Guernsey-Sri Lankan wedding to feature in Hello! magazine

The marriage of Thelanki Wimalaratne, of Sri Lankan heritage, and Guernseyman Matthew Ashton began with an intimate registry ceremony at Fitzrovia Chapel before celebrations at the Natural History Museum under its giant whale, suspended from the ceiling.

Evening celebrations began with a Sri Lankan Buddhist ceremony, featuring dancers and drummers, and later Dhol drummers performed alongside the Sensation Band, a world-renowned act which performs at high-profile celebrity events.

Mr Ashton left Guernsey in 2021 for a new job at the Cabinet Office and met his wife to be shortly afterwards. She had recently moved to London Bridge for a new job in property development.

‘I first saw her while she was out walking her small Shih Tzu, Toby, and stopped to say hi, and that was the start of everything.’

Toby was the ringbearer at the wedding, dressed in a tuxedo matching the groomsmen.

Mrs Ashton’s family is well-known in Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lankan version of Hello! magazine reached out to the couple after hearing about the wedding. A feature is now set to be published in the magazine.

The wedding was a blend of Guernsey and Sri Lankan cultures, but the celebrations are not over yet.

On the day, Mr Ashton’s family embraced Sri Lankan tradition, with the women wearing sarees and the men in suits.

The colour scheme was white, red and yellow, inspired by the Guernsey flag.

‘We had a traditional Sri Lankan Poruwa ceremony, which included Sri Lankan Kandyan dancers and drummers performing during the ceremony,' said Mrs Ashton.

'They led the procession as the groom entered with his parents first, and then as the bride entered with her parents at the end.

The wedding celebrations move to Guernsey in June, when a homecoming celebration is planned at the OGH.

‘The Homecoming is a Sri Lankan post-wedding celebration where the groom’s family formally welcome the bride into their household, and signifies her transition into married life,' said Mrs Ashton.

‘We will be doing this in a setting that reflects Guernsey’s traditions.’

The couple are both currently based in London, but visit Guernsey several times a year to catch up with friends and family.