Harshita Dhoot and Yuvraj Rathi, Cinnamon Bentota Beach, Sri Lanka
A Lankan flea market, a Chettinad haldi and a beachside wedding - this couple’s destination wedding used an array of cultural influences to create a vibrant celebration!
Surrounded by verdant foliage and foamy waves, Harshita Dhoot and Yuvraj Rathi’s destination wedding was a tropical treat for the senses. Planned and designed by WeddingSutra Favorite – Event & Wedding Experiences, the union flaunted an array of vibrant hues and themes that took a cue from the local culture!
Wedding Planning
Planning a destination wedding on an exotic island is an intricate task for which the couple looped in Events and Wedding Experiences who thoroughly impressed the couple with their creativity, proactive nature and ability to understand their vision. Nikhil Jetha from Events & Wedding Experiences shares, “The couple was keen on making every member of the family feel appreciated and hence, wanted events that revolved around their family. They also admired the local Sri Lankan culture, which was also incorporated into one of their pre-wedding festivities. For their wedding mandap, both the families wanted the mandap to match the bride’s Phoolon Ki Chaadar for which we crafted a highly customized design from scratch.”
Wedding Functions
Traditional Myra
For the myra, traditional decor took center stage with the venue swathed in hues of red and orange. Red dreamcatchers with lotus motifs hung from wooden canopies with pichwai illustrations while red blooms adorned the other corners of the venue.
Flea Market
Inspired by the local, vivid Sri Lankan culture, the flea market was a fun event where the guests witnessed the beauty of Sri Lankan art forms first-hand. Brass elephants, bright-hued traditional masks, folk dancers and pastel lanterns transformed the outdoor venue into a mini flea market. A special stall offering traditional wood-carved statues and masks doubled up as a souvenir for the guests.
Sangeet
After the breezy, sunkissed events – the couple gave glamour a leg-up with a sage and lavender-hued sangeet. With light purple spotlights that lit up the green walls, the family had a gala time on stage as they danced to Bollywood chartbusters. Meanwhile, the ceiling above looked enchanting with suspended lavender sequins interspersed with acrylic bird-shaped silhouettes.
Haldi
Embracing contemporary decor elements while keeping traditions close using Chettinad-inspired decor elements, the haldi was a minimalistic celebration. Dainty garlands of jasmine swayed in the wind while a backdrop crafted out of banana leaves added a dash of vibrancy. Strategically placed yellow blooms also added colour to the celebration.
Wedding
Hosted outdoors by the beach, the wedding was a rustic celebration with twigs, blooms and lush foliage used generously in the decor. The mandap, however, was the highlight of the event with suspended white blooms in sync with the serene surroundings. Nikhil shares, “For the groom’s baraat we had to take special permission from the local authorities. As Yuvraj arrived, the entire road was closed off so that the guests and the groom could enjoy themselves to the fullest.”
The Wedding Makers
Venue: Cinnamon Bentota Beach, Sri Lanka
Wedding Planner and Decor: Events & Wedding Experiences
Production: Wedding Works
Makeup: Sukanya Manerikar
DJ: DJ Regge
Emcee: Chaitanya Rathi
Wedding Invitations: White Mirage Invites
Photography: Stories by Inside Me
