Having a romantic and memorable wedding is the dream of many couples, and more and more people are choosing to tie the marital knot in romantic settings such as beaches and meadows. Such natural settings can add breath taking scenery and create fantastic backdrops for memorable photography. Beautiful beaches with golden sand, aquamarine sea, and the clear blue skies form a fabulous backdrop for a romantic wedding. Some even go to the extent of flying off to a far away island destination to make their beach weddings a truly extravagant and memorable one. If you are dreaming of such a wedding in a far away destination, a Sri Lankan beach wedding will certainly make your dreams come true, and at a surprisingly affordable price too.
Choose Your Wedding Theme
Sri Lankan beach hotels are fully geared to cater for wedding arrangements and offer special wedding packages that are affordable, yet truly extravagant. When you decide to marry in this paradise setting, you can then select a theme for the wedding based on your preferences. A traditional Sri Lankan theme would allow you to partake in wedding rituals that have passed through many generations, and be draped in a beautiful Kandiyan Sari with special wedding jewellery similar to what the queens of an old era wore. The spectacular Nilame suit (the jewel encrusted special jacket, a crown-like head piece and short sword) will transform the groom into a bygone era of Sri Lankan royalty. To complete this magical traditional wedding theme, you will have drummers and dancers dressed in heritage dancing attire and leading the couple and the guests to the ceremony. Some couples even opt to have the bridegroom arrive atop a majestic elephant. Most hotels will arrange evening or day time weddings, in accordance with the couple’s preference, and the banquet can be indoors or outdoors as you wish.
What is Included in a Wedding Package?
This differs from one hotel to another, although there are a few common basic provisions that most include. The cost will depend on your choice of venue. As Sri Lanka has a wide range of hotels offering the opportunity to marry on their beautiful beaches, couples can choose from 3 to 5 star hotels and boutique villas, offering packages that start from $1000 and go up to $3,500 or more, depending on the number of guests. The wedding reception menus are diverse and can be chosen from buffet style menus to six course lunches; or dinners with specialties, such as lobsters and seafood, being served fresh from the sea. Most hotels offer a 5-10% discount on bookings that exceed $2,500.
Here are some of the common elements that you can expect to be covered by any wedding package:
- A room on full board for the wedding day
- Additional room for bridal dressing and bridesmaid dressing
- Wedding cake with 20-25 pieces
- Bride and groom seating arrangements
- Decorated seating and table arrangements for marriage registration
- Banquet hall with decorated seating and table arrangements
- A bottle of champagne for the couple
- Wedding photography and album with 20-30 selected photographs
- Flowers for the bride and the groom
In addition to the above, any special arrangements can be made on request.
Getting married in a romantic island setting can be a dream that you thought you would never be able to afford. However in Sri Lanka, you can have the opportunity to book a luxurious wedding at a fraction of the price that you can get married for in the UK. Not only that, but your honeymoon can be considered as part of the same package and together you can explore the spice gardens, misty tea covered hills and amazing wild life, without having to spend much more.
Author Chani Muditha Thebuwana writes travel articles for www.LoveMyVouchers.co.uk, the voucher code and discount website that considers low cost travel solutions a priority.
