East Meets West
The wedding of Sophia Stuart and Nuvan Seneviratne was an international affair, drawing on traditions from the East and the West, and including guests who traveled from as far away as Sri Lanka and Australia.
The couple
Sophia, 28, a marketing manager, grew up in Rockville; and Nuvan, 29, a managing partner of a technology company, grew up in Gaithersburg. The couple lives in North Bethesda.
The Wedding
Sept. 7, 2013, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, followed by a reception at Glenview Mansion, both in Rockville
How they met
Sophia and Stuart met while they were students at the University of Maryland. Sparks started to fly during a 2007 spring break trip with friends to Acapulco, and the couple officially started dating that summer while sharing a house with friends.
First Date
The couple’s first date was dinner at Chef’s Secret, a Thai restaurant in College Park. “Years later we found out that it was the same place where my parents had their first date as well,” Sophia says.
The Proposal
Nuvan and Sophia traveled to Costa Rica in May 2012. While on an ATV tour, the couple stopped to take pictures at the top of a mountain overlooking the ocean, and Nuvan proposed. “We were covered in dirt and mud,” Sophia says.
Wedding Theme
Traditional elegance
Number of guests
240
What made the event so special
The couple’s wedding was multicultural and included a traditional Catholic church ceremony reflecting Sophia’s upbringing and the Sri Lankan and Buddhist traditions of the lighting of candles, reflecting Nuvan’s heritage. It was the first time that many friends and family—who had traveled from Sri Lanka, Australia, London and Canada—had been to a multicultural wedding. Guests were given individual cakes from Sri Lanka to take home.
Favorite Moment
“Our first look was our favorite part of the day,” Sophia says. “It was about two hours before the ceremony and we met in the gardens at Glenview. We were so excited to see each other and I’ll never forget the look on his face when he saw me. It was really sweet and romantic to spend time alone before the craziness of the day began.”
Tips on cutting costs
Having a longer engagement (16 months) allowed the couple to shop around and choose vendors within their budget. “It gave us time to do research on vendors that were high quality, but still affordable and available,” Sophia says.
Something to laugh about
The first venue that the couple had booked—and fully paid for—went bankrupt, leaving them scrambling for a venue that would accept the caterer they had booked. All was saved when they learned of Glenview Mansion, which is owned by the City of Rockville and doesn’t restrict vendors.
Gown
Sophia wore a lace-and-beaded fitted ivory gown with a V-neck designed by Demetrios.
Photographer
Videographer
Jon Key Videography
The Honeymoon
A two-week trip to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos
The details
Flowers were provided by To the 9’s; catering, by Catering by Uptown; wedding planning, by Colleen O’Neil of O’Neil Events; invitations and programs, by Tara Franklin of Organized Bride; hair and makeup, by Cara Gibson Makeup and Jessica Wilson of Alchemy Salon; rentals, by A Grand Event; music, by Black Tie; and transportation, by Martin’s Sedan.
