Wedding invitations are sent out around six weeks prior to the wedding. Usually the invitation is sent from the side that is hosting the wedding. The names of the guests can be written either on the dotted line provided in the card or written by hand on the top left hand corner. The names should be written in full, with the envelope addressed to the wife in the case of a couple.

The wording of a formal invitation sent from the bride's parent would read:
Mr & Mrs Patrick De Silva
Request the pleasure of your company at the
Marriage of their daughter
Anne Marie To Mr Rohan David
Son of Mr & Mrs Ralph David
at ..

The wording differs according to different situations.

If the bride's mother is the sole host, the invitation can be sent from her alone.

If she is a widow, it could read: Mrs Patrick De Silva requests the pleasure...

If she is divorced: Mrs Anita De Silva...

If the bride's mother has remarried and is hosting the wedding with the bride's stepfather, the invitation should read: Mr and Mrs James Bond request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of her daughter...

If the bride's father is sole host:

The invitation should read: Mr Patrick De Silva requests the pleasure of your company at the marriage of his daughter... If he has remarried and is hosting the wedding with the bride's stepmother: Mr and Mrs Patrick De Silva request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of his daughter Anne Marie...

If the bride and groom are hosting the wedding on their own;

Anne Marie De Silva and Rohan David request the honour of your presence at a dinner in celebration of their marriage...

Unforgettable receptions
A wedding is more than just a big party - it is the end of one stage in two people's lives and the glorious beginning of another. What makes each wedding meaningful is the individual personalities of the bride and groom, and the mood they create at their celebrations. Whether it is a formal, outdoor, or family event, every couple wants their wedding to be simply 'unforgettable'.

There are two types of wedding receptions. One has all the elements of a great movie - an extravagant, VIP-studded show-stopping production number. It includes lights, cameras and plenty of action with all-night dancing.

The other type of wedding is the personal, low-key family affair. The organizing here, is mainly done by the couple. For the venue they choose an exotic location or have it in their homes with elegantly laid out tables serving either a sit-down dinner or buffet complete with good wines and music (there may be a string quartet in attendance or perhaps a D.J. if they want all night dancing).

Sadly, we have seen that in Sri Lanka over the past few years weddings and pre and post-nuptial ceremonies have lost their meaning with the focus tending to be more on elaborate decor, theme and hi-tech visuals rather than the couple themselves.

Yet, it is heartening that small elegant weddings are now making a comeback. One local wedding planner said that although young brides prefer smaller weddings with about 100 guests, away from the Colombo hotels, it is the mothers who insist on the grand-ballroom concept with 400 or more guests.

The accent now is on small, exclusive weddings with select guests. Needless to say that in the West other than celebrity weddings, the guest list rarely exceeds 100 or 150. Here in Sri Lanka this type of up, close and personal weddings are now being planned by brides, marrying the second time around as well as mature brides, and couples hosting their own weddings.

Weddings more and more in vogue now:

• Idyllic romantic ceremony on the beach
• Fairy-tale garden party and a marquee reception. The marquee is a popular way of extending your family home or garden for a large party. Professionally made marquees are available locally, complete with ruched silk interiors, French doors and fitted fans.
  

• Trendy up-scale open-air restaurant.
  
• A house wedding
  
• Function room of a high-rise building with a panoramic view.
  

The Dress Code: For a beach wedding you may be asked to come in casuals - but outfits in linen and silk are more suitable for the occasion.

Music: Music has the power to soothe the savage beast (otherwise known as a hungry, overtired wedding guest). All brides and grooms want songs with special meaning for them - especially for the first dance.

Bridal flowers
Every bride is beautiful on her big day and flowers enhance her appeal. The current trend is for more natural-looking arrangements instead of the tight tear-drop bouquets of recent years says Shirani Jayasuriya of Shirohana.

Shirohana's flower arrangements done exclusively for The Sunday Times were in keeping with the latest European minimalist trends - sheer elegance and refinement.

Bridal bouquet:
Hand-tied posies are the latest for bridal bouquets. This posy is made to look like a bunch of roses that came just out of the garden. The rose - the Queen of flowers is the symbol of love and the favourite choice for bridal bouquets.

Table centre piece:
The latest design for wedding table arrangements is the "topiary" style. This modern technique of high arrangement in two-tiers adds an element of height to a room. This arrangement is made of white roses, ivy, statice in a soft mauve with berries and papyrus.

Grand table centrepiece:
A formal urn display is ideal for a outdoor wedding to be placed on the grand buffet table along with candles in clear glass holders.

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