personally did not celebrate any weddings in Italy in 2020, love stories have continued. Towards the end of the wedding season 2020 (typically April-October here in the South of Italy), you may be surprised to know that weddings and celebrations did take place in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, albeit with some changes. Masks and social distancing were in place, giving the wedding party a sense of safety and another accessory to style. Masks were worn as guests arrived, but once seated could be removed under the guidelines set out by the government.

Initially there weren’t any number restrictions as we had seen in the UK, but towards the latter part of the 2020 season, guest numbers were limited to 30. For some couples this reduced number was not necessarily a bad thing. An opportunity to add intimacy, reduce the cost and share the moment with those who matter most.

While restrictions may vary from region to region in Italy, we look forward with positivity to our wedding season 2021 and as the Italian government review the guidelines on a regular basis we welcome our clients to check in with us at any point to keep up to date with current the situation here in the Campania region.

After

It can be tricky to imagine what the future holds in times like these. But now there are not one, but many, vaccines being administered across the world, we think it's time to both dream it and do it. Time to once again look forward to making plans.

So what does a wedding in Italy offer in this time? With sun-kissed weather and sensational landscapes, open-air venues and alfresco receptions are absolutely on the cards. Marry and make merry beneath the wide Italian sky. Soak in the ‘bella vita’, the clifftops, the oceanscapes that made you fall in love with Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. It's far simpler to socially distance in an outdoor setting, one that captures the romance of Italy.

Couples also have the unique opportunity to reimagine their wedding after plans were put on hold. Perhaps a large-scale celebration for 200 just isn't the dream anymore for you - and if you're feeling that way, that's absolutely okay.

Set a new date, a new location and a more intimate guest list (a great way to reduce the cost too). It could all be yours at your wedding in Italy and it needn't be for 2021 - the diary is filling up for 2022 and 2023! With a caring pair of hands and shoulder to lean on (that would be me and the Sophisticated Weddings team!) whatever the future holds, we'll be here to help you through it to the wedding of your dreams.

If you'd like to find out more about weddings in Italy, get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.

For the latest travel advice to Italy from the UK click here

from the US click here