Wedding costs: Up, up and away

By Esther Williams and Ruwanthi Herat Gunaratne
Every bride dreams of a picture-perfect wedding, she can fondly look back on years down the line. The occasion is the most significant in a couple's life for not only does it join them as man and wife, it is also the day when they are the centre of attraction and naturally want to look and feel their best.

Much planning goes into weddings. Arrangements have to be made well in advance to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

What exactly goes into the 'big day'? The list seems unending. And the cost? Mind blowing.

The Sunday Times took a look at some of the basic wedding 'musts' and here's what - we found

Flowers and decorations:
Flowers play a vital role at weddings. The bride, the bridesmaids and the flower girls all require bouquets. The tables at the reception have to be decorated with a centrepiece and church weddings are invariably full of flowers.

In the good old days, all that was required to get down baskets of flowers was a quick call to friends in the hill country and fresh flowers would be delivered to the railway station on the wedding morn. But not any more. It seems absolutely necessary to plan the decor well in advance and most couples hand it over to a professional decorator.

Amongst the popular decorators are Lucien De Silva and Mary Jayaratne. Florists such as Shirohana's and Supreme Flora and the specialty shop 'The Brides' also provide floral bridal needs at a reasonable price.

Bridal bouquets can cost between Rs.4,500 to Rs.6,500. For the little maids, bridesmaids and flower girls a minimum of Rs.2,500 is necessary for the bouquets and a matching headdress. Church decor/ poruwa/ setteeback will cost around Rs.15,000 while the table centrepieces are usually supplied by the hotel. If necessary, table centerpieces too can be organised by the florist all at extra cost, of course. The rough estimates for table centrepieces would be around Rs.250 - Rs.650.

Bridal dressing: (make-up, hair and saree draping)
All brides like to look radiant on their wedding day and most of them do seem to have a glow about them. To enhance their looks, some opt for home-done make-up whilst others seek professional advice. The reputed names in bridal dressing like Ramani Fernando, Janaki Kurukulasuriya and Kanthi Fernandopulle are so much in demand, they have to be booked six months to a year in advance.

Ramani Fernando likes to take a look at the bride, her retinue and surprisingly even the groom well before the 'big day'. She feels that to look your best, you need to work at it. All bridal dressers also advise the soon-to-weds on treatments for improving skin. In addition, Ramani also provides tips on losing weight, and a visit to a dietitian is recommended if deemed necessary. The bride may also have to visit the salon on a monthly basis for further consultation. On THE day, of course, most beauticians would require to work on the bride for around three hours.

Bridal attire:
To form a better picture most beauticians recommend a designer whom they are comfortable working with.

Ramani for example usually works with a team including Michael Wijesuriya for the bridal attire, Lucien de Silva for flowers and decor. This sometimes requires that they shop together to coordinate the colour schemes with textures and fabrics, best suited for the bride.

Bridal sarees can be purchased from shops like Fashion Fabrics, Sona Mandir, Ranjanas and Ganesh Textiles in Pettah. Some brides also opt to go to India, which may work out cheaper in some instances. The wide bridal selection includes Tanjore silks, putta silk, organza, kolam sarees, network, Italian crepe, Manipuri silk and German lace, all with intricate detailed work in gold, silver, beads and zardozi or spring work. Prices range from Rs. 5,000 to 35,000.

There are also brides who prefer to wear dress or have their sarees tailor-made for them. Michael Wijesuriya and Purnima Abeyratne specialize in designing with the input of the bride herself. Prices for these custom-designed outfits can vary from Rs. 8,000 to 25,000. It is also possible to purchase a saree separately and get just the jacket custom made.

Exquisite chanya cholis and salwar kameez are available at Hameedias for those who prefer the ethnic-Indian look. Salwars and gagra cholis with elaborate handwork and zardozi work are priced between Rs. 5,000 and 20,000.

Lakshmi's and Pearlrich boast a wide range of bridal shoes in gold and silver.

Clothes for the groom:
What about the groom? Is it not his day too? The groom's main focus is on his attire which could vary from a Western suit, the Indian Sherwani or a Kandyan "Nilame" outfit. Well-known 'groom's shop' Hameedias offers custom and ready-made suits in the latest fashions for men Prices range between Rs. 7000 and 25,000.

For the traditional look, grooms have a choice of 'Nilame suits'. These can be rented from Jayaratna at Peradeniya for Rs. 2,500 upwards.

Jewellery:
Jewellery, is also important in Sri Lankan weddings. For the lucky ones, there's the heirloom jewellery while for others the parents start a collection from the time their children are of a tender age

A simple ensemble would include two rings and necklace with earrings to match. 105 Lalitha among others have sets made in the ethnic style, lasso type with stones, diamonds and even white gold. Abdeen Jewellers has designs in tri-colour while Vogue, Unique Jewellers and Swarna Mahal also boast a wide selection for brides.

The starting price for a basic set would be Rs. 25, 000 although one can also opt for more elaborate seven-piece sets that cost upto Rs. 2 million. Alternatively you can also rent the complete Kandyan jewellery set from Mr. Somasundara in Kandy

Cars:
To ride away in style, the couple has a choice of limousines, BMWs, Mercedes Benz or even a trishaw. Mal-Key-Rent-a-Car has a chauffeur-driven Aston Martin Saloon that can be hired for Rs. 4,500 a day.

Photography:
To capture those memorable moments it is of utmost importance to organize a photographer. Unlike the good old days when the bride's brother would be snapping away at every point, present brides want more professionalism and creativity. Highly recommended professionals in the field include Jerome Crusz, Mettasena and Prasanna Hennayake. 40, 8X12 copies, bound in sequence would cost between Rs. 28,000 and 30,000. Some photographers request 2 1/2 to 3 hours prior to the ceremony to study the couple and plan their method of photography with at least an hour with the bride.

Live band:
To liven the whole proceedings, you may also choose to hire a band. Most hotels have their own bands but depending on personal preferences, there is a vast variety such as Oriental, western or classical to choose from. Band prices range from Rs. 15,000 to 25000.

Outdoor venues:
The Colombo Rowing Club is a popular venue for an open-air reception. The facility is though offered only to members. Charges for the lawn are Rs. 6,000 and catering can be done with the in-house team from Rs. 300 upwards per head.

Hotels:
Mount Lavinia Hotel has wedding packages for prices ranging from Rs. 910 to 1,250 per guest. Their wedding halls are so much in demand that they currently have reservations until December 2003.

Amongst the other popular wedding venues is the Colombo Hilton. According to Mr. Arosha Perera, Banquet Manager, the couple have a choice of an a la carte or buffet menu. The set buffet menus cost between Rs. 1,250 and 1,450 for a standard menu while theme buffets too can be arranged.

The Hilton's Grand Ballroom can accommodate a minimum of 550 guests. But it is also possible to split the hall and cater for around 250 guests or even 150.

Cake shops:
No wedding is complete with the wedding cake. Whilst there are a multitude of cake shops to choose from, there are also those individuals who specialize in the field. A basic one-tier 12 elaborately decorated wedding cake with all the trimmings, would cost a minimum of Rs.5,000. This, of course would differ depending on the person's taste and requirements. A unique cake might even come to Rs.100,000, shocking as it may seem. Individually wrapped pieces can be purchased for around Rs. 45. Custom packaging is arranged at an additional fee. Weddings for most people are once-in-a-life-time affairs and therefore definitely deserve all the effort, preparation. But we wonder at what cost? Many save for the occasion for years and blow up the 'nest egg' in 24 hours.

Back to Top

Back to Plus

Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Webmaster