The Real Reason Nikki Bella Postponed Her Wedding to Artem Chigvintsev

Nikki Bella won’t be sending out her save the dates anytime soon — but she does have a good reason for putting off her wedding to fiancé Artem Chigvintsev: the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pro wrestler, 38, told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday, November 25, that she is still in the early planning stages for her nuptials with the 39-year-old Dancing With the Stars pro.

“I think last year I said Thanksgiving, right? And I want to say next Thanksgiving,” Bella said. “I can’t believe it’s been a year, but I really do want to get married. I mean, selfishly, I just want to have that, like, one big day about me, I can’t wait for that and to wear that dress, but I do want to marry Artem.”

While the Total Bellas alum might not know where it will happen, she does have a good idea when she will walk down the aisle.

“The one promise I made [Artem] before we can plan, is that his parents can attend, and with where the world’s at right now and trying to get two Russian parents into the country, it’s almost impossible,” she explained.

Due to coronavirus travel restrictions, Chigvintsev’s parents have been unable to get international visas to come to the United States. “So, the day I can get two visas, is the day we will set our date and say, ‘I do,’” Bella said.

The couple, who met during season 25 of DWTS, got engaged in November 2019 after nearly one year of dating. The two-time WWE Divas champion and the choreographer welcomed their son, Matteo, in July 2020.

In June, Bella exclusively told Us that despite having to sway from their original ideas because of the pandemic, they were “actually starting to think about wedding planning and it makes it even more fun because I also want a really big bash for all my friends and family because we haven’t been around each other for a long time.”

While the pair have had to push their “I dos” back a few more months, they aren’t slowing down on their plans to expand their family. However, Bella told her soon-to-be husband that she’s not as flexible about the timing for having a baby as she is about tying the knot.

“This is what I told Artem, ‘At 39, if I’m happy where I’m at in life, and with you and you’re still in my life, I possibly will get pregnant, and let’s try to have that baby before 40,’” the “Bellas Podcast” host said. “‘But hey, if not, I’m sorry, she is closed.’”

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