MELBOURNE WEDDING CELEBRANT SRI LANKAN PORUWA

Call or text now on 0422448918

Email: cherishedmomentscelebrated@gmail.com

Planning to have the Poruwa included in your wedding ceremony?  I feel privileged to perform Ceremonies including Poruwa rituals in and around Melbourne. So call me today…

My name is Sharon Joanne Osman and I’m an authorised Wedding Celebrant specialising in personalising ceremonies, including all traditional requirements.

 

With the rapid growth of multi cultural weddings in Melbourne, it is my honour to officiate at your special Wedding. Whether you are a Australian marrying a Sri Lankan or you both may be Sri Lankan, and wish to incorporate aspects of the Poruwa in your ceremony. Either way I tailor a ceremony to suit your personal needs to what ever capacity that may be.

 

A Poruwa ceremony is a traditional Sinhalese wedding ceremony with Buddhist influences. The ceremony takes place on a “Poruwa”, a beautifully decorated, traditional wooden platform. The ceremony involves a series of rituals performed by the bride and groom, and their families.

This is usually included into your traditional Australian style ceremony. Usually just before the vows and exchanging of rings.

In the past 12 years I have married couples who were either both Sri Lankan or in some cases one was Sri Lankan and the other Australian, or Indian, Christian or Hindu. Regardless I am able to design a ceremony to include different cultural requirements.

These days most young Sri Lankan couples wish to marry the Western way and include the Poruwa ritual into their ceremony. This is a great way to give recognition to traditional values. I work closely with them and arrive at a ceremony that suits them and their uniqueness.

 

Marrying couples of all nationalities all over Melbourne I provide a very unique and professional service. With a back ground in Quality Assurance and Life Coaching, I bring a wealth of skills to add authenticity to your already spectacular day.

Nothing is too much trouble for me, my non intimidating and calm nature will allow us to establish rapport effortlessly so we can work together to make your day extra memorable.

A brief run down of what it would look like. The bridegroom and groomsmen stand on the left of the Poruwa and the bride and bridesmaids on the right. The bride and groom enter the Poruwa leading with the right foot. They greet each other with palms held together in the traditional manner.

The Celebrant (master of ceremonies) presents a hand of betel leaves to the couple, which they accept and hand back to Celebrant to be placed on a height of the Poruwa. This symbolises the offering of betel to gods. The bride’s father places the right hand of the bride on that of the groom as a symbolic gesture of handing over the bride to the bride groom. The groom’s brother hands a tray to the groom with seven sheaves of betel leaves with a coin placed in each. The groom holds the tray while the bride takes one leaf at a time and drops it on the Poruwa. The groom repeats this process. This is a custom carried out to remember seven generations of relatives on each side. The celebrant relates what’s happening so the guests have an idea of the events.

The groom’s brother hands a chain to the groom who in turn places it on the bride’s neck. The bride’s maternal uncle enters the Poruwa, ties the small fingers of the bride and groom with a gold thread and then pours water over the fingers. Water and earth being the eternal verities, the water so poured and the earth on which it falls are intended to be the lasting witnesses to the marriage. The uncle then turns the couple clockwise, three times, on the Poruwa. Next the groom presents to his bride a white cloth which in turn is presented to the bride’s mother. This is an expression of the groom’s gratitude to his mother-in-law for bringing up his bride. Next, the groom’s mother will present the going away saree to the groom. The groom hands it over to the bride and she in turn gives it to her mother. The bride’s mother will then present a plate of milk rice and kavum, cooked with special ingredients befitting a marriage ceremony, to the bride who feeds a piece of each to the bridegroom. The bridegroom feeds the bride in return. As the newly weds step down from the Poruwa, helped by a couple from the bridegroom’s party, The couple light a brass oil lamp to signify their resolve to keep the home fires burning.

Call me today, I would love to hear from you…  0422448918

 

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