Lorna + Declan go bold for their wedding weekend in Ischia
Photo: Sarbo Studio
It almost feels like fate that Lorna + Declan ended up together — two Irish families living practically down the road from one another, never crossing paths until a chance meeting in a local bar changed everything. Now living in London, they knew neither Ireland nor the UK would cut it for their wedding; they wanted something more memorable, more them. So they turned the celebration into an experience, choosing Ischia — a place their guests might never have visited — and, with the help of LL-vetted planners at RoRas Destination Wedding, hosted a bold, sun-soaked weekend that embraced the island’s Mediterranean spirit, its food, its vibrant colours and its effortlessly relaxed vibe.
Beach Day
Rehearsal
The Wedding
The Engagement
“Declan proposed in London on 27 May 2023 — the day after my 28th birthday. He booked a surprise birthday boat trip down the Thames, but when he insisted on putting a blazer on in 30°C weather, I knew something was going on. Sure enough, as we sailed down the Thames past our apartment at the time (the first home we shared) towards Westminster on a gorgeous Italian speed boat, Declan proposed. It was such a special and intimate moment!”
Why Italy?
“Italy was always a top choice for us — food was incredibly important given my job in food media, so what better place than Italy for that! We were, of course, hopeful for a bit of sun and a unique experience for all our guests. I spent months researching locations and venues all around Italy until I came across Ischia. From the time we first visited, we fell in love with the charm of the island and the people who live there. I loved the idea of having our wedding somewhere we knew our guests had not been before so everyone could experience something for the first time together!”
The Venue
“We visited Giardino Eden on our first trip to the island and instantly fell in love. It’s a family-owned and run venue with incredible views over the Bay of Cartaromana and Castello Aragonese, an icon of the island. Day to day, it is a beach club and restaurant, but its deck that sits directly over the water creates an incredible atmosphere for a wedding.
The venue is intimate enough to keep everyone together, yet the different areas still feel distinct, making it perfect for each moment of the day. We had our guests arrive by boat, which made the experience feel even more magical and memorable. Importantly, the food and cocktails are truly some of the most delicious we have tasted, and we are so grateful to Nadia and Umberto, who went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for us.”
The Style
“Visually, I wanted to create something that felt truly unique, and decided to lean into a very bold look that had small vintage touches. For every decision I made, I asked myself, ‘Have I seen that before?’ I landed on the very bold and slightly unusual colour scheme of blue and red, as the restaurant of the venue has blue and white striped cushions. Rather than replace them, I wanted the wedding to feel like it belonged in the venue, so we leaned into it by deciding on blue tablecloths, a blue aisle, and draping in the ceremony space. Rather than go with a predictable colour pairing like orange or yellow, we paired it with bold and contrasting red in all of the floral arrangements, tablescaping, my bouquet, and the stationery.”
Authenticity
“What made this wedding truly authentic was the couple’s desire to live the island fully and let every choice — from food to design — express the true essence of Ischia. Lorna and Declan didn’t just celebrate on the island; they embraced its identity, its rhythm, its flavours, and its beauty. Their decisions reflected a deep respect for the place: local ingredients, Mediterranean colours, artisanal details, and an atmosphere that allowed guests to breathe the island at every moment.”
~ Roberto, Planner
Best Money Spent
“Photo and video — I am huge on memories, and we had the most incredible team. Sarah and Bowen from Sarbo Studio handled our photography and videography and truly outdid themselves, and we also had Áine Leech from The Wedding Content Company as our content creator. I can’t express how special it is to wake up the morning after your wedding and have a folder filled with photos and video clips from the day to look back through together. If you're even slightly considering a content creator, book them.”
Planning From Overseas
“Truly embrace the destination. Let Italy’s landscapes, flavours, traditions and craftsmanship inspire your wedding — authenticity comes from integrating the local culture into your choices, not just choosing a beautiful location. Equally important: never underestimate logistics, especially when planning on islands or remote locations. Transportation, supplier access, timing, weather conditions, and guest movements require thoughtful planning to ensure everything runs smoothly. A wedding can only feel effortless if the logistics behind it are carefully orchestrated.”
~ Roberto, Planner
Advice For Couples
“Try to be uniquely you. It’s easy to feel pressure and confusion from social media and people’s opinions on how the day should run and who should be involved in what. We made the decision early on not to be influenced by others and to plan a celebration that was authentically us — trust your gut and you will have the wedding of your dreams.”
VENDOR TEAM
Venue: Eden Ischia | Wedding Planner: RoRas Destination Wedding | Photo + Video: Sarbo Studio | Florist: Ravello Wedding Flowers | Music: Circus Music | Content Creator: The Wedding Content Co | Celebrant: Alessia Tedone Weddings | Fireworks: Ischia Pirica | Wedding Cake: F.lli Calise | Sound + Light: Banfi Audio Light Service | Furniture: Magno Allestimenti | Boat: Ivan Ciaramaglia, Bunga + Babilonia Boat | Stationery: A Messy Desk | MUA: Bref Keogh | Hair Artist: Danielle Garner | Gowns: Moira Hughes Couture, The One by Sinead Corcoran
Categories
PLANNING | REAL WEDDING | SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT | INSPIRATION | WANDERLUST
