Hill Capital, Sri Lanka

Weddings in Kandy, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's cultural capital, and the home of the Kandyan wedding.

Planning a wedding in Kandy

Kandy is where the traditional Kandyan wedding comes from, with the Poruwa, Ves dancers and Hewisi drummers. It sits at 500 metres, so it runs 20 to 28 degrees all year, cooler than the coast. Venues range from ballrooms holding 1,000 down to riverside gardens. Colombo is about 2.5 hours by expressway.

At a glance

  • Best For: Traditional & Cultural Weddings
  • Peak Season: Year-Round (Driest: Jan to April)
  • Typical Guest Capacity: 50 to 1,000+
  • From Colombo: ~2.5 to 3 Hours
  • From Airport (BIA): ~3 to 3.5 Hours
  • Venue Styles: Hotel Ballroom, Riverside, Hilltop, Garden
  • Vibe: Cultural, Regal, Scenic

Top wedding venues in Kandy

  • Earl's Regency (Kundasale (Mahaweli River)). On the Mahaweli River, looking across to the Knuckles range. The Regent Ballroom seats 550 for dinner or 1,000 for cocktails, the Far Pavilion is an outdoor terrace, and there are 134 rooms.
  • The Grand Kandyan (Kandy City). The Royal Peacock Ballroom seats 350 to 1,000, with adjustable lighting for whatever look you want. Ten halls across separate floors, all air conditioned, which suits a wedding running over several days.
  • Mahaweli Reach Hotel (Kandy (Mahaweli River)). A Kandy institution with indoor halls and a riverside garden on the Mahaweli. The river deck is one of the best known ceremony spots in the city, and works for a Poruwa or Western vows.
  • Cinnamon Citadel Kandy (Kandy (Mahaweli River)). A riverside resort with the mountains behind it. The outdoor garden takes 180 with river views, and they specialise in a Poruwa by the water. Fifteen minutes from the city centre.
  • Victoria Golf & Country Resort (Digana (13 km from Kandy)). Inside a championship golf course, looking across Victoria Reservoir to the Knuckles range. The T6 Villa suits small groups and the lawns take larger ones. Thirteen kilometres from Kandy.
  • The Golden Crown Hotel (Kandy City). Purpose built for events, with four ballrooms. The Grand Ballroom is the largest pillarless hall in Kandy at 1,057 sqm and seats 1,200 under 8 metre ceilings. Together the halls hold over 2,000.
  • Amaya Hills (Heerassagala, Kandy (hilltop, ~20 min from the city)). A hilltop resort in Kandyan style above the Heerassagala forest. Ten banquet halls across separate floors, receptions up to 750, and a pool terrace over the valley.
  • Theva Residency (Hanthana hills, Kandy (~15 min from the city)). A 15 room hotel high in the Hanthana hills, known for a dark tiled infinity pool that looks like it spills into the valley. Ceremonies happen on the pool deck rather than in a ballroom.
  • W15 Hanthana (Hanthana hills, Kandy (~15 min from the city)). A restored tea estate bungalow in the Hanthana hills southwest of Kandy. A columned veranda, a lawn and the estate grounds, for small weddings away from the city.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time of year for a wedding in Kandy?

January to April and August to September are driest, and those are the busiest for outdoor ceremonies. It sits between 20 and 28 degrees all year, so no month is ruled out, and most venues have a covered option.

Which Kandy venues have outdoor space?

Mahaweli Reach and Cinnamon Citadel both have riverside gardens on the Mahaweli. Earl's Regency has hilltop terraces, and Victoria Golf & Country Resort looks over the reservoir to the Knuckles range. Most are set up for an outdoor Poruwa.

Which venues in Kandy hold the most guests?

The Grand Kandyan has the city's largest ballroom, and Earl's Regency seats 550 for dinner or 1,000 for cocktails. Mahaweli Reach and Cinnamon Citadel are the riverside options, and The Golden Crown has several rooms.

What happens at a traditional Kandyan wedding?

The Poruwa ceremony, performed on a decorated wooden platform. Betel leaves are exchanged, the couple's little fingers are tied with gold thread, a coconut is broken, and the oil lamp is lit. Hewisi drummers play, and Ves dancers often perform.

Why do couples choose Kandy over the coast?

Three reasons: it is the home of the Kandyan wedding, the hill climate is cooler than the beaches, and it opens onto the Cultural Triangle for guests who want to see more. Earl's Regency and Mahaweli Reach both run destination weddings regularly.

Where do couples go from Kandy for the honeymoon?

The train to Ella through the tea country, the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, and the plantations themselves. It is an easy drive on to Nuwara Eliya or the Cultural Triangle if you want a longer trip.

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