Beach Weddings in Sri Lanka

Weddings in Asia are known as a larger than life affair. Big venues flood of guests, sumptuous feasts, music and dances, are all factors contributing to the general image. However a certain pattern has set itself into conventional weddings. Guests come, meet, greet, eat, dance and return to their respective homes. This set pattern makes the whole ceremony boring. Why not make your guests feel pampered rather than just being invited?

Sri Lanka is a little island located on Indian Ocean and it has lots of very beautiful beach locations and its amazing place to arrange your dream wedding. It's a small miracle and Sri Lanka has different traditional and cultural wedding sets. Some of the popular tourist spots in Srilanka are hosting weddings big and small. Without any doubt, western and eastern shores are the favourite destination for domestic as well as international travellers. The best time however is between October - March, when the weather is cooler, when the country is blooming with various festival celebrations and when you can experience the true flavours of Srilanka.

While you plan to get married ashore, here are few of the points that you should consider:

• The concept involves presence of few but special guests, perhaps all in sync with a unique dress code.
• Guests accommodation should be given due importance.
• On time transfers, pick and drop of guests should not be delayed at any point of time.
• Meals should cater to both domestic and international guests.
• Guests should be treated with regional music and food.
• Beach wedding dress is different from any other wedding. None of your guests should feel out of the place.
• Destination weddings also give the opportunity to explore the area. Therefore, the sightseeing should not clash with any of the ceremonies.
• Each ceremony should be given a different theme to make the event more enjoyable & memorable.
• Your invitation, gifts and theme should have a local feel to introduce your guests to the destination.

Sri Lankan has an illuminated proud history and Sri Lanka has a unique and its own different traditional cultural system when we compare it with the other countries. In a Sri Lankan wedding it has few cultural symbols which show the uniqueness. Not only the cultural background as well as the other elements likes weather, people, animals, places and all.

Vismaya arrange all the related services to your wedding including beach location, accommodation, food & beverages, costumes, designs, photographers and honeymoon tours according to your request. All you have to do is contact us and let us know how you like to have your dream wedding. Then we will be able to arrange your dream wedding as the way you wish. Feel free to contact us at any time for further information about our services. 

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( Photos courtesy of Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa in Pasikuda, Eastern Province ,Sri Lanka)          

Typical Srilankan Tamil Wedding Day

The main wedding day is like a typical Srilankan Tamil wedding and almost closer to the South-Indian Tamil weddings. The Bride wears a bright-red 'koorai' sari with heavily pleated pattern and a blouse embroidered in gold. The veil is put over her head and wrapped around her shoulders in such a way that her face is not hidden. The 'koorai' sari is the most elaborate attire the bride will wear. The Groom wears a traditional pattu vaetti and a white silk shirt with a turban. As a custom, the bride's younger brother will be the mappillai-tholan.He is like an escort for both Bride & Groom in the occasion of the marriage.

Mappilai Tholan escorts the groom to the hall in his wedding attire and is seated throughout the wedding ceremony. The bride is brought in after the “Rakshabhandanam” of the groom. This is when the veil plays its part; the bride and groom are not supposed to see each other during the ceremony until the bride goes in to change her “koorai”, which is handed by the groom himself to her. The ceremony is always held at the girl’s side because the groom comes over to the bride’s place to marry her in front of relatives and friends and ceremoniously takes her away. He sits, passes the “koorai” to her, telling her to tie the sari which he has gifted and when she comes back to the manavarai, he stands, respecting her and giving her the status of a wife, by tying the kodi and Thirumangalyam around her neck. This is when the veil is removed and he sees his glowing bride, now his wife. She then stands, and garlands her husband, in a symbol of respect and he while seated, garlands her to symbolize unity.

Hindu marriage symbolizes not only the wedding bond between a man and a woman, but it also symbolizes mutual love, care, affection, understanding, commitment, sacrifice, companionship, dedication and surrender by both the partners. Each and every ritual associated with the marriage has a meaning. One of such ritual is tying of "mangalyam" The groom ties the "mangalyam" around the bride’s neck with three knots, each knot representing three different aspects – the first knot represents her respect towards her husband; the second knot represents the respect towards his parents and her parents; and the third knot represents the respect to the God. It is not only the yellow thread or the gold chain that has the significance, but also the bond between two hearts and the protection assured by each other. Thaali contain Sivalingam on one side and Soolam with Thiruneeru on other side, but for Amman thali it contains Amman Logo. On either side of the Thaali, there are two coins with Goddess Lakshmi engraved on it, but nowadays old type of English coin is used for it.

Legend says that thaali was actually a tiger tooth that was tied around the bride’s neck by the bridegroom as a gift. The bridegroom himself defeats the tiger without any weapon and brings the tooth to tie in his girl’s neck as a token of bravery and courage, symbolizing that he can protect his wife throughout his lifetime from evils. Mangalyam holds a special place for married women, especially in the Tamil culture. When it is tied around her neck, it promotes her as a wife who looks after the welfare of a family. It is considered as one of the most important ornaments in a married woman’s life, which remains in her neck throughout her lifetime. All married women worship their mangalyam by keeping kumkum (holy red powder) on it and perform “Sumangali Poojai” for the long-life of their husbands. At the end of the evening, a procession escorts the couple to the wedding car and throws flower petals on the couple.