In a wedding as deeply considered and rich with meaning as the love story that underpins it, Ashley and Jordan Elcham vowed their forever in Rome.

Ashley and Jordan Elcham’s story began at university, where they shared a study group and later, a friendship group long before romance blossomed. “We were friends for a good year before we even thought about dating,” Ashley recalls. “Being friends first really grounded us — it built a strong foundation of trust and understanding that has been so integral to our relationship.” It’s a friendship that remains at the heart of their love, and on the day they married a decade later, that same study group stood alongside them as witnesses.

They finally took the leap from friends to something more during a holiday in Italy, but there were already feelings there, “Because we’re both third-generation Lebanese, our core values are ingrained in our heritage, but we both definitely have a modern approach to our culture,” Ashley tells me, “It was really nice to meet someone so level-headed that struck that same balance. It all just felt so organic.”

As seems to be a central thread in the Sydney-based couple’s journey, the evolution to couple from friends was more a natural progression than anything. “I landed in Nice, and [Jordan] came to the airport to pick me up. We drove to Portofino, and that same day he asked me to be his girlfriend,” says Ashley, “Because that’s where our next chapter began, there’s always been this resonance with Italy for us — it’s always been an important part of our story.” Years later, in the heart of Rome, surrounded by the people who know them best, they tied the knot. 

The connection to Rome was something that, according to Ashley, felt predestined. “It was meant to be,” she says with a smile, recounting the moment it all began, when Jordan proposed to her at the Nobu in Santorini as a string quartet played on the balcony below. The next destination on their holiday itinerary was Rome, where they spent a week with Ashley’s sister and her Roman-born partner, who showed them how the locals live. The connection was instantaneous, and the pair began exploring venues right then and there.

“We’d always wanted a destination wedding,” says Ashley, “It was something we spoke about a lot because, while our culture is beautiful, there’s a phrase in Lebanese which essentially speaks to this obligation that you feel to invite your grandmother’s neighbour to your wedding,” she laughs. “Because Jordan and I are quite private, we didn’t want a huge event, and a destination wedding meant intimacy.”

Upon returning from their engagement trip, Ashley — a visual merchandising and store planning executive for Van Cleef & Arpels, and Jordan, who works in his family’s luxury property development business, set to work planning, employing the consultancy services of renowned Australian planners, After the Rock. It was this team who put the pair in touch with destination wedding planner, Chiara Raine of Avenue Cipresso, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Just over a year later, they returned to say yes to forever. Ashley and Jordan were married on the eighth day of the eighth month — a date chosen not just for its auspicious symbolism in Chinese culture (depicting eternity, among other things), but for the fact that it also marked eight years since they made it official.

The celebrations began two days prior to the official ceremony at Ristorante Da Meo Patacca in Trastevere — a rustic, authentic Roman eatery discovered through Ashley’s sister’s boyfriend the year prior. With its simple wooden tables, alternating-colour tablecloths, and live guitar and tambourine music, the restaurant’s charm needed no adornment, and in fact set the tone for the entire four-day celebration: authentic Italian, with a touch of the Elchams. Ashley wore a lace Rabanne dress with Valentino shoes and Dior earrings, while Jordan opted for a bespoke Tailor & Co. suit. A vintage teal Fiat Spider ferried the couple through the cobblestone streets to the venue, a detail Jordan took great pleasure in planning.

The following day was quiet and intimate, with Ashley and Jordan sharing private vows — captured by their videographers, Plus Two Films. Later, they wandered the city with photographer Alice Mahran, capturing iconic locations from the Spanish Steps to the Jardin de Russie. Ashley wore a Mirror Palais dress, Tiffany pearls, and Valentino heels, and Jordan wore Rag & Bone paired with custom Tailor & Co.

On August 8th, the ceremony unfolded in the 17th-century Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, its soaring ceilings and frescoed walls offering a dramatic, sacred backdrop to their vows. “It’s one of the city’s most historic churches,” Ashley tells me. “We wanted a place that felt timeless, and that carried the story of the city with it.”

A string quartet played throughout the ceremony, with a close friend’s debut tenor performance of Ave Maria adding to the emotion of the occasion once they’d said I do. The aisle was lined with flickering candles; the entranceway flanked by vases brimming with white roses and an abundance of wild greenery in garden vases. Ashley worked closely with Australian designer Jessica Andreatta to create a gown that felt entirely her own — a blend of 1950s couture silhouettes, Grace Kelly elegance, and vintage Christian Dior with a hint of McQueen drama. Her scalloped, three-metre mantilla veil swept the floor, and lace gloves echoed the old-world reverence of the church setting in a seamless blend of vintage romance and modern grace. Bridesmaids wore simple halter necks in soft pastels, created in collaboration with Australian label Redrew, inspired by ’90s Ralph Lauren to complement the timeless mood.

Jewellery held deep personal meaning for both the bride and groom: Tiffany & Co. studs borrowed from Ashley’s mother, a diamond pendant gifted from her father, and her engagement ring completed the bride’s ensemble. Jordan wore heirloom touches, including a family diamond ring and a Zodiaque pendant from Van Cleef & Arpels, gifted by Ashley in the years prior.

One of the most poignant moments of the ceremony was also the most unexpected. The exchange of crowns — a beautiful tradition symbolising equality and unity in marriage, was a surprise to the bride and groom on the day, “Wearing the crowns felt so special; it was about honouring not just our love, but the partnership we’ve built.”

Family and heritage — foundational to both Ashley and Jordan; another bond that binds them — was woven through every moment. “Food and dancing are so important to us, and also key to our culture,” Ashley shares. “It was essential for us to bring those elements into the day.” Their reception, held at the iconic Hotel De La Ville, was an Italian feast that honoured those values, with a warm and intimate atmosphere that felt both celebratory and deeply personal. In lieu of a welcome sign, Ashley and Jordan had a welcome poem titled ‘The Meaning of Marriage’, which perfectly depicted their union. There, against the backdrop of Rome’s skyline, they joined their bridal party for a final photoshoot before their guests descended into the Mosaico Garden Courtyard for an elegant reception dinner.

The evening was punctuated by personalised details, from custom pasta bowls inscribed with ‘The Elchams’ to hand-lettered menus by Eau De Papier Illustration; all carefully conceived details that were designed to honour the union of marriage, their own unique journey, and the city of Rome itself. Custom fans were embellished with the inscription: ‘When in love, do as the lovers do,’ — the closing line of a poem titled ‘When in Rome’ that became a sort of overarching sentiment woven throughout the celebrations.

As twilight fell, Ashley changed into a simple Victoria Beckham slip — a gift from Jordan that he suggested she throw on at the last minute for their first dance (nervous, after seeing her wedding gown, that he wouldn’t be able to pull off a lift with such a voluminous dress). The dance went off without a hitch; they feasted on pasta and gelato, drank champagne and limoncello spritz, and danced the night away with the ones they love the most.

The following day, they gathered their guests for a recovery brunch in the courtyard of Hotel de Russie, another famous Roman venue, to conclude a truly perfect celebration.  

In the end, it wasn’t just the city, the settings, or even the meticulous detail that made their wedding unforgettable — it was the feeling of joy in its purest form. “It’s hard to describe,” Ashley reflects. “I just remember waking up when it was over, looking over at Jordan, and thinking — that was perfect.”

As was always the intention, their wedding, at its heart, was a reflection of everything they’ve built together: a quiet confidence, a shared vision, and a love grounded in the solid foundation of friendship — destined to endure as eternally as the city where their future together truly began.