Traditional Sri Lankan Wedding Ceremony at Paradise Banquet Hall

This Sri Lankan Wedding video was of an intimate ceremony at the Paradise Banquet Hall. While I have photographed at this venue many times before, this is my first Sri Lankan wedding ceremony. Now for anyone who follows my work, I pride myself in the cultural diversity of my work. Toronto is such a hotspot of different backgrounds, and I love exploring all of them. I love it even more when I get to experience a new one for the first time. And I have photographed Buddhist weddings before. One from India, and one from Nepal. But this was my first Sri Lankan Wedding.

Aga Khan Museum

The day started off with couple and bridal portraits at the Aga Khan Museum. The couple’s traditional Sri Lankan Wedding attire was absolutely stunning. I could have spent hours posing them. However, it turned out, today was one of the hottest days of the summer. And even while sticking to shaded areas, the bride still ended up with mild case of heat stroke.

Paradise Banquet Hall

Buddhist ceremonies can be very large grand events. This one, however, was relatively simple due to Covid restrictions. But quite honestly, I loved it. Everything was setup outside in the venue‘s gardens. The prouwa (Alter) was simple and elegant. And they included all the traditional couple exchanges. They had professional dancers for all the major entrances. And a fantastic first dance routine.

So yes, this was a very short and simple wedding day. If it weren’t for Covid, I could very well imagine this day going very different. But as this was my first time, I’m glad I got to actually enjoy the event without all the extra stress. And I can enjoy their beautiful wedding video over and over.