Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Here comes the Wedding Week

- By Ruqyyaha Deane

It has been quite some time since grand weddings have taken precedence in people’s lives as the pandemic forced many couples to have rather intimate, low-key ceremonies instead. However, as the world adapts to a ‘new normal’ with vaccinatio­ns and safe health practices keeping COVID-19 at bay, couples can look forward to planning that dream journey up the aisle.

The Brides of Sri Lanka magazine together with Galle Face Hotel are hosting ‘Wedding Week 2022’ — a wedding expo at the Galle Face Hotel on February 19 and 20 from

10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Sri

Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka

Wedding Convention

Bureau and Sri Lankan Airlines have partnered with the event to promote Destinatio­n Weddings in Sri Lanka to India and other prospectiv­e target markets.

“We decided to organise Wedding Week 2022 because the wedding industry, wedding suppliers and the Sri Lankan economy suffered greatly during the pandemic over the last two years. As a bridal magazine, it is our responsibi­lity to support and help them get back on their feet and connect with prospectiv­e brides and grooms,” said Founder and Managing Director, Brides Of Sri Lanka, Nelum Haththella at a press conference held earlier this week.

Four internatio­nal designers will present their bridal designs at the fashion show alongside local leading designers – Umang Hutheesing and Nivedita from India and Aishath

Shamla and Aishath Shifza of Shif Couture from the Maldives. Brides of Sri Lanka is also launching a ‘Brides of Maldives’ magazine in the Maldives.

Wedding Week 2022 will also feature Meet & Greet sessions with a few live demonstrat­ions from industry experts such as Ramani Fernando, Dhananjaya Bandara, Johann Peiris and Ramzi Rahman. There will be bridal designers, photograph­ers, florists, wedding planners, cake designers and more vendors at the expo and food, cake and wine tastings; giveaways; jewellery shows and entertainm­ent over the two days.

“Wedding tourism is an industry that has so much potential. Whether you want to have your wedding on a beach, in the hill country or at cultural heritage sites or in Colombo, Sri Lanka is blessed with amazing destinatio­ns. We have already made a name for Sri Lanka as a wedding destinatio­n,” Chairperso­n of the Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau (SLTB) Kimarli Fernando said.

General Manager of Galle Face Hotel, Daniel Grua, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Galle Face Hotel, Mubarak Gafoor and head of Digital Communicat­ions and Social Media, Sri Lankan Airlines, Lakshika Gunatilake were also at the press conference.

Wedding Week will be open to the public, free of charge. Visitors are requested to be double-vaccinated if they are going to be physically present. Those who wish to attend virtually can visit https://bridesofsr­ilanka.com/

 ?? ?? Lakshika Gunatilake
Lakshika Gunatilake
 ?? ?? Nelum Haththella
Nelum Haththella
 ?? ?? Kimarli Fernando
Kimarli Fernando
 ?? ?? Daniel Grua
Daniel Grua

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