Cost of Sri Lanka Destination Wedding – Idea, Cost & Tips
Starting at 60K USD – Cost of Sri Lanka Destination Wedding
Friends become Family and Family becomes Friends at the Destination Wedding in the Island Country of Cinnamons.
EDITED: SEPT 2024
Popular for its pristine beaches, unique heritage and exotic cuisine – Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world that allows your imagination to go wild and get in touch with paradise!
Sri Lanka’s clean and white beaches, exotic flora and fauna and traditional hospitality makes it a wonderful destination to seal your wedding vows. With time the idea of Sri Lanka destination wedding is becoming popular among to-be-wed couples from India and abroad. Couples who are looking for exotic beach wedding destinations for tropical wedding at a standard budget, a Sri Lanka destination wedding is their best bet!
Explore more on cost of Sri Lanka destination wedding…
Let’s assume that you are a group of 70 to 100 people and looking for suitable options to host a destination wedding in Sri Lanka.
Venue, Accommodation, F&B, Décor, Entertainment for 2 nights including 100 guests would be USD 60K onwards – an average cost of Sri Lanka destination wedding.
DESTINATION
The paradise islands of Negombo, Kalutara, Beruwala and Bentota houses some of the most alluring resorts that offers world class luxury along with great value of money. All of these destinations are situated at a travel time distance of around 1 hour from the Bandaranayake International Airport, Colombo, hence making logistics management easier.
ACCOMMODATION
There is abundance of beach properties in Sri Lanka. Intimate weddings, posh beach weddings or grand style weddings – Sri Lanka has perfect venues for weddings of every style and size. Couples could choose from several options that best suits their wedding style and budget.
The most sought after properties are – Avani Kalutara Resort, Cinnamon Bey Beruwala, Shangri – La Colombo, Taj Samudra, Colombo amongst the lot.
These are picturesque beach resorts surrounded by vivacious gardens and private beach, bordered with palm trees. Adorned with contemporary architecture, world class amenities and top notch cuisine, these properties are a perfect host to posh beach weddings. Most of these properties have an itinerary of 70+ Rooms, indoor and outdoor space that can host a gathering of 200 – 2000 people.
Here is a basic understanding on room tariff:
- •4* or 5*Property: Room tariffs may vary from 150 USD to 300 USD Per room per night on double occupancy and breakfast (T&C)
VENUE
The star properties offer the most incredible event spaces. Exotic Private Beaches for sunset wedding, grand ballrooms for lavish reception party, and glittering cocktail at tropical gardens.
Most of these venues have space to host a gathering of 200 – 2000 people.
Generally, the venue rent is included in F&B package. But some hotels may also charge the following:
- •5* Property: Venue rental 800 USD Per function/ per day (T&C)
- •4* Property: Venue rental 600 USD Per function per day (T&C)
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Srilankan food boasts of culinary heritage – heavily spiced, contrasting flavors and incredibly fiery. The use of cinnamon, curry leaves and coconut is common most of the dishes. Seafood is plentiful, chicken and meat are also take up an integral part, varieties of veggies and curry delights are a typical choice. Srilankans quench their thirst with mostly herbal beverages.
Wedding Feast
A feast for Srilanka Destination wedding is likely to have these key varieties – varieties of basmati rice dishes with fried seafood, chicken and cashews, egg dishes and curries. Buddhists and Hindus mostly choose vegetarian varieties, whereas Muslims and seafood lovers include biriyani dishes, fish and meat to their wedding feast. Desserts – Watalappan, a cardamom-spiced coconut custard dish, and kavum, a sort of fried doughnut, are always present at weddings. Kavum, also known as ‘oil cake,’ is also part of the wedding ceremony.
Wedding Menu Price
Feast Menu cost of Srilanka Destination Wedding would be something like this:
- •5* Property: Lunch/Dinner: 45 USD to 65 USD Per person/ per day (T&C)
- •4* Property: Lunch/Dinner: 40 USD to 55 USD Per person per day (T&C)
Some common dishes would be – Basmathi Chicken Fried Rice , Basmathi Yellow Cashew Rice, Fish White Curry or Fish ambulthiyal,Cashew Curry or Vegetable Chopsuey, Fried Kankun or Brinjal Moju, Watalappan, Cream Caramel are among the desserts.
ALCOHOL AND SPIRITS
Wine and Whiskey is expensive in Srilanka. LIon & Special brew are Sri Lanka’s Local Beer Brands owned by Carlsberg. Also, the Rockland Dry Gin is inexpensive and worth tasting.
Local Spirits like toddy (fermented palm nectar), arrack (distilled palm nectar), and kassipu (moonshine) are easily available at inexpensive prices.
Alcohol prices are on as per actual consumption. However few hotels allow you to bring your own alcohol and charge a corkage fee.
DÉCOR
Natural décor is best for a Sri Lanka destination wedding. Beautiful local blooms, other décor elements like colorful drapes, artificial structures, trendy furniture and props – all are available, but have to be sourced deliberately.
Expect the cost of décor for any pre wedding function to be likely around USD 3000 onwards and wedding function décor to be around USD 3500 onwards.
ENTERTAINMENT
According to Sri Lankan traditions the groom is escorted to the wedding location by drummers and typical Kandyan dancers in procession and even an elephant is decked up for the procession. This is the highlight of the wedding. An extravaganza would be a presentation by fire dancers.
However, options are available in varieties for wedding entertainment – DJ, Dance groups, Music bands, emcee etc.
The cost of entertainment for a day would be anywhere around USD 1000 onwards
PHOTOGRAPHY
However there are wedding photographers and studios available in Sri Lanka, but good ones are few. Couples are advised to fly their own wedding photographers or consult your wedding planner for suitable references.
A standard photographer with team for 2-3 day celebration coverage may cost anywhere around USD 2500 – 3500.
MAKE UP ARTISTE
Professional makeup artistes could be sourced from Colombo. There are many good options in this category. You could also get your own makeup artiste, but that could be an expensive affair, you could ask your wedding planner for references of local MUA.
The cost of Bridal could range from USD 300 Onwards.
TRAVEL
Located 30 km away from Colombo, the Bandaranaike International Airport remains the sole international airport of Sri Lanka. However, Koggala Airport and Bentota River Airport also provides passenger services to India, on commercial airlines. There are direct flights from Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Delhi and Mumbai to Sri Lanka. These flights are offered by SpiceJet, Jet Airways, JetLite, Air-India Express and SriLankan Airlines.
Tourists can also select from a number of indirect flights offered by carriers like SpiceJet, Jet Airways, Air Arabia, Kingfisher, SriLankan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air India. These flights can be availed from Coimbatore, Delhi, Madurai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Goa, Ahmedabad, Kozhikode and Pune, among others.
WEDDING PLANNER
The most important service you should confirm before you confirm any of the above mentioned services. Wedding planners would ensure that all wedding services are booked as per timeline and you enjoy your wedding festivities with stress free mind.
A wedding planner may charge you either of the two ways – A percentage of your wedding budget or a fixed fee depending on the responsibilities undertaken by the planner team.
Hope the above information helps in understanding about cost of Sri Lanka Destination Wedding.
Average cost of Sri Lanka destination wedding starts at 60K USD, including accommodation at a 4* venue and F&B for 100 guests, Décor, Entertainment for 3 events within a span of 2 nights.
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Real Sri Lanka Destination Wedding:
Rujuta and Raunak in Mount Laviniya Hotel Colombo
Sohini and Satyajit in Mount Laviniya Hotel Colombo
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