if you want to sit together, 2 choices, either up fare her ticket to be next to you (if seat are available in First), or just swap with her seatmate, provided they will like to swap. Just because you request to downgrade, does not guaranteed you will be seated next to her. When both of us where EXP, we've had numerous occasions where we sat apart and in different cabins and survived. On short flights, we really do not care, more of a comfort thing, but long flights is different. Good luck.