Been There Done That : Sephra and Shahan
Sephra Fernando and Shahan Arumanda have recently married in Paris and flown to Sri Lanka for their second wedding and homecoming. Sephra was born and raised in Paris and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Finance. Shahan was born in Sri Lanka but moved to Paris in his teenage years. He’s currently the chief accountant and management controller at Ubisoft Entertainment.
They speak to us about their story in the City of Love.
How did you meet?
Shahan : In 2013, I met her during a photoshoot at the Miss Sri Lanka pageant in France which she was taking part in and then we started chatting on Facebook and hung out a few months after. I never really believed in love at first sight but this one moment I met Sephra, I had the feeling she was the one for me. From the very first time, we had this strange feeling like we’ve known each other for the longest time and our love story has been such a romance and our wedding was simply another step into the consecration of our love and commitment to each other.
You had your wedding abroad and a second wedding and homecoming in Sri Lanka – any particular reason?
Shahan and Sephra : We chose to celebrate our wedding abroad and in Sri Lanka because of our strong attachment to our Sri Lankan roots and culture. By celebrating the first part of our special day in Paris, we were able to enjoy our beautiful day with our school friends from Paris and for the second part of our wedding; we chose to have it in Sri Lanka as we wanted it to be special and unique. Having most of our family and relatives there, it was a wonderful occasion for us to meet all of them and enjoy our celebration in an atmosphere full of music and dance. We celebrated the wedding on the beachside of Negombo.
Was it stressful trying to organize a wedding from abroad?
Shahan and Sephra : Well, it happened to be quite stressful to organize a homecoming from abroad as we don’t really know how it works in Sri Lanka. The event was mostly organized by my parents as a surprise for us after we came back from our lovely honeymoon in Maldives. All we selected was just the traditional Kandyan theme.
What are some of the traditions you followed at your homecoming?
Sephra : As we decided to celebrate our homecoming in a traditional way, Shahan’s family warmly welcomed my family to share the traditional “kiribath table” in a festive atmosphere. A member of each family shared a few words in welcome and we enjoy the wonderful moment. Firecrackers and oldies were part of our memorable time in the family house.
What did you do for the homecoming?
Shahan and Sephra : We decided to have our homecoming celebrations in Sri Lanka in Shahan’s hometown Piliyandala. A theme designed with swans was followed, as they are a great symbol of fidelity, loyalty in marriage and strength in the relationship. The photoshoot was planned in Paris because we wanted it to be unique and memorable. Our photographers, Native Tribe Studios, kindly accepted to come all over to Paris for this special occasion. We selected specific places like the Palace of Versailles originally called “Chateau de Versailles” which is one of the great symbols of absolute monarchy in France as the famous King Louis XIV and his royal family lived there for years. The theme that we selected is the beautiful contrast between French elegance and royal Kandyan traditions.
What was your attire?
Sephra : For my attire, I chose to wear a modern Kandyan saree for the first time in my life. I selected an off-white Kandyan with a velvet red border because I wanted to differentiate from the basic red colour attires. Wearing the modern Kandyan style was a way to reunite this part of our union with the great culture of Sri Lanka. My husband wore a kurtha suit.
What should any couple remember when they are organizing their homecoming?
Shahan and Sephra : First, any couple should remember to enjoy the moment to the fullest because it is happening only once in your life. Just relax and live the moment with your loved ones. For us, it was such a memorable and amazing day that we will never forget.
Interviewed by Panchali Illankoon
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