Serendipity in Sri Lanka

Ajai Zecha and Michelle Saram's wedding, Sri Lanka; August 7-9

Three days of festivities to mark the wedding of Ajai Zecha and Michelle Saram kicked off on the sunny morning of August 7 with a private family blessing under the branches of the sacred Bo tree in the lower garden of Bawa House 87 in the Sri Lankan community of Bentota. Symbolic gestures such as the lighting of a traditional oil lamp and the cutting of a coconut were accompanied by chanting and singing as, throughout the day, guests from around the world made their way to the venue, arriving in time for the opening dinner and garden party that served as the overture to the three-day celebration.

As darkness fell over the sprawling gardens festooned with traditional gokkola (young coconut leaf) and tasteful flower arrangements courtesy of Colombobased florist Shirohana, lights twinkled in the trees and lamps representing purity were lit to set the stage for a series of dance performances by the celebrated Channa Upli Performing Art Foundation dance troupe. Svelte girls and dexterous young men in colourful costumes and traditional masks told time-honoured Sri Lankan tales of Buddha, the gods and fabulous animals.

The performance was followed by a sumptuous Sri Lankan buffet dinner featuring an abundance of colours, fragrances, flavours and textures, served from traditional earthenware pots. DJ Max Chipchase then took the party up a notch as his expertly woven tunes turned the garden into a dance floor.

The following day was Sunday, and the itinerary included a casual lunch hosted by the groom’s parents, Adrian and Bebe Zecha, at Lunuganga, a former rubber plantation bought by Geoffrey Bawa to create his dream home in a process that saw him literally move mountains to achieve perfection. Guests included Princess Zarina Zainal of Malaysia with her daughter, Zatashah Idris-Mennesson, and son-in-law Aubry Mennesson, Kerry Hill, Colin Seah, Jason Yeang, Singapore-based Beppe and Lynn De Vito, Aun and Su-Lyn Tan, Portugal-based Vasco and Sandra Pereira Coutinho, and Goncalo and Sophia Carrington. It was no surprise when a contingent of the company took a relaxing walk around the expansive garden down to the lake in the late afternoon.

That evening, dinner was held at the beachside property of Villa Bentota. A casual evening of canapés and aperitifs set to the soundtrack of fusion Sri Lankan music soon devolved into mischief as the groom was propelled into the pool by close friends – who sportingly jumped in to join him. The bride, in a burnt-orange Grecian gown by Hong Kong designer Bonita Cheung, wisely elected to stay dry. Just as raucous was the dinner party for the kids, held at Bawa House 87, with a full bill of entertainment, including a magic show, clowns and a puppet show featuring traditional dances and ancient Sri Lankan legends.

On the final day came the Silver & White Jazz Ball, the culmination of this three-day extravaganza. From the decorations to the dress code, everything was touched with the icy hues of silver and white, making for a wintry wonderland amid the tropical surroundings. The impressive venue – Amangalla, at the heart of the 17th-century Galle Fort, a Unesco World Heritage site – helped make the evening memorable. Cocktails were served in the Zaal (Great Hall), after which fire jugglers led guests to the pool for a buffet dinner set in a fairytale environment. The Wysocki trio of CJ, his daughter Mika and son Christoph performed a jazz set in the Zaal to the delight of all. This was followed by fireworks at the rampart wall to end the dinner ceremony, at which point guests were escorted to the surprise after-party at Walkers Building, where DJ Chipchase played club tunes throughout the night.