04 June 2024 – When it comes to Wedding and Honeymoons, Sri Lanka is a standout destination in the Indian Ocean thanks to its wide appeal for all sizes of wedding parties, and the exceptional value the Indian Ocean island offers British travellers.
Getting Married in Sri Lanka: Key Information
- Sri Lankan law requires foreigners to spend at least four days (three nights) in Sri Lanka prior to notifying a marriage registrar of intended marriage.
A marriage abroad will be legally recognised in the UK providing it was contracted according to the law of the country in which it took place. There is no requirement, or facility, to register the marriage in England afterwards. - The legal requirements for Registration of Marriages of Foreign Nationals in Sri Lanka are very straightforward. You are required to produce the documents including passports, birth certificates and tourist visas to the Divisional/District Registrar of the area where your marriage would take place. When booking your tour operator or the wedding resort can ensure you have all required information before you travel.
Aitken Spence Hotels has unique award-winning resorts across Sri Lanka that can cater to a wedding party’s every need, and with over 25 years curating wedding events, would-be brides and grooms can be reassured that their journey from engaged in the UK to married in Sri Lanka will be handled seamlessly by the resort team.
Best for Sri Lanka Beach Weddings – Heritance Negombo
Located only 20 minutes from the International Airport and ten seconds from the Indian Ocean, Heritance Negombo is ‘the’ destination to celebrate love overlooking the beach.
With the options of the lvo ballroom, banquet garden and beach lawn, the resort can cater to wedding parties of up to 450 guests. Couples can therefore choose from a monsoon wedding on the beach lawn for 20 nearest and dearest, to a banquet for 300-plus friends and family.
Special Wedding Touches: Exquisite wedding cakes by six-time culinary Olympic Champion Chef Dimuthu Kumorosinghe are available upon request. For wedding parties that would like a touch of Sri Lankan tradition there is an opportunity to incorporate the lighting of an oil lamp as part of a Sinhala blessing within the wedding, and have Sri Lankan dancers and drummers as part of the wedding service.
For more information about Sentido Heritance Negombo, visit www.heritancehotels.com/negombo.
Best for Nature Lovers – Heritance Kandalama
Envisioned and created by Deshamanya Geoffrey Bawa, Heritance Kandalama is located in the area known as Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, and is an architectural wonder set amidst a lush conservation forest spanning 224 acres, almost invisible amidst the greenery that surrounds it. Promising panoramic views from wherever you stand, the hotel itself is a unique Sri Lankan tourist destination which doesn’t just sit on the landscape but is naturally a part of it, making it the ideal destination for an enchanting fairytale wedding.
Three sites within the hotel can cater to weddings for 150 – 260 attendee weddings.
Special Wedding Touches: A package of custom wedding cake, Champagne and/ or Sparkling Cider toast, and a four-hour beer or wine bar, is available on request. Weddings menus start from USD 50 net per person.
For more information about Heritance Kandalama, visit www.heritancehotels.com/kandalama/
Best for A Stunning Architectural Backdrop – Heritance Ahungalla
The first-five star beach resort in Sri Lanka, Heritance Ahungalla, was designed by legendary architect Geoffrey Bawa, and is known for its vivid blues reflecting the Indian Ocean, which forms an elegant backdrop that is perfect for the exchange of vows. The inherent amalgamation of comfort and spirit of hospitality that is second to none makes Heritance Ahungalla uniquely suited for wedding celebrations that marry simplicity and charm.
From designing an elegant ceremony under a beautifully decorated altar on the beach where guests can enjoy the breathtaking sunset, to a waterfront wedding in the verdant lawn with a stylish and contemporary setting – the versatile event spaces make the ideal canvas to paint your dream wedding.
The hotel takes pride in providing attentive, personalised service and the extra touch of class, as you celebrate your most important milestone.
Special Wedding Touches: Couples can pick their choice from carefully crafted local and global menu offerings to suit their palate. Resort chefs create the finest cuisine that can cater to various culinary tastes coupled with impeccable service, to offer guests an unforgettable dining experience. Make the most of our eclectic cuisine and unwind after the ceremony with a romantic candle-lit dinner by the shore under the starlit sky.
For more information about Heritance Ahungalla, visit www.heritancehotels.com/ahungalla/
ENDS
For further information, trade partner rates, or press trip requests, contact [email protected]
Notes To Editors:
Image Captions:
Image 1: Heritance Negombo is ‘the’ destination to celebrate love overlooking the beach.
Image 2: The View from the Royal Suite at Heritance Kandalama.
Image 3: Best for A Stunning Architectural Backdrop, Heritance Ahungalla.
For these and other high-resolution resort images, click here.
About Aitken Spence Hotels
Aitken Spence Hotels is part of the Sri Lankan blue-chip conglomerate Aitken Spence PLC. Aitken Spence Hotels owns and operates 17 hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka, Maldives, Oman and India. The Company’s owned hotels are reflected under the Heritance, Adaaran and Turyaa brands, popular around the world for its exceptional service and undisputed product and curated lifestyle experiences. The Company’s Sri Lankan portfolio includes eight hotels and resorts spread across the island of which five are Heritance properties, whilst the Maldives resorts totals to five (with one Heritance resort), three in Oman and one in India.
Media Enquiries: Fiona Anderson, GEC PR | [email protected]