Visit Martha Stewart Weddings Real Weddings Wedding Styles Seasonal Weddings Winter Weddings This Couple Sandwiched Their Colorful Sri Lanka Wedding with a "Pre-Moon" in Dubai and a Postnuptial "Friendmoon" with 40 Guests By Eleni N. Gage Eleni N. Gage Website Eleni is a freelance writer for Martha Stewart Living and MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on December 13, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Rebecca Yale Photography "Sanjiv is really smart and kind, and well-traveled. And I love traveling," says wedding photographer Kelly Kollar, putting into words what made her swipe right on Sanjiv Singarayar's Tinder profile. Her in instincts proved spot-on. "He asked me to go to India with him on our third date, a good sign that he was up for adventure." She accepted the invite, then three-and-a-half years later said yes again—this time to the big question, which Sanjiv popped on a trip to Alaska for Kelly's 30th birthday. "We took a helicopter ride up to a glacier, which was epic," she recalls. Although she'd never been to Sri Lanka, Kelly knew right away that she wanted to get married there. Sanjiv's parents had emigrated from the island nation to Australia, where he was born, but he'd visited his parents' homeland many times before moving to New York City to work as a consultant for an Australian bank. "Sri Lanka had family significance for Sanjiv, and a combination of things that were important to me—the tropical climate; the beautiful, vibrant culture," she says. After coordinating for 16 months with the Sri Lanka-based wedding planners Magical Moments (another great online match), Kelly achieved her dream of "getting away with friends and doing something super-memorable for everybody." That something was, for many of their 82 guests, the trip of a lifetime. It started with a welcome barbecue by the pool at the Garton's Cape Hotel, where many attendees had booked rooms, and on the next evening, February 17, 2019, the wedding took place at a private beachfront villa where the couple and some family and friends were staying. Sanjiv's uncle, a priest, performed the Catholic ceremony, which was followed by sunset cocktails, a seafood feast, passion-fruit cake, and dancing to a live cover band. Then came the fireworks, Kelly's flat-out favorite memory: "It was the moment I was able to relax and take in how much fun this all was." After celebrating into the wee hours, the couple and 40 friends left the next morning for a six-day trip around the country. "We saw wild elephants, visited Buddhist temples, and went to tea estates," says Kelly, who continued with Sanjiv on to a honeymoon in Bali. And finally, the unforgettable trip was over—except for the intrepid newlyweds, whose journey was just beginning. 01 of 17 Come Rain or Shine Rebecca Yale Photography The peripatetic pair did a two-night "pre-moon" in Dubai on their way to Sri Lanka. "We stayed at the Palace Downtown, which we chose for its more traditional, Middle Eastern aesthetic, and went on a camel-riding safari, complete with a Bedouin-style dinner and dancing," Kelly says. The day before their guests arrived, Kelly and Sanjiv did a casual photo shoot in Galle, a historic Portuguese fort city with a famous lighthouse on Sri Lanka's southern coast. "It was pouring rain for the first 30 minutes," Kelly recalls. "We just embraced it and had fun!" 02 of 17 A High-Energy Welcome Rebecca Yale Photography Traditional Sri Lankan kandyan folk dancers performed during the poolside welcome party at the Garton's Cape Hotel. Expert-Approved Ideas for Your Wedding Welcome Party 03 of 17 Tropical Suite Rebecca Yale Photography A la Carte Paperie designed the invitation suite, featuring custom watercolor illustrations of the wedding site, Sri Lanka's tea country, and elephants. The Loveliest Watercolor Wedding Invitations 04 of 17 Pretty Gems Rebecca Yale Photography Kelly admired her future mother-in-law's jewelry while getting dressed. 05 of 17 Sarongs Rebecca Yale Photography Sanjiv gave his six attendants, dad (to his right), and future father-in-law (to his left) Sri Lankan sarongs to wear while getting ready. 06 of 17 Jewel Tones Rebecca Yale Photography Kelly's bridesmaids each dressed in a different jewel tone. Ways to Use Modern Jewel Tones to Brighten Up Your Big Day 07 of 17 All Together Now Rebecca Yale Photography The groomsmen and bridesmaids joined the couple on the steps of the villa. Tropical flowers in the bouquets, boutonnières, and bridesmaids' hair helped unify the group. Kelly wanted a dress she'd never seen on another bride and found it in this strapless Liancarlo with an exotic pattern. Her husband wore a blue tux from Joe Black. 08 of 17 The Ceremony Begins Rebecca Yale Photography Local flowers adorned the ceremony's geometric marker. During the processional, Sanjiv and his all-Australian team of groomsmen walked in to "Down Under" by Men at Work; the bride glided down the aisle to Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic," sung by a friend who was accompanied on the guitar by a pal of Sanjiv's—the two practiced on Skype calls between New York and Australia. Sanjiv recalls this moment as a particular big-day highlight: "When Kelly emerged from the villa, it was amazing to be standing up front and see all our family and friends, who had flown in from around the world, watch her walking down the aisle." The Traditional Wedding Processional Order 09 of 17 Vows with a View Rebecca Yale Photography The ceremony took place in the late afternoon on the lawn of the waterfront Villa Indisch, located near the island's southern tip. One side of the pool served as the ceremony site, the other as the reception space and dance floor. Before the couple exchanged vows, they exchanged gifts. Kelly gave her groom a vintage compass engraved with the words "My True North" and their wedding date. "No matter what, he's always the way home for me," Kelly says. Sanjiv presented his bride with a wooden ring box with two elephants engraved on it: one to symbolize the couple's first trip to India, another to represent their wedding locale. Gifts to Give Your Groom the Morning of Your Wedding 10 of 17 Golden Hour Rebecca Yale Photography A stunning sunset lit up the cocktail hour. 11 of 17 Find Your Seat Rebecca Yale Photography The colorful escort cards by Muse by Amarante were printed in white and arranged on a dark wooden board for contrast. Ideas for the Prettiest Calligraphed Escort Cards 12 of 17 The Night Is Bright Rebecca Yale Photography On the villa's first-floor veranda, guests enjoyed a buffet of grilled lobster, coconut-crusted red snapper, and chili-orange chicken. During the merriment, the couple stole away to the second floor for a few brief seconds alone. "The day is going to be a whirlwind of excitement and activity, and it's important to take a moment with your partner to step away and just absorb it all," says Sanjiv. "After dinner, we went up to the balcony of the villa and spent a couple of minutes taking it all in by ourselves. Then we hit the dance floor!" 13 of 17 Elephants in the Room Rebecca Yale Photography Crocheted table runners lay beneath clear vessels holding orchids, fuchsia ginger flowers, ferns, and orange bougainvillea and heliconia. Carved elephant favors, covered in sequins and mirror work, sat at each place. How to Pick Meaningful Wedding Favors 14 of 17 Fire on the Water Rebecca Yale Photography Candlelit lanterns floated in the pool. Here, the groom stepped away from the party to push one back into place—but by the end of the night, the pool was a popular spot (several guests stayed on after the celebration wrapped, enjoying the water's glow). 15 of 17 All Aglow Rebecca Yale Photography Strung lights illuminated the dance floor—upon which a blow-up kangaroo made appearance later in the evening (a tradition at parties among Sanjiv's Australian friends). The newlyweds danced to the country tune "Tennessee Whiskey," a nod to a starry night in Belize when they were standing on a dock and the song played on someone's device. "We did an impromptu little dance and thought, 'Oh! This should be our first dance!'" Kelly recalls. Dazzling Ways to Use Twinkle Lights Throughout Your Wedding 16 of 17 The Adventure Begins Rebecca Yale Photography Following the wedding day, the duo and 40 of their guests embarked on a six-day "friendmoon." One stop on this part of the trip was Anuradhapura, a sacred city built in the third century B.C.E. Today, it is full of houses of worship marked by carved guard stones like this one. They took their time exploring Sri Lanka (and embarked on a safari in Udawalawe National Park, where they spotted plenty of elephants); as a last hurrah, the group spent their final night together at the Grandeeza Hotel in Negombo, where Sanjiv's parents threw an event complete with a Sri Lankan band and food. The dress code? Saris for all. Finally, the exhausted newlyweds flew to Bali for four days. They chilled at the Bulgari in Uluwatu, which "overlooks the ocean from these cliffs," says Kelly. "Every sunset was spectacular. We didn't do much, but we did take a day to go into the cultural hub of Ubud and see the temples and markets." Real Honeymoon Itineraries to Inspire Your Own 17 of 17 Sources Rebecca Yale Photography Photography, Rebecca YaleVenue, Villa IndischCatering, RafflesEvent Planning, Magical MomentsFlowers, Flowers by Shé Videography, A&Y VideoStationery, A la Carte PaperiePlace Cards, Muse by AmaranteCake, Butter BoutiqueRentals, Mangala Sootra (tables and chairs); Highbury Inc. (flatware)Bride's Gown, LiancarloBride's Accessories, Pauletta Brooks Wearable Art (earrings); Susie Saltzman (engagement ring); J. Lingnau Jewelry (wedding ring); Lulus (shoes)Reception Dress, BHLDNHair and Makeup, Dana Mack for Salon TranquilloGroom's Tuxedo, Joe BlackGroom's Accessories, John Henric (bow tie); Satomi Kawakita (ring); Florsheim (shoes) Music, Magic Box MixupLighting, LightUpTransportation, Red Apple Travel & Holidays Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit