Colombo Court Blog The Hotel
A destination wedding in Sri Lanka: what to know before you plan
The island does beach, jungle, tea-country and city weddings equally well. The legal steps, what to wear in the heat, and why the reception often ends up in Colombo.
Sri Lanka has become one of the most popular places in the world to marry away from home, and it is easy to see why. You can hold the ceremony on a beach, in a tea estate at two thousand metres, on a riverboat, in a jungle clearing or in a colonial church, and then spend the honeymoon on the same island. Here is what to have in hand before you plan.
The legal part
Foreign couples can marry legally in Sri Lanka. Both must be over eighteen, and you will need original birth certificates and passports with copies, an affidavit confirming that you are free to marry, and, where they apply, a divorce decree, a former spouse’s death certificate or proof of a change of name. The Registrar General’s office issues the certificate in Sinhala with a certified English translation. The rules do change, so confirm them with the Registrar General or your embassy well before you travel; a good local planner will do this for you.
What to wear
The island is warm and humid all year. A full European wedding dress is a brave choice at midday; light silk or cotton, and linen for the groom, will keep you at the ceremony rather than in the pool. Plan the ceremony itself for late afternoon, when the light is best and the heat has gone.
Why the reception is often in Colombo
Guests fly into Colombo and many spend their first and last nights here. A reception in the city, before everyone scatters to the coast or the hills, solves the logistics. Our poolside garden takes up to 120 guests at a banquet, under trees that have been here for the best part of a century, with the pool lit at night. Cloud Café & Bar on the roof takes ninety, with the skyline behind you. Both can be booked exclusively, and so can all thirty-one rooms, which turns the hotel into a private house for the weekend.
What we do
The menu, the layout and the décor are built around you, and outside decorators, bands and photographers are welcome. Music ends at half past ten, under Sri Lankan noise rules, which is worth planning for. What to ask before you book a wedding venue is our honest checklist, and the enquiry form reaches our events team directly.
