Hello Terence, I'm afraid there is no way out! The Poruwa always comes with the religious ceremony. If you don't have the religious stuff then there's no point standing on the Poruwa! Meaning without the normal ceremony, both of you would just be standing there with all your guests starring at you and you starring back at them! Plus the last thing you wanna do is get on the wrong side of your future-in-laws, bad move, I don't recommend that. The only thing that I can suggest is that someone talks to the priest and requests a shorter sermon. Apart from that, just relax, enjoy your big day, it's not like you have to stand up there everyday. Everyone goes through it. So remember to breath, smile and just chill out, because its YOUR big day. Good Luck to the both of you

Hey there I am about to get married the traditional Singalese way and my furure inlaws want us to get married the traditional Singhalese way Poruwa Ceremony. I want to participate, but I don't want any religious spins! Could you please email me with regard to what parts I can do and what parts a can't! Kind regards Terence

21st JANUARY 2005 I married Kishan and am now a Mrs!!!!!! Ladies dont worry being a Mrs feels impotant :)

Apologies for disappearing for such a loooong time. So now what do we have here. For the people in Sri Lanka this is who I had:

Hai there Anushka;

Ayubowan; Thanks for the "Poruwa Ceremony" details. We are going to have
a poruwa ceremony on our wedding day but it will be held at my wife's
house. Over here the poruwa ceremony can be held anywhere like in Sri
Lanka. But we prefer that the ceremony to be held in my wife's house.
After the ceremony off we go to the hall or shall i say hotel for the
dinner reception. Over here it's the ceremony first then the dinner.
Something different then in Sri Lanka.
As you are saying there is so many thing to do in preparation for the
wedding. There is the hall, cake, wedding invatations, gifts and many
many more. I agree with you is don't just believe in what relative or
friends says about anything, we need to leave the house, drive around
and look and find for yourself then you how to deal with it. It is not
easy to plan a wedding and also not cheap. Sometimes there so much to
spend.
Anyway, since our weddings is in the same year, hope we could share or
discuss about some ideas if possible  and we over here always welcome
any ideas from you.

I need to know what latest fashions for wedding for the groom or
bride's. i am only having 1 bestman and bridemaid, 2 flower girls and i
paigeboy.

So i really need to know what is the  latest fashion trend in Sri Lanka
for  the bride and also the groom not forgetting the their followers. If
possible are any website we could go..

Thank you...

 

   Now I have spoken of Buddhist Weddings, and it would be wrong of me (as a catholic) not to speak of Catholic Weddings also. So ladies and gentleman this is how a normal Sri Lankan Catholic Wedding takes place:

 

   The bride and her bridesmaids will get ready at home or the hotel where she has the reception. Normally in Sri Lankan Catholic weddings, the bride wears a beautiful white saree and a long veil. When they are all ready, the best man comes and gives the bouquets to the bridesmaids and the page boy gives the bride her bouquet.

   The bride then makes her way to the church with her father where her "Prince Charming" will be waiting. The choir will start to sing, as the bridesmaids lead the procession. The church is normally filled with flowers, starting with an arch at the church door and then down the centre aisles and at the alter. 

  

 

   The father (on the left hand side) walks his daughter proudly down the aisle. The groom turns around, sees them coming and then faints (only joking). As the bride and her father reach the front of the alter, the groom joins the bride and this is where the father backs away and then the bride and groom walk towards the alter where the priest will be waiting. (In the meantime, all the mothers and aunties will be crying and blowing their noses). The bridesmaids will follow behind and the page boy will carry a cushion that has the wedding rings on it, and he will hand this over to the best man.

 

The priest starts the ceremony by welcoming all the guests and then talks are given by the priest and prayers read. The bestman, then brings the rings up to the alter where they are blessed by the priest. Then the couple will exchange vows and swap the rings. The groom’s mother unclips the front veil from the bride, in some churches the priest allows the groom to kiss the bride after the rings are exchanged and also a candle is lit by the couple. The couple and their immediate family, also receive "Holy Communion".

   

   While hymns are being sung, the couple walks of with the priest to sign a big registry book followed by two witnesses from both families. Then everyone starts congratulating each other and the bride and groom come back to the front of the church to the front of the alter, then they walk down the aisle while "hear comes the bride, is played" :) Then everyone comes outside to have their photos taken.

 

Ayubowan, Hi Sunil & Mrs. "Sunil to be". Thanks for your mail. Ok the easiest thing to do which is also the last thing you should do about your wedding plans is to panic!!!!

 

   So you want a traditional Singhalese wedding. Well I’m guessing that you want one in the Buddhist Way, so I would suggest a "Poruwa Ceremony". You can have that anywhere, on the beach....just as the sun is setting and the waves crashing......or even in a hall with millions of your friends and family that you've never met before :)

 

Ready, here goes:

There will be a Poruwa (platform) decorated in loads of beautiful flowers, it can be an arch - and on either side will be brass pots with coconut flowers (pol mal)

On the platform which you and your bride will stand, there will be rice (NOT BOILED :) ) scattered on the floor of it. This symbolises prosperity.

   Both of you stand facing the platform, the groom on the left and the bride on the right. In the background there are normally drummers and a guy called the "Kapuwa", he is like the commentator and the ceremony, he chants things like blessings.

 

When the "auspicious" time is right, you and your bride, right foot first, step onto the platform and face the crowd while the guy keeps chanting. Both of you are helped on stage by your mothers brother, and your brides mothers brother. It’s not compulsory that it has to be them.

 

   Then a piece of white thread is tied around yours and your brides little fingers while your uncles pour water on it at the same time, this symbolizes a flowing lasting marriage. Then both of you exchange rings and you put a necklace on your bride.

 

   The groom will then be handed betel leaves with a coin on it, there will be like 7 sets of a few leaves. The groom hands it to the bride, and she drops it onto the floor, I’m not quite sure what that’s for. Then both the groom and the bride hand betel leaves over to their parents and close relatives that will come on stage. Each time you hand over the leaves you have to worship them, that goes for each person (make sure you don’t choose loads of people otherwise your gonna get dizzy).

 

   Finally the bride is handed a going away saree, which she ties around waist, in the olden days it use to be a white sheet!!!!! I think you know what for!!!!! She changes into the saree later before both of you leave for the honeymoon. Then when you guys leave the platform its right foot first again while little girls dressed in white sing the "Jaya Mungala Gatha" (good marriage song). After you have lighted the "Pahana" (lamp) and cut the wedding cake then its party time!!!!! Phew that was alot. So Sunil hope that answered your question, Good Luck to the Both of You.

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