By Victoria Black

As Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Modern Wedding Magazine, I’m incredibly fortunate to travel to some of the world’s most beautiful destination wedding locations.

From tropical islands to luxury European escapes, I’ve seen some truly spectacular resorts and wedding venues over the years.

But I have to say… Sri Lanka — and Colombo in particular — completely exceeded my expectations.

We recently stayed at the extraordinary Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka and honestly, it lived up to its name in every possible way.

It felt glamorous, vibrant, luxurious and exciting from the moment we arrived. The kind of place where every corner feels cinematic. Infinity pools shimmering high above the city. Dramatic architecture. Rooftop bars glowing at sunset. Ocean views stretching endlessly into the distance. Beautifully curated interiors softened by art, light and tropical warmth.

It instantly struck me as one of the most unique destination wedding concepts I’ve seen in years.

A Destination Wedding Unlike Anywhere Else

There’s something incredibly special about Sri Lanka.

The warmth of the people. The lush tropical beauty. The incredible food. The rich culture and colour woven through every experience. It feels exotic and adventurous while still being incredibly welcoming and easy to navigate.

And for Australian and New Zealand couples, it’s surprisingly accessible. We flew direct from Sydney to Colombo with Sri Lankan Airlines (booked via Qantas/ One World) but there are also easy flight connections through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and the Middle East.

What I loved most is that Sri Lanka still feels relatively undiscovered as a wedding destination. It has that rare sense of exclusivity and originality.

I can almost guarantee none of your friends are going to have the same wedding location!

Where Colombo Comes To Life

Spanning an astonishing 4.5 million square feet in the heart of Colombo, City of Dreams Sri Lanka has been designed as a complete luxury lifestyle destination.

And it’s not just a hotel.

It’s an entire experience.

We stayed at Cinnamon Life for two nights and were given a private tour of the property, particularly the wedding and event spaces — and honestly, they were completely out-of-this-world.

The scale, detail and sheer creativity of the venues genuinely surprised me.

One of the standout concepts was the idea of a “Wedding in the Sky” — a spectacular rooftop celebration space perched high above Colombo overlooking the sparkling ocean and city skyline. It felt dramatic, glamorous and incredibly romantic.

Then there are the opulent ballrooms, complete with breathtaking celestial ceiling lighting that changes colour and transforms the entire atmosphere of the space. The effect is absolutely magical and creates this incredible sense of luxury and theatre without needing excessive styling or décor.

It’s the kind of venue where the architecture itself becomes part of the wedding experience.

 

 

Designed For Spectacular Celebrations

What makes Cinnamon Life so exciting for weddings is its versatility.

The property offers:

• 11 versatile event spaces
• Five grand ballrooms
• Six outdoor venues
• 160,000 square feet of event space
• Capacity for up to 5,000 guests
• State-of-the-art AV technology
• Customisable LED ceilings and immersive event experiences

Whether you’re planning:

• A glamorous destination wedding weekend
• A lavish Indian wedding
• A sophisticated black-tie celebration
• Rooftop cocktail events
• Chic recovery brunches
• Multi-day wedding festivities

…the possibilities feel endless.

And unlike many traditional destination resorts, there’s an energy to Cinnamon Life that feels vibrant and modern.

 

The Ultimate Wedding Weekend Experience

What I especially loved is how easily the resort transforms a wedding into a complete luxury holiday experience for guests.

There is so much to do beyond the wedding itself.

Guests can spend their days:

• Relaxing by the infinity pool
• Enjoying wellness treatments at Kurundu Wellness
• Exploring Colombo
• Shopping at “The Shoppes” luxury retail precinct
• Enjoying rooftop cocktails at sunset
• Dining across multiple world-class restaurants
• Experiencing South Asia’s largest entertainment hub

The dining offering alone is extraordinary.

From rooftop cocktails at Flux to elegant dining experiences, every restaurant feels beautifully designed and completely different in mood and atmosphere.

It would be such a fun wedding destination because every event across the wedding weekend could feel entirely unique.

A Honeymoon Destination With So Much To Explore

One of the other reasons I think Sri Lanka works so beautifully for weddings is the honeymoon potential afterwards.

Couples can seamlessly continue their celebration with:

• Beach escapes
• Tea plantation retreats
• Luxury safaris
• Jungle hideaways
• Ancient temples
• Scenic train journeys
• Wellness retreats

And the Maldives is close by too! (only one hour away by air) It’s one of those destinations where every part of the journey feels rich with beauty and discovery.

 

The Destination Everyone Will Soon Be Talking About

For couples wanting a destination wedding that feels stylish, luxurious, immersive and genuinely different, I truly think Sri Lanka is one of the most exciting locations to watch right now.

And Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams captures that spirit perfectly.

It feels glamorous without being pretentious.

Luxurious without feeling predictable.

Modern, vibrant and completely unforgettable.

I honestly cannot recommend Sri Lanka in general — and Cinnamon Life specifically — highly enough for destination weddings, honeymoons or luxury travel.

And something tells me it won’t stay a hidden gem for much longer.

Discover more at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka and Cinnamon Weddings & Events.