Wedding Packages in Sri Lanka

Among unique wedding celebrations, Sri Lankan Wedding ceremonies have a major attraction. A Sri Lankan wedding is a unique combination of all the cultures and traditions of the island’s ethnic groups. Organizing a Sri Lankan wedding for your special will be an unforgettable experience. The page will offer you the necessary details on how to organize a successful wedding in Sri Lanka.

Wedding Packages in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is one of the hottest wedding destinations in Sri Lanka. Weddings in Sri Lanka are full of surprises. Its combination of mixed Sri Lankan cultures made the island the perfect spot for weddings. Anybody can celebrate a Sri Lankan wedding with the presence of gorgeous landscapes like beach shores and more in more scenic backgrounds.

What makes a Sri Lankan Wedding unique?

Sri Lanka is a mystical and beautiful island in the Indian Ocean. The island offers various types of cultures, having the majority share of Sinhalese. The island’s presence of different culture bases makes the island’s environment colourful and interesting to live in.

Choosing a Sri Lankan wedding will be beneficial for any couples due to various cultural variations and choices the little island is offering. Most couples choose Sri Lanka for the opportunity of getting married under a different culture and experience the diversity of different cultures and their traditions. In addition, the island has beautiful sights like Nuwara Eliya that are perfect for photography.

Traditional Sri Lankan Wedding (Customs and Traditions)

There are four main ethnic groups in Sri Lanka and they are Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamils of recent Indian origin and Muslims. Buddhism is the most common religion in Sri Lanka with Sinhalese being the majority of the population on the island. With the presence of different ethnic groups, there is a diverse collection of wedding cultures in this island country.

One of the main types of Sri Lankan wedding is the traditional Sinhalese Wedding. To a certain limit, some rituals are being taken under by the Tamil community of the island. The Sinhalese traditional wedding consists of two main parts, which are Nakath and the Poruwa.

The traditional Sri Lankan wedding is more unique to the country itself. Over the years, the Sri Lankan wedding customs and rituals have been passed from generation to generation. The part will explain all about Sinhala-Buddhist Wedding Ceremonies.

The process and its traditions have been carried out for generations. In a current Buddhist Sri Lankan wedding, there are lots of elements borrowed from Hindu Tradition. The elements like horoscopes and formal family proposals are an important part of both cultures.

Even though modern weddings are carried out with love matches, most of the South Asian countries including Sri Lanka still gives the first place to tradition and religion.

Sri Lankan Wedding Decorations, customs & traditions

Lots of elements in a traditional Sri Lankan wedding ceremony have changed over the years. Hindu culture has made a certain influence on Buddhist Weddings. Although some key features like “nakath” and “poruwa siritha” have remained the same.

• “Nakath” is known as the “auspicious time”. It is derived from the horoscopes of bride and groom. The horoscopes are based on their dates and times of birth.
• The “Poruwa Ceremony” is the major attraction of the entire Sri Lankan wedding ceremony. It is found to have existed as far as two thousand years. It is the most important event that takes place during a Buddhist wedding event. The bride’s family is responsible for the construction of the Poruwa.

Order of the Sri Lankan Wedding Ceremony

• The poruwa ceremony is strictly guided by Nakath. When the proposed auspicious time arrives, the ceremony will begin.
• In the beginning,  the bride and groom are being asked to stand on a wooden platform which will represent their House and will be bonded by an Ashtaka. An Ashtaka is a narrator who will recite Gathas.
• The groom and his family will gather at the right side of the poruwa while the bride and her family on the left. With the sounds of drum beats, the bride and the groom will step onto the platform with their right foot first. Next, they will greet each other with palms held together.
• The shilpadhipathi will present a collection of betel leaves to them. The couple should accept it and give it back to him.
• The couple will be presented with a tray that bears seven separate sheaves of betel leaves, with a coin placed on top of each sheaf. This is performed to bring good luck to the new couple.
• The bride and groom should take turns to pick up the leaves from each sheaf and drop it onto the platform.
• The sacred thread (pirith nool) will be tied to the little finger of the couple by the maternal uncle of the bride. Then he will pour holy water (pirith pan) over their tied fingers.
• The groom places a ring on the bride’s hand and then the bride places a ring on the groom’s hand. This custom got its influence from western culture.
• The groom will present a white cloth about 16m in length to the bride. In turn, the bride will give the piece of cloth to her mother.
• A saree and saree jacket made of red material will be presented to the bride by the groom’s mother.
• The bride hands a sheaf of the leaves to the groom and worships him. Afterwards, the couple will step down from the Poruwa.
• Afterwards, a group of four young ladies will chant Jayamangala Gatha for the new wedding couple standing along with the family members.
• After the completion of basic traditional rituals, there will be cutting of the wedding cake. In the original tradition, milk rice (kiribath) is the most special of the dish out of all the sweetmeats that are a part of the wedding spread.
• The bride’s mother feeds the bride and the groom a mouth of milk rice and the groom’s mother gives them each a sip of milk.
• The newly married couple and witnesses, one of whom should be a citizen of Sri Lanka,  should sign the marriage certificate in the presence of the Registrar of Marriages.

Homecoming

Few days after the conclusion of a Sri Lankan wedding, there will be a “homecoming ceremony”. For this ceremony, the bride will wear the red saree given to her during the poruwa ceremony. This is a new custom included in the Sinhala-Buddhist wedding.

Requested Legal Documents for a Sri Lankan Wedding

There are some legal requirements that one must do for the registration of marriages. The required documents for a legal Sri Lankan Wedding are given below.

• Photocopy of birth certificate- The original should be presented prior to the wedding day
• Photocopy of valid passport- The original should be presented prior to the wedding day
• Details of the names, addresses and occupations of the marrying couple
• Details of the names, occupations and addresses of the parents
• An affidavit confirming the marital status of the bride and groom prior to the wedding. This should be signed by a Solicitor with company stamp

There are certain rules that married couples should know.

• If either party to the marriage is divorced, a Decree Absolute proving the lawful termination of the previous marriage must be presented prior to the wedding ceremony
• If widowed, Death Certificate of the former spouse of the previous marriage
• If names have been changed prior to the wedding, provide legal proof of a change of name

Sri Lankan Wedding Venue Types

Sri Lanka can provide any kind of wedding opportunities of your choice. Whether you prefer an outdoor wedding or an indoor wedding, it can be done in a jiffy.

Indoor Wedding

An indoor wedding means you will need to focus on the Sri Lankan Wedding decorations inside the building. There will be building decoration as well. Here are the benefits of having an indoor wedding.

• No need to worry about the weather
• Freedom for the decoration process
• Presence of air conditioning

Indoor Wedding Venues

• Hotel Banquet Halls– These halls can accommodate a large group of people at once. These are more suitable for wedding events with lots of invitees.
• Restaurants– If you are a food lover, the restaurant is a great spot for the wedding. Restaurants are more suitable if you have a small guest count for the event.

Outdoor Wedding

Outdoor Sri Lankan wedding ceremonies will add a unique touch of nature. Here are the benefits of performing an outdoor wedding event.

• The beautiful and natural backdrop
• Managing decorations will take less time and effort
• Large space availability
• The wedding photographer will be able to move around freely
• Natural lighting will add quality for the wedding photos

Outdoor Wedding Venues

• Beach– This is one of the top picks as an outdoor wedding event. The scenic background and the wind will make the event unforgettable for the guests.
• Hotel Garden– Hotels Gardens are more beautiful as they are managed by the professionals. It will be easy to organize a wedding in the hotel garden.
• Backyard– If there is a spacious and scenic backyard, the spot can be a great place to organize the event.

Plan your Wedding with Scenic Ventures in Sri Lanka today!

When it comes to us planning a unique Sri Lankan wedding, we would like to tailor the wedding that suits you and make your stay in Sri Lanka memorable. Below information, indicates the basic functionality of our services for your wedding. Please feel free to contact us and plan your dream wedding today in Sri Lanka.

• The assistance of a local wedding coordinator.
• Instant Registration
• Decorated Wedding Locations within the Hotel Grounds
• Kandyan Dancers and Drummers
• Traditional Singing and Blessing by four girls
• Sesath Decorations
• Photographs
• DVD of the Ceremony
• Elephant Rides
• Chocolate Wedding Cake
• Room Upgrades subjected to availability