Like so many couples around the world, Georgia Love and Lee Elliott have had to completely overhaul their wedding plans as they try to organise their special day in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The reality TV duo, who found love on the second season of The Bachelorette back in 2016, have already had to scrap their destination wedding in Italy and are hoping to tie the knot in Tasmania next year.
“We’re just planning as if everything will be OK by next year, but we still don’t know whether it will be. It’s also hard to do a lot of it when we can’t even get down to Tassie,” Georgia, who is based in Melbourne and unable to leave the state, tells Now To Love in an exclusive interview.
“We still don’t know if we actually will be able to go ahead with what we’re planning,” she admits of the ever-changing situation.
Despite not knowing if they’ll be able to have their wedding next year, the 31-year-old is able to see the silver lining in these unique circumstances.
When asked if she has any words of advice to other couples trying to plan their big day, Georgia says it’s all about relishing the extra time you get to spend with your partner.
“While it can feel really unfair that COVID-19 has taken over so much of the fun planning time, it’s actually really special that we have so much time at home with our partners to do the planning. That’s how Lee and I are looking at it, we feel grateful to have this dedicated time to plan and get excited,” she explains.
The journalist is currently bunkering down with her fiancé Lee and their fur baby, a fluffy Ragdoll cat called Pawdrey Hepburn, as the state of Victoria commences another six-week lockdown after a second wave of COVID-19 hit at the start of this month.
The presenter says she is using this time to take stock of what matters most.
“I will definitely appreciate the little things about going out and seeing my friends and family more,” she says.
“We all took so many things for granted before. I think the biggest thing I’ll try to change though is how many nights at home I have. As much as I’ve missed going out, it’s also been so good for me to stay home more, I’m always so ‘go go go’ and this has been a healthy reset for me.”
“We’re just planning as if everything will be OK by next year but we still don’t know whether it will be,” Georgia says of her upcoming wedding to Lee Elliott.
(Image: Instagram)As for how she’s staying physically and mentally fit, Georgia is doing about three sessions of online workouts a week with her personal trainer over FaceTime and making the most incidental exercise.
“I’ve been making myself do things like walk to the shops every time I need food rather than drive, it’s something to get me out of the house,” she revealed.
But perhaps the biggest source of comfort for Georgia during lockdown is her feline friend Pawdrey.
“Having Pawdrey as a source of constant cuddles has definitely been important for me over the past few months. It has certainly been a really scary time for people across the globe and I have cherished having my first pet love around as comfort! We’re also both needy, love food, attention and pats,” she tells us.
Cat cuddles are the best kind of cuddles!
(Image: Supplied)In light of this, Georgia has teamed up with Amazon Australia to judge a competition to celebrate the launch of Amazon Pet Profiles in Australia, scoping out the nation’s best look-alike pet and paw-rent duo.
“My obsession with my own pet got me the title of ambassador for this competition which I love because all my work to make Pawdrey a star is obviously beginning to pay off,” Georgia laughs.
“As competition judge, I get to pick who will win the competition and take home a $1000 Amazon gift card, have a pet photo shoot and of course be crowned the face of Amazon Australia Pet Profiles,” she explains.
The stunning brunette admits she and Pawdrey have often been called twins.
“I do often get comments on our photos that we look alike because we have the same blue eyes – obviously I take that as a massive compliment because she is BEAUTIFUL,” Georgia smiles.
When she’s not tending to her very important judging duties, the reality TV star will be enjoying the upcoming season of The Bachelor, which is set to return to Channel 10 in August.
The show was just three weeks into filming with controversial new Bachelor and former Survivor star Locky Gilbert at the helm, when production came to a screeching halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Having Pawdrey as a source of constant cuddles has definitely been important for me over the past few months.”
(Image: Supplied)After a long hiatus and with restrictions lifting, it has since resumed filming.
“I’ve certainly learned never to judge a book by its cover, or the Bachelor by the rumours! I’m looking forward to watching Locky and am super interested to see how it will all work with COVID playing such a huge role. I think it will certainly be a very different season to what we’ve seen before,” she says.
As for who she’d like to see carry on the Bachelorette baton, Georgia is calling for the network to pick another unknown leading lady – just like she was!
“I’d really love to see an ‘unknown’ person the Bachelorette again. I’m definitely biased, but they’ve always been my favourites to watch! I love how you get to know and fall in love with the protagonist as well as the people vying for their hearts.”
“I’m looking forward to watching Locky and am super interested to see how it will all work with COVID playing such a huge role.”
(Image: Instagram)
