{"id":2549,"date":"2025-01-17T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog2\/?p=2549"},"modified":"2026-02-18T05:59:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T05:59:16","slug":"an-interview-with-janaka-mawella-the-owner-of-janaka-mawella-weddingswedding-planner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/an-interview-with-janaka-mawella-the-owner-of-janaka-mawella-weddingswedding-planner\/","title":{"rendered":"An interview with Janaka Mawella – The owner of Janaka Mawella Weddings(Wedding Planner)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1. A brief description of yourself?<\/strong>
I have been a professional wedding planner for 17 years. I was born in Narahenpita and currently reside in Nawala, Colombo 5. I received my education at Dudley Senanayake College and Isipathana College. Wedding planning is my full-time profession, and I am deeply passionate about creating memorable events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. A brief explanation of how you entered the field.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After completing my A\/Ls, I worked in a bank for about two years before gaining admission to the University of Sri Jayawardenapura. During my university studies, I worked as a manager at Studio 3000. In my fourth year, I faced a pivotal moment while preparing for a 30-minute presentation. The rule was that no two students could choose the same topic, but unfortunately, someone else selected my original topic. This left me with just a week to choose a new one and prepare for it.
Realizing I needed to speak about something I was well-versed in, I chose the topic “How to Plan a Wedding Without Mistakes.” My experience as a manager at Studio 3000, where I was already immersed in weddings and related activities, gave me the knowledge and confidence to deliver the presentation. This topic was unique and relatively unexplored in Sri Lanka at the time, as there were only a handful of wedding planners in the country. To my delight, I received the highest score for my presentation, and my peers encouraged me to consider wedding planning as a career.
Inspired by their encouragement and my growing passion for the field, I decided to pursue wedding planning professionally. My goal was to start my own company after graduating from university. When I began, the journey was far from easy. I worked tirelessly to build my business, personally managing my first 100 weddings without any assistants. At that time, wedding planning was not widely recognized or appreciated in Sri Lanka. Many vendors misunderstood our role, believing that wedding planners were merely intermediaries seeking commissions.
Determined to change this perception, I committed to transparency and professionalism. Over the past 17 years, I have never taken a commission from vendors. Instead, I focused on providing value to my clients, often securing discounts for them. I have always emphasized that a wedding is a significant project requiring meticulous planning, akin to project management.
Rather than solely promoting my business, I advocated for the importance of wedding planning as a profession. I participated in TV programs and public discussions, consistently highlighting the necessity of having a planner for weddings. Today, wedding planning is a widely accepted and essential part of almost every wedding in Sri Lanka, and I take pride in having played a role in shaping this transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.<\/strong> What challenges and experiences have you gained in the field of wedding day planning?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introducing wedding planners to the wedding industry was a challenging task. Initially, many people were reluctant to accept the need for a dedicated wedding planner. The most resistance came from parents, as couples often recognized the importance of a wedding planner, but parents would say, “We didn\u2019t have wedding planners when we got married.” However, once the wedding was over, parents would understand the value we bring. They would eventually embrace us with gratitude and appreciate our services.
Planning a wedding today is far more complex than it was in the past. It involves managing countless details, including time and budget, making the role of a wedding planner indispensable. We worked hard to shift perceptions and make people realize the necessity of hiring a wedding planner. Today, many wedding planners share their work on social media, innovating and showcasing new trends. However, I take pride in being one of the pioneers who introduced this profession to Sri Lanka.
The wedding planning industry comes with its own set of challenges. Even after managing 1,000 weddings, the 1,001st wedding can present entirely new difficulties. These challenges depend on factors such as the environment, the vendors involved, the timeline, and even external circumstances in Sri Lanka. As the industry evolves, so do the vendors, and we must adapt to working with new professionals entering the field. This constant evolution is one of the biggest challenges we face.
Another major shift is in client expectations. What couples required in the past was far simpler compared to what they demand today. With the advent of technology, clients can instantly find inspiration and ideas on their phones. Many of these ideas are not always feasible in Sri Lanka, but we still strive to adapt and meet these expectations. If we fail to keep up with these changes, it will be difficult to sustain our position in the industry.
Despite the challenges, the rewarding nature of this profession continues to drive us forward, ensuring we deliver memorable weddings that exceed expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. How many weddings have you planned so far and which one is the most special for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have planned nearly 3,000 weddings so far, and it’s difficult to pick just one as the most special because every wedding holds a unique place in my heart. The range of weddings I\u2019ve planned varies greatly\u2014from those costing around 500 lakhs to those around 20 lakhs. Regardless of the budget, each wedding is equally special to me because every one of them requires meticulous planning. Interestingly, some weddings with smaller budgets often require more work than high-budget ones, as everything must be carefully organized and executed within the available resources.
If I had to highlight a particular category, I would say the weddings I’ve planned for actors and actresses stand out as truly memorable. These weddings hold a special significance for me, as they are events I will always remember fondly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.<\/strong> Why is having a wedding planner important to a successful wedding?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First and foremost, the most important factor to consider when choosing a wedding planner is experience. While it\u2019s possible to succeed without experience, I believe that with experience, everything becomes much easier. A skilled wedding planner should be able to envision every aspect of the wedding as if telling a story, knowing exactly how to execute each detail.
With 17 years of experience, my team and I have accumulated extensive knowledge in this field. We’ve been working together for many years, and their expertise greatly contributes to our success. When working with clients, it’s not just about following an agenda\u2014it’s about having a complete understanding of how to handle each situation.
For example, let\u2019s imagine a wedding is being held outdoors, and it starts to rain. As a wedding planner, I must have a backup plan ready to handle the situation smoothly. This kind of preparedness and problem-solving ability comes with experience.
In our line of work, we interact with people constantly, and the goal of a wedding planner should be to create joy and make the event memorable. In my opinion, it\u2019s not about running around trying to stand out or show off. The true success of our work lies in making our clients happy and ensuring everything runs seamlessly. A wedding planner’s work should be so seamless that guests can feel the presence of the planner through the flawless execution of the event. The ability to manage all these details comes from experience. As a wedding planner, we are committed to being present at the wedding at the designated times, regardless of how long we’ve been in the industry. My team and I, for example, make it a point to arrive at midnight for a morning ceremony, and for an evening ceremony, we are there from around 8 a.m. until the event concludes.
However, the current generation of wedding planners tends to approach things differently. Many arrive just before the ceremony begins, eagerly rushing to get things done, while some focus more on marketing, taking photos and videos, instead of fulfilling their core duties. In my opinion, wedding planning is not about self-promotion; it’s about ensuring everything runs smoothly. We need to transform the industry because the current approach is not the right one. People expect wedding planners to focus on the meticulous planning and execution of their ceremony, and that\u2019s where our attention should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. What is the difference between a wedding with a wedding planner and a wedding without a wedding planner and how do you support them in entrusting the planning of their wedding day to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, when an event is held at a Dhamma school or a school, countless people work hard to ensure everything runs smoothly. Similarly, an architect plays a crucial role in building a house\u2014everything happens because of their expertise. A wedding ceremony functions in the same way.
Let\u2019s imagine a wedding without a wedding planner. In such a case, people may book vendors directly, but there are important questions that arise: Did they book according to their budget? In the wedding industry, vendors are generally classified into three categories: high-level, mid-level, and low-level.
For instance, if someone books a florist without considering the overall budget, they may end up selecting a vendor based on aesthetics rather than cost. If the overall wedding budget is 40 lakhs, they might allocate 5 lakhs for flowers. However, if they choose a high-end florist, the starting price could be 12 lakhs. They may go ahead and book it without thinking twice, and in doing so, they could end up spending 80 lakhs for a wedding originally planned for 40 lakhs.
As wedding planners, the first thing we do is ask about our clients\u2019 budgets. Then, we identify the overall budget and break it down into various categories to ensure that each aspect of the wedding is allocated the appropriate amount. This helps keep everything within the planned budget while still ensuring a beautiful, well-organized event.
We make it clear that by following our advice in such situations, potential issues can be avoided. With that said, clients can feel confident that their budget is safe. There’s a significant difference between having a wedding planner and not having one. When the wedding day is set, the planner has a lot of responsibilities. Weddings usually last around 8 hours, during which time a lot happens\u2014everything from the bride and groom getting ready, to the parents preparing, and the hotel setup. The planner coordinates with the relevant people to ensure everything runs smoothly. These tasks can’t be handled by the couple or their parents alone. We’ve seen weddings without planners where both the parents and the couple were extremely stressed. After the event, they reflect sadly on how hard they worked but still couldn’t get everything done properly. This highlights the importance of a wedding planner. Wedding planning is serious work, but many people don’t fully understand the extent of it because we commit to organizing every detail.
When we weigh the pros and cons of hiring a wedding planner, the advantages are clear. There\u2019s no downside to paying for a planner. They help secure discounts, ease the workload, protect the budget, and even years later, you\u2019ll realize that hiring them was a wise investment.
As for the support we provide, our process is broken down into three stages. In the first stage, we book the main vendors. In the second, we handle the design aspect. In the third stage, we book the sub-vendors and take care of outfits and other functions. Even with proper planning, some things may not be practical. For instance, at a wedding with around 500 guests, family members may not have time to socialize, rendering even well-chosen charms useless. We ensure that everything, including the auspicious timings, is planned precisely. From the moment the auspicious paper is received to the end of the function, every detail is accounted for, leaving the couple and their families with nothing left to worry about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. What advice would you give to a couple planning a wedding?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When planning a wedding, it’s important to think about creating a celebration that will still feel timeless in 30 years. Many people get caught up in trends and feel they need to follow what’s popular at the time, but that’s not the right approach. A wedding should be an unforgettable memory that lasts a lifetime, so it’s crucial to plan it with longevity in mind. You want to avoid future regrets when looking back at your wedding photos or reminiscing about the day. The focus should not solely be on following the trends of the moment.
Another key piece of advice is to avoid opting for cheap solutions when planning your wedding. This advice carries significant weight. Many couples may find themselves running out of money during the process, but the issue isn\u2019t just about the budget. In every industry, including weddings, there are cheaper options that might not deliver quality. For example, in services like car rentals, decorations, and other wedding-related tasks, it’s important to recognize that cutting corners could lead to unsatisfactory results. When some vendors offer a “package deal,” it may seem like an easy choice, but it’s essential to understand that the quality of work may not meet expectations.
It’s important to understand that someone may not be doing things out of love for us, but because it benefits their business. You need to be reasonable with your wedding expenses, which is why I always recommend working with professionals. I’ve been in wedding planning for 17 years, starting when I was 17, and have focused solely on this field throughout my career. By dedicating myself to just one area, I’ve been able to deliver consistent, high-quality service without any complaints. When I take on a project, I put in my utmost effort.
Now, our industry has many newcomers, and I enjoy teaching them these important principles. Many of the people I’ve mentored are now in successful positions, and I’m proud of their growth. However, there’s a trend I find concerning: many newcomers are entering the field through platforms like TikTok, promoting themselves by posting videos that a wedding planner shouldn’t be making. A wedding planner\u2019s role should remain focused on the tasks that directly relate to their expertise. There are other professionals responsible for different aspects of a wedding, and it’s crucial to respect that.
The message being shared through these TikTok videos misrepresents the wedding planning profession, and we cannot allow that. We’ve worked hard to establish this field, and we want to ensure its integrity is maintained. So, to those entering this profession, I urge you to learn from those with experience. We’re always happy to teach and guide you. By understanding the dos and don’ts, you can avoid issues and build a successful career.
Finally, it’s essential to price our services according to the effort we put in. I’ve noticed some people quoting prices far too low, which undermines the value of our work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. What is your idea about the Poruwa matrimonial service?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, many platforms are similar to Poruwa.lk, but the way it operates is truly commendable. Featuring it in a professional interview magazine within the wedding industry is an excellent idea. Moreover, publishing the magazine as both an e-magazine and a printed version is a great approach, as it aligns with modern IT trends. Additionally, your exceptional hospitality service adds significant value. Considering all these aspects, it\u2019s clear that Poruwa.lk stands out as a highly successful online matrimonial site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. How to contact you for wedding day planning?<\/strong>
When you search for Janaka Mewalla weddings, our Facebook and Instagram pages appear, and you can find all the information about us on Google. Most of our wedding inquiries come through Instagram, and we continue to gain many followers there. You can also contact us via phone at 0712 377 477 or visit our office at 412 Nawala Road, Sri Jayawardenepura. We operate by appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10.<\/strong> If you would like to give a discount to clients who come to you through Poruwa.lk, please mention that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am offering a discount of Rs. 20,000 to customers who come through Poruwa.lk. This discount is valid until March 30, 2025. To avail of this offer, simply bring the Poruwa.lk magazine and enjoy my service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Who are the people you are thankful for in your successful career so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my team. They have been like family to me. The members of my first team are still in the country, and now I have my second and third teams. None of them have ever let me down, so I thank them deeply. I also want to thank my wife, mother, and father, as they have always been by my side. I became involved in this field before I got married, and during that time, I couldn\u2019t always be home or keep a set schedule, yet they never pressured me. My wife, too, has been incredibly understanding. Finally, I would like to thank all the vendors in this industry who have supported me along the way. I truly appreciate all their help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Janaka Mewalla, a trailblazing wedding planner, shares his 17-year journey, from early challenges to planning nearly 3,000 weddings. Discover his insights on why hiring a planner ensures a stress-free, memorable celebration, and how he transformed the wedding planning industry in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2550,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[505],"tags":[3,5,6,58,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,121,14,17,18,122,19,20,68,21,22,23,123,124,24,25,125,69,26,27,28,29,126,30,31,32,33,35,36,37,127,38,128,39,70,40,41,42,64,102,88,129,44,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,72,90,130,53,54,66,56,57,131],"class_list":["post-2549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","tag-australian-marriage-proposals","tag-best-marriage-proposals","tag-best-matrimonial-site","tag-best-matrimonial-site-the-perfect-matrimony-best-matrimonial-website-exclusive-matrimonial-services-best-christian-matrimony-sites-marriage-matrimonial-websites","tag-best-matrimonial-website","tag-bride-sri-lanka","tag-brides-in-sri-lanka","tag-brides-sri-lanka","tag-catholic-marriage-proposals","tag-easy-matchmaking","tag-exclusive-matrimonial-services","tag-free-marriage-proposals-in-sri-lanka","tag-getting-married-in-sri-lanka","tag-lahipita-marriage-proposals","tag-lanka-matrimony","tag-lankan-matrimony","tag-life-partner","tag-list-of-matrimonial-sites","tag-mangala-danweem","tag-mangala-kinkini","tag-mangala-sewaya","tag-mangala-yojana","tag-mangala-yojana-2025","tag-mangala-yojana-sri-lanka","tag-marriage-matrimonial","tag-marriage-matrimonial-websites","tag-marriage-proposal","tag-marriage-proposal-in-sri-lanka","tag-marriage-proposal-services","tag-marriage-proposal-sri-lanka","tag-marriage-proposals","tag-marriage-proposals-in-sri-lanka","tag-marriage-proposals-sri-lanka","tag-matrimonial-ads","tag-matrimonial-online","tag-matrimonial-services","tag-matrimonial-sites","tag-matrimonial-websites","tag-matrimony","tag-matrimony-life-partner","tag-matrimony-sites-sri-lanka","tag-matrimony-sri-lanka","tag-matrimony-sri-lanka-sinhala","tag-matrimony-websites","tag-online-matchmaking","tag-online-matrimonial-sites","tag-online-matrimonial-website","tag-online-matrimony","tag-perfect-match","tag-poruwa-2","tag-poruwa-marriage-proposal","tag-poruwa-proposal","tag-poruwa-lk","tag-privacy-focused","tag-proposal-sri-lanka","tag-secured","tag-soulmates","tag-sri-lanka-brides","tag-sri-lanka-marriage-proposals-with-phone-number","tag-sri-lankan-bridal","tag-sri-lankan-bride","tag-sri-lankan-brides","tag-sri-lankan-groom","tag-sri-lankan-matrimony","tag-the-perfect-matrimony","tag-top-matrimonial-sites","tag---2025","tag---whatsapp-group-link","tag-131"],"gutentor_comment":0,"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5.jpg",1920,1080,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-1536x864.jpg",1536,864,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5.jpg",1920,1080,false],"ultp_layout_landscape_large":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-1200x800.jpg",1200,800,true],"ultp_layout_landscape":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-870x570.jpg",870,570,true],"ultp_layout_portrait":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-600x900.jpg",600,900,true],"ultp_layout_square":["https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/An-interview-with-Janaka-Mawella-5-600x600.jpg",600,600,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Praboda Sandeepani","author_link":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/author\/praboda_s\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Janaka Mewalla, a trailblazing wedding planner, shares his 17-year journey, from early challenges to planning nearly 3,000 weddings. Discover his insights on why hiring a planner ensures a stress-free, memorable celebration, and how he transformed the wedding planning industry in Sri Lanka.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2549"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6042,"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2549\/revisions\/6042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poruwa.lk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}