All-White Wedding In Srilanka With A Dreamy Bride And A Gorgeous Venue!
BY Latha Sunadh | 18 Jul, 2018 | 2119 views | 5 min read
A bride in a pretty white sari against the dashing waves at Galle Face Hotel, this is the dream! This pretty Srilankan bride really gave us oodles of minimal inspiration for a wedding with her subtle ideas and pretty-as-a-picture decor. We especially loved her sari and the bridesmaid outfits by House of Indi - green is such a warm hue! The venue, Galle Face Hotel, Sri Lanka did add to the magic of the moment while photography by Amarante Lifestyle Studio kept it simple and effortless!
Meet Dilara & Kavi
"Kavi and I knew each other since we were kids as my aunt was married to his uncle but were nothing more than distant relatives. He left for London with his sister for higher studies and several years later, destiny brought us back together when we were both attending my aunt's alms giving in Matara, Sri Lanka. We’ve been inseparable ever since. After 5 years of dating, he finally popped the question right before he took me out on our anniversary dinner. It was private and intimate and of course, I said yes! After deciding on May 2018 for the wedding as it was special for me since it's the same month my parents got married, we began planning," explains Dilara.
From The Bride:
When trying to describe this special day, I can't seem to find a better word than “perfect,” a day I've pictured forever became a reality and I married the man of my dreams! Everything we did for a wedding theme, we tried to stick to a Grecian/Tuscan theme. Hence the colour palate had multiple shades of olive green. Besides the elements of green, we wanted everything else to be black and white with a touch of gold to make the setting classic and timeless.
Venue plays a major part in any event, and Kavi and I selected the historic Galle Face Hotel, which would complement our theme with its exquisite European inspired architecture. Quality of the buffet menu played a major role as we were just not impressed by the alternative venues we were looking at.
My bridal outfit is unique because it was designed by the Groom's sister. I'm pretty sure our relationship would have added extra pressure when it came to my sis-in-law to be designing my bridal saree and reception dress. While others would have crumbled under this kind of pressure, she thrived in it. She's quite possibly the best bridal designer in Colombo. She had big plans for my outfits as we started by shopping in the streets of Mumbai, months before the big day. It was amazing to see how she came up with the design on the spot, after seeing the material we chose. For her to complete the design, a custom order had to be placed with the thread work she drew on a piece of paper in less than five minutes which stunned everyone in the shop. I gave her complete freedom enabling to do whatever she liked and to weave her magic. The saree was designed to be a traditional drape with a twist of sophistication. It was simple yet elegant. Seven bridesmaids and one flower girl outfits, all complemented my bridal trousseau seamlessly.
The material for the reception dress was also custom made from the scratch inspired by her drawings. I do not think words can describe the unique elegance and glamour in that dress. From start to end everything was stress free, as I was only needed for the fittings. Both outfits exceeded all my expectations! We had an amazing set of vendors who truly love what they do and are great at it.
At the beginning of planning, Kavi and I had a frank conversation on the kind of wedding we wanted. We believe when it comes to Lankan weddings, there’s a misconception that the more money you spend, the better it will be. Kavi and I had a clear understanding of how much we were going to have the perfect wedding without breaking the bank. We knew this would mean both of us putting in more time and effort as well as cutting down on irrelevant cult shenanigans. Therefore, our advice would be to “have a clear-cut budget, give priority to the essentials, there is no need to do everything you see in Pinterest.”
Everything about our wedding day could not have been more magical. When Kavi and I saw each other just before the ceremony, it was as if we froze in time. I was so nervous about Kavi seeing me as a bride, so being able to see the happiness on his face when he saw me was something I cannot put in words.
First dance as husband and wife surrounded by all of our loved ones will be a moment that we will relive for the rest of our lives. Our first dance was ‘You’re Just Too Good to be True’ by Franki Valli, a timeless classic with an upbeat ending.
Vendors: Venue: Galle Face Hotel, Sri Lanka Bridal Outfits: Indi Yapa Abeywardena of House of Indi Makeup: Viran Jose Peters and Hairstyling by Shane Perera Photography: Amarante Lifestyle Studio Decor: Poru Weddings Wedding Planner: Events and Trendz Groom's Outfits: Fouzul Hameed Invitations: Stationary by Soleil Videography: The Wedding Diary by Ruwin Fernando