20 Apr Coronavirus in Italy

Getting married in Rome: the Coronavirus situation in Italy

For me, nothing beats a good cup of tea, when I need to relax and think things over. So here I am, with a hot cup of Early Grey, ready to give an account of the Coronavirus situation in Italy in our 5th week of lockdown, for all the couples I was helping getting married in Rome or had just started dreaming about their destination wedding in Rome.

Being the first country in Europe to adopt very restrictive measures, I’m sharing my experience of what may be awaiting for you and what you could do in this truly surreal situation that leaves you feel like you’re suspended in time.

1. The Coronavirus situation in Italy and what happens when you are on lockdown 

This is just a glimpse of what happened partly to me, partly all around me and what is likely to happen to you, too during the Coronavirus lockdown.

You’ll start with cleaning the house, discovering some hidden corners you had never noticed before.

You’ll go buying groceries, trying to predict people’s actions, to avoid peak hours and long queues outside the supermarket.

You’ll stuff your pantry to delay going out again, because going out now, with a surgical mask on your face and disposable gloves feels like leaving for the front.

You’ll cook and you’ll eat, eat, eat.

You’ll exercise, maybe following some yoga or fitness classes online, as you don’t want to get fat from too much eating.

You won’t sleep a wink, because you’re way too worried to sleep; or you’ll end up sleeping long hours, because you don’t have much to do after all.

You’ll constantly check the news, but then you might soon grow tired of that and just switch the TV off.

You’ll spend hours on the phone, chatting and exchanging videos with friends and relatives and even maybe with people you haven’t spoken to in ages.

You’ll check your Facebook and Instagram pages, reading all sorts of news, most of which will probably be fake, and watching fun videos to cheer you up, waiting for some good news to show you the light at the end of the tunnel.

You’ll watch videos of big stars and VIPs broadcasting from their homes and all of a sudden, everyone will look more real and human.

You’ll start singing from your window and listening to people playing instruments on their balconies to feel connected with the rest of the world.

You’ll discover random acts of kindness and lovely neighbours, leaving something at your door (in my case it was some fruit and a piece of cake!).

You might be angry at your politicians for all sorts of reasons, but you’ll support your country in the end, no matter what and feel closer to your people.

If you have a dog, as I do, you’ll wash him and brush him more often than usual, even learning how to cut his hairs, poor him!

You’ll find a routine in the end and get used to it.

And then, after 5 weeks of lockdown, which is about the time I’m writing this blog at, you’ll look back and see time has passed by and realise you can make it, and you’ll start thinking of all the things you want to do when this will be over, including maybe plan a destination wedding in Rome!

Time will pass by and you’ll end up wondering where it’s gone!

2. The Coronavirus situation in Italy and what to do if you were planning your destination wedding in Rome

First of all, if you were having your destination wedding in Rome now or in the next few months, don’t cancel, postpone. The Coronavirus situation in Italy and the rest of the world is obviously going to change and life will be back to normal. Your wedding is probably all planned, or at least the most of it is, so it’ll be much easier to postpone, rather than cancel; anyway, you won’t be getting married anywhere else at the moment. You can take this time to go through all the details and speak with the vendors involved in your wedding, who’ll be happy to chat with you.

So keep this in mind: your destination wedding will happen, and it’ll happen exactly as you imagined, just a little later, despite the actual Coronavirus situation in Italy.

And if you were just starting planning your wedding, then there’s so much you can do!

For example, look for your perfect bridal bouquet, for the flower décor for the ceremony and for the reception.

Go through all your favourite music to create your wedding day playlist, picking the following songs, or some of them:

– Music for the ceremony (processional, entrance of the bride, exchange of the rings, signing of the register, recessional, exit)

– Music for the reception (newlyweds’ entrance, first dance, bride and father dance, groom and mother dance, cutting of the cake).

And if you are on lockdown with your partner, what better time to learn and practice the moves for your first dance?

Have a look at hairdos and make-ups to find your perfect style.

Go through wedding photoshoots, to find inspiration for your wedding pictures. And make a list of your top spots as well as a list of all the people you’ll definitely want in the pictures, so as not to forget anyone. Your photographer will greatly appreciate this!

And last, but not least, if you have a bit of spare time left, consider writing a nice review on the vendors you’re working with, like Dolce Vita Weddings perhaps…? That will surely help businesses to restart after the sudden, unpredictable stop.

Whatever you decide to do with the time you have suddenly been given, make the most out of it, whether it means sleeping and relaxing all day or being super active; follow the rules, be kind, share the positive news and not the bad ones, that won’t help but just make things worse; try and learn something from these crazy times.

But most of all, wherever you are, stay at home and of course, stay safe (which has now become the new greeting)!

 

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