Welcome back to The Amalfi Experience blog! Today’s feature is slightly different to usual – Jeniece & Nick are gracing our pages today to talk all about their experience with postponing their Amalfi Coast wedding due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Alike many couples across the globe, the couple were due to exchange their vows in May but unfortunately found themselves having to reconsider their wedding date. We’ve worked alongside J & N to ensure the process of postponing is as stress-free and seamless as possible under the circumstances. Here, we have Jeniece talking a little more about her experience and offering her advice for other couples who find themselves in a similar situation.

Tell us about your love story! How did you and your husband-to-be meet?

“Nick and I were set up by a mutual friend. She lured me to a bar and placed Nick in front of me. To be honest, I really did not like him at first….and I’m not totally sure he liked me (although, what’s not to like). But she was determined for us to go on a date. She told me that Nick was super interested and had asked for my number. She told Nick I wanted him to have my number and ask me out. Anyway, turns out she was right, and we were perfect for one another. We were both in between jobs and after that first date we spent an entire week with one another – we’ve been inseparable ever since!”

Why did you choose The Amalfi Coast for your wedding? Had you always wanted an Italian wedding?

“Around 6 years ago I travelled to the Amalfi Coast with my family and immediately fell in love with it. It is without a doubt my absolute favourite place in the entire world. One night, we were at dinner at La Tagliata, and a wedding was taking place the floor below us. Right then and there I turned to my family and said, “If I ever find someone crazy enough to marry me – it has to be here.” There was no place else in the world more perfect to me.”

Up until a few months ago how would you describe your experience of wedding planning with The Amalfi Experience?

“I am an incredibly particular person. Very type A, not easily impressed. I do not say this lightly – Jacquie and her team are actual Angels. Everyone talks about how stressful and chaotic planning their wedding was – but for us, it was the easiest and most wonderful experience. Jacquie, Rosie and Jo are even more organised than me and I never had a single worry. I knew I was in good hands and I knew my day would be perfect with them running the show. The idea of planning a wedding was so scary to us – and planning one in a different country was such an overwhelming feeling. But the moment we met Jacquie – we knew it would not only be ok, but be fun!”

COVID-19 has hugely affected the wedding industry, at what point did you start worrying about how it might affect your wedding date?

“I work in the beauty industry, and a lot of my vendors are based in either China or the Crema region of Italy (near Milan) – so I think I knew about Covid before most people did. We started to really freak out around the end of March (our wedding was supposed to be May 2.). Then in April, Covid hit the US and we knew there was no shot of keeping our May date. We waited on postponing until the airlines cancelled all of our flights – at that point the choice was basically made for us.”

How did The Amalfi Experience help with the whole process of postponing your wedding day? Who made the final decision?

“We would not have gotten through all of this without Jacquie, Rosie, & Jo. They went to work right away, found us a new date, contacted all our vendors and essentially just picked up the entire wedding and moved it out 6 months. These women are the most wonderful humans in the world. Having the happiest day of our lives, our dream wedding, ripped away from us 6 weeks before it was supposed to happen almost broke us. We sobbed for weeks and weeks – it was so horrible. Truly, Jacquie, her team, and my mom (shout out to Rosie!) are the only reason we made it through to the other side.”

When is your new wedding date and what made you choose this date?

“Our new wedding date is currently October 9, 2020. We chose this date because October is at the end of high season, the weather is stunning at that time of year, and all our vendors were available.”

What have you found the most difficult about having to rearrange your Amalfi wedding?

“For us, 2 things were really tough about moving the wedding. The first is the constant questions from our guests. Everyone was so concerned about their flights, their hotels, their schedules. And while we understood their concerns – I didn’t think it was fair or appropriate for us to have provide comfort or information to anyone when we were still trying to navigate what to do while mourning the loss of our special day. The second most difficult thing is still going on – not knowing if October will happen, or if we will need to push it out to May 2021.”

Although it has been an awful time for everyone, will you take anything positive from this?

“There are definitely positives that came out of this. First, the outpouring of love and support was truly beautiful. Our friends and family rallied around us and their love helped carry us through. This is what we tried to focus on – gratitude. Gratitude that we are at a place in our lives where we have the means to have a dream Amalfi coast wedding, gratitude for the strong support system we have around us, gratitude for our health, and gratitude to our superstar wedding planning team at The Amalfi Experience.”

Do you have any words of advice to future couples who are in the same situation?

“Our advice – try to focus on what is going right, instead of what is going wrong. And take a breath. Realise that this is a moment in time. It will not last forever and your day will come. And when it does, it will be more glorious and beautiful than you could ever imagine (especially if you have Jacquie and her team on your side.)”

Thank you to the wonderful Jeniece – it’s been a pleasure working with you and we’re thrilled to be able to offer your experience to couples who may be in a similar situation to you. As luxury wedding planners on the Amalfi Coast, we endeavour to ensure your planning journey is as enjoyable as the day itself, no matter what the world may throw at us! Rest assured, your special day is in safe hands and we have every eventuality covered. If you are in need of as helping hand for your celebration, head over to our contact page and say hello!