Serena Pitt Talks Joe Amabile Wedding Plans & Relationship

serena pitt joe amabile — Image Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

BACHELOR IN PARADISE - “710” – Time is running out in paradise, but before these beachgoers can look toward the future, they’ll have to deal with the present. Ahead of the rose ceremony, tension between Aaron and Ivan escalates, but it’s not long before a shocking discovery has everyone switching sides. After the roses have been handed out, the final guest host emerges. Newcomers hit the beach, and one couple learns how to open up. Later, those still on the beach will dance the night away at a totally rad ‘80s-themed prom where, just like in high school, there will be plenty of laughter and tears, a shocking breakup and enough drama to fill three hours. “Bachelor in Paradise” airs TUESDAY, SEPT. 28 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)
JOE, SERENA P. — Image Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile got engaged at the end of June while filming season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise. However, even nearly four months later, they’re not rushing to plan a wedding just yet — because they have other things to worry about first! “Wedding planning has not begun yet,” Serena told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY at The Bachelorette premiere brunch on Oct. 17. “Planning right now just entails us moving in together. Joe’s lease is up in April in Chicago. We’re going to try and find a place together, which will be very exciting, and then start talking wedding plans a couple months after that, probably.”

So far, Serena and Joe haven’t set a date or picked a location when it comes to the wedding, but they’ve started to think about where they want to live. While he currently lives in Chicago, she’s in Toronto, so there’s a few options on the table right now. “We’re between doing 50/50 Chicago or Toronto or 50/50 New York for living,” Serena explained. “So maybe where we end up living might determine [where the wedding is], but we want to make sure all of our friends and family can be present. Finding a place to live together is first [priority], and then we’ll walk down the aisle eventually!”

Right now, Serena and Joe are dealing with the struggles of a long distance relationship amidst the coronavirus, which has made things even more difficult for them. “We’re making it work, for sure, but we wish we could be together all the time,” Serena admitted. “Right now, we’re newly engaged, but that’s a short term problem. We’re doing the best we can to see each other when we’re free and all of that.”

Serena and Joe fell in love in a matter of weeks in Paradise, but there was no question in Serena’s mind that they’d be able to make it work in the real world. “I think we just felt like a fantastic team together,” she gushed. “He’s a fantastic communicator. We just understood each other and felt very comfortable and safe and open with each other in the relationship. Having that partnership with him and working through all the things that we did on the beach really gave me the confidence to be like, ‘Wow, this could be someone that I’m with for the rest of my life and we’re going to tackle those challenges on together.”

joe amabile serena pitt — Joe Amabile proposes to Serena Pitt. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)

Of course, one of the biggest challenges Joe and Serena had to deal with in Mexico was the arrival of his ex, Kendall Long, on the show. Joe and Kendall previously met in Paradise and dated for more than a year before breaking up at the beginning of 2020. However, Serena views her relationship with Joe as completely separate from what he had with Kendall. “His last relationship is obviously different than this relationship,” she said. “Every relationship is different, right? I think I’m just focused on what we’re doing now and our relationship and moving forward with that.”

Fans of the Bachelor franchise won’t have to wait long to continue getting their fix from the series. A new season of The Bachelorette premieres on Tuesday Oct. 19 at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.