Thamali & Lashan

In 2011, Tam sent a friend request to Lash by mistake, thinking nothing of it until months later, a message from Lash sparked something neither of them had planned for.

They were living in different countries then—she in Sri Lanka, he in the UK—yet they met when Lash visited her at school. Tam still laughs about pretending she didn’t know him because her mother was nearby. They met a few more times before he returned to England, and the distance that followed only made their bond more certain.

“He’s always been such a romantic at heart, and the most caring person I’ve ever met,” Tam says. “She’s my constant, my confidant, my everything,” Lash adds. It wasn’t one big fireworks, but all the quiet, ordinary moments that made them fall in love.

Lash and Tam had been drawn to Bali for years. The landscapes, the warmth of the people, the food. They wanted a destination wedding that felt different and meaningful, yet practical for their guests travelling in.

They envisioned a ceremony with a forest-like atmosphere, which naturally pointed them toward Ubud. They toured several venues and even settled on one before heading home. Uluwatu wasn’t originally on their list, but once they were back in the UK, a quick online search led them to Tirtha.

“Tirtha offered the best of both worlds that we couldn’t find elsewhere. The openness of the space, plus the comfort of air-conditioned indoor areas for Bali’s humidity. Other venues leaned fully outdoors. Tirtha gave us a balance.”

Their wedding needed to hold two cultures at once. Born in Sri Lanka and raised between Sri Lanka and the UK, they sought a fusion celebration authentic to them as individuals and a couple. This meant weaving a traditional Sri Lankan Poruwa ceremony into a Western ceremony and vows. They imagined something clean and elegant, with a hint of fairytale romance, but still family-centred.

The garden ceremony carried their forest-green vision, while the glass chapel created a more ethereal setting. The Poruwa was especially important to them, even if not every element could be recreated abroad, grounding the day in symbolism and heritage, something they hoped future generations would recognise. The blend of cultures, the two venues, the shift in themes… “Our guests had never experienced anything like it,” the couple shares.

The day was long but overflowing with joy. Moving through two ceremonies made the experience feel layered, and being surrounded by family kept the energy high. One of their favourite moments was the first look: the two of them alone in the space they’d spent so long planning from a distance. “We finally felt like, we’re here… we made it,” they said. “Everything had come together.”

The details mattered too, especially to Lash, who was precise about every personal touch. Their planner joked they could open a shop with everything they sourced. Much of it—from guestbooks and favours to handwritten letters, even invitations ordered from Canada—was sent directly to Bali so they didn’t have to travel with it all.

First Dance

“Communication is key. Start early. The more research you do and the clearer you are about your ideas, the easier it becomes to bring them to life. Trust your team. They’ll deliver.”