A Sri Lankan And Australian Wedding
Nishani and Dean were married after 4 years together. It was important to both of them to include the Sri Lankan customs, the traditional Sri Lankan ceremony and the Sri Lankan food in their wedding. Nishani and Dean said incorporating Sri Lankan customs into their wedding made the day special. And not just for themselves but for their parents too. Here’s a little of their story.
The First Meeting
We met through a mutual friend at their house warming party nearly 6 years ago.
Any Funny Stories About That Meeting?
Dean asked me out the next night after we first met but I said I wasn’t looking for anything at the moment. We met again at the same friends house another year later and Dean was playing it cool, so I had to make the first move.
Where Was the Proposal?
We got engaged at one of our favourite hiking spots – White Rock in Ipswich.
Why Did You Choose Alison Cooke Photography?
Because we loved Alison’s photography style. We didn’t want overly dramatic wedding photos, just genuine moments from our day. We also loved the way Alison brings the natural landscape into the photos.
*Aw, thanks guys! If you’re ready to book your wedding with me, click here.*
What Made Your Sri Lankan Wedding Amazing?
We really wanted to build the traditional arbour (Poruwa) that we were married under. It took a long time and added stress, but it made it even more special for us.
How Did You Go About Planning Your Sri Lankan Wedding?
We had 9 months to plan the wedding and we agreed we didn’t want to be obsessing about the wedding for longer than that. There are too many options out there and it felt very overwhelming. So we relied on our friends and family for their recommendations. We also relied heavily on the suppliers knowing what’s best. For example, with the flowers and decor we told Anna what colours our outfits were and she did the rest based on what was in season. We liked the musician’s style so we relied on him to pick his music.
Any Wedding Tips?
Not overthinking the details and relying on your suppliers. We found this helpful and took the stress away.
What Was Unique About Your Sri Lankan Wedding?
We tried to make our wedding fairly informal after the traditional ceremony. It was a morning ceremony, so we had coffee and cake for morning tea then lunch reception. The traditional ceremony and Sri Lankan food made it unique as well as having Dean’s dad as our MC.
Advice For Wedding Guests
Take the time to write a thoughtful message in your congratulations card. We kept all our cards and loved finishing our day off by reading all the lovely messages.
Nishani and Dean did things in reverse for their wedding. They met before the ceremony and did the “first look”. It’s a great photo opportunity to see the groom’s face the first time he sees his bride.
And then we headed off to do the bridal photography. These guys really did their wedding their own way!
Check out this stunning bouquet from Anna from Embassan Haus
We were then we joined by the family for some quick family portraits before grabbing the rest of the bridal party.
And then it was time for a Sri Lankan wedding.
When the traditional Sri Lankan wedding ceremony was finished, it was time for the Australian wedding ceremony.
Following the ceremonies, it was time for the lunchtime reception. Nishani and Dena’s room was beautifully decorated by Anna from Embassan Haus. Thanks to my second shooter Vikki from VS Photographer for these fabulous table pics.
Thank you both for choosing me to capture your beautiful Sri Lankan wedding day!
Wedding Suppliers
Ceremony: Brookwater Golf Club
Cake: Cakes by Renee
Flowers and decor: Anna from Embasan Haus
Groom’s Suit: Calibre
Groomsmen suits: MJ Bale
Entertainment : Matt K
Jewellers: Springfield jewellers
Celebrate: Peter and Trish
Photographer: Alison Cooke Photography
About Me
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer I’d love to hear from you! I have photographed over 600 weddings during my 20 years in the wedding industry. Including a Sri Lankan wedding! My approach to your wedding day will be relaxed, fun, creative and professional. And, I am an award-winning member of the AIPP. So if you’re looking for a wedding photographer please give me a call on 0418 882 778 or get in touch here.
Check out more fabulous wedding photographs here
