Mithila and Jana brought Sri Lanka to the City for their very big day
Photos: M&R Photography Words: Jana Sivinanthan
Both Mithila and I are from Sri Lanka, but we were born and grew up in London. We wanted to have the best of both worlds on our big day and, lucky for us, The Brewery was one of the only venues big enough in the City for our 1,000-strong guest list. As soon as we walked into the venue, we knew it was the right place. We loved the rawness of the brick walls and exposed timber, and although it’s in the City, it still felt private.
When we first got engaged, we weren’t sure on what theme we wanted. As we started planning though, we decided to go for a Hindu ceremony based on swans, and we mirrored that in our wedding cards and mandap (under which the ceremony took place).
It seemed right to keep this part as traditional as possible, sticking to Sri Lankan flowers and centrepieces made of coconuts, betel leaves and kumkum powder. We even had jasmine garlands flown over fresh from Sri Lanka for the female guests to put in their hair.
For the reception, we wanted a modern concert theme. Our table names were inscribed on records of artists who are significant to us. Instead of a seating plan, each person was presented with a VIP concert ticket with their table name on it. When it was time to sit down, we called each table in separately and played the corresponding song to their table name as guests entered the room.
With so many people there, we knew it would be a challenge to keep things flowing throughout the day, so it was important to us to make sure everybody was entertained. We organised a candy bar with an old-school tuck shop and a photo booth from Say Fromage to capture some memories. Our cocktail bar, meanwhile, kept the guests dancing through the night. We definitely got the concert feel we dreamt of.
Highlight of the day...
Jana: ‘The best men’s surprise entrance to the reception was completely unexpected and absolutely brilliant. They came in wearing JLS masks, singing and dancing. It set the mood for the party that followed.’ Mithila: ‘It was amazing to see all of our loved ones celebrating together. At the end of the day, that’s what we really wanted.’
Suppliers:
Venue The Brewery
Wedding dress Ami Bridal Couture
Groom’s suit Reiss Personal Tailoring
Caterer Just Premier
Entertainment Harrybo, Pro System Services, Say Fromage
Photography M&R Photography
Videography Courting Whale
Cake & flowers Flowers by Sonia
More photos:
This article was first published in Square Meal Weddings, 2015