A New York City Wedding Inspired by Crazy Rich Asians
Finding love and getting married later in life has the benefit of finding out who you are through life’s experiences and knowing when you’ve met your soulmate. Julie Yankovich and Rajiv De Silva have had the benefit of knowing each other and being friends for more than 15 years before their marriage. This is Rajiv’s second marriage and Julie’s first. They first met as co-workers and from that first experience have had a supportive and enduring friendship. The spark was lit after Rajiv’s separation in 2018. Julie and Rajiv discovered the many things that they both cherish, love, and held in common – family, close friends, dogs, good food, feel-good movies, the occasional disaster movie, and travel.
A Destination Engagement at Amanyara
The proposal was epic. Rajiv’s planning began with the design of the engagement ring in his native Sri Lanka, where the legendary Ceylon blue sapphires are mined. The ring is fashioned after the design made famous by Lady Diana, who chose a beautiful Ceylon blue sapphire to be her engagement ring. That ring is now worn by Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales.
“The couple’s second ceremony in Sri Lanka and their honeymoon in the Maldives provided a fitting bookend to the storybook ceremony in New York City.”
Julie’s engagement ring was designed and completed in Rajiv’s hometown of Kandy, Sri Lanka in late 2022. Rajiv proposed to Julie at one of their favorite vacation spots – the stunning Amanyara Resort in Turks & Caicos. He managed to keep their destination engagement a surprise for Julie, as the trip was disguised as a Valentine’s Day getaway. He proposed the day after Valentine’s Day 2023 on the clifftop at the resort, overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
A New York City Wedding Inspired by Crazy Rich Asians
The couple chose New York City to be the location of their wedding, though they also planned a second ceremony in Sri Lanka for the benefit of Rajiv’s family that is still there, and his childhood friends who could not make the trip to New York. The wedding was originally planned for 2023, but had to be postponed to the Summer of 2024 due to Julie’s unexpected breast cancer diagnosis right after their engagement. She came through her treatments like a champ and used the extra time to plan her dream wedding.
In New York City, the couple was looking for an iconic location which exuded old-world New York charm. There was no better location for that feeling than Tavern on the Green in Central Park – a truly magical location. Given the complications of Julie’s illness as well as planning a second ceremony in Sri Lanka, the couple both credit their amazing wedding planner, JoAnn Gregoli of Elegant Occasions, with helping bring to life the magical wedding that Julie always imagined for herself.
On the eve of their wedding, the bride and groom kicked things off with a gathering of family and close friends on the rooftop terrace of the Gaansvoort Hotel in the Meatpacking District. Jessica Rose, an amazing singer from Nashville, TN kept the group dancing through the evening. When the wedding day arrived, Tavern on the Green had been transformed into the magical garden that Julie had envisioned. The couple picked an outside courtyard at Tavern on the Green for the actual ceremony. Julie’s vision was inspired Crazy Rich Asians, one of her favorite movies. Konstantino’s, the floral designer for the occasion, understood this inspiration and executed the perfect design scheme: a magical garden with a cascading waterfall as a backdrop, with overflowing purple florals, butterfly motifs, and even a mirrored walkway to simulate a walking-on-water effect.
Butterflies, Beautiful Décor, and a Coney Island Boardwalk Themed Afterparty
The wedding day itself was a whirlwind of activity, as could be expected. Much of the morning and early afternoon were consumed with finding the perfect location for those iconic New York City wedding pictures. Clane Gessel, the couple’s amazing photographer, did indeed find the perfect locations – Long Island City with the Manhattan skyline in the background, the rock in Central Park, and the busy streets of Manhattan.
When the time came, the bride walked down the aisle to her favorite song brought to new heights in the movie Crazy Rich Asians: “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” sung by a talented harpist with a gorgeous voice, Lexie Lowell. The ceremony itself was conducted by Rajiv’s cousin, Mario, who made the ceremony special by weaving in some Sri Lankan themes, such as tying together of the small fingers of the bride and groom with a single thread then pouring water over them to symbolize unity. The couple wrote their own vows. For Julie, the capstone of the ceremony was a butterfly release by the guests – a surprise to everyone when they opened the beautifully curated boxes, which were provided to guests as they were seated for the ceremony.
The dinner and party had many memorable elements – the beautiful décor, great food, signature cocktails and dexterous bartending by the flair bartenders, the smoke effect on the dance floor as the couple had their first dance to the song “A Thousand Years” to name a few. But the true highlight for Julie and Rajiv were the touching and heart-warming speeches made by Rajiv’s three children, Marisa (Maid of Honor), Sohan (Best Man), Sanjay (Groomsman) and Julie’s childhood friend Jill.
The party was kept rocking by DJ InFlyt from Jarrell entertainment; he even mixed in some Sri Lankan music. The couple’s Coney Island boardwalk themed afterparty also took place at Tavern on the Green, complete with a hot dog cart, sliders, French fries, a cotton candy machine, a gelato cart, and a cigar roller.
A Second Ceremony in Sri Lanka
The couple’s second ceremony in Sri Lanka and their honeymoon in the Maldives provided a fitting bookend to the storybook ceremony in New York City. The second ceremony was held in Tangalle, Sri Lanka at the Amanwella, a sister resort of Amanyara where the engagement took place. It was a poetic full circle moment. Rajiv and Julie credit their good friend and equally amazing wedding planner, Charm Dias of Magical Moments in Sri Lanka, for creating a uniquely memorable Sri Lankan wedding experience, captured in picture and video by the talented Ashane Bernard.
The honeymoon was at the Four Seasons Landaa Giravaru, another favorite destination for Julie and Rajiv, and a magical place in its own rights. It is located in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and can only be reached by sea plane – the hotel has its own. The hotel is known for its impeccable service, incredible food, world class spa services, and a setting second to none with luxurious overwater bungalows. There were many memorable moments including snorkeling with manta rays, a curated movie night, a romantic dinner on an offshore platform, feeding baby reef sharks on the pier by moonlight, and a yacht ride with dolphins swimming alongside, to name a few. But the most memorable moment was rushing back from the yacht ride to watch baby sea turtles hatch at dusk on the beach at the hotel – a rarity even for such a magical place!
Today, the fairytale continues with each day spent together.
WEDDING TALENT
Location & Catering: Tavern on The Green, New York, NY; Planner: Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli, New York, NY; Floral & Event Design: Konstantino’s Floral Decorators, Brooklyn, NY; Invitations & Calligraphy: Max and Maiden Ink; Rentals: Party Rental Ltd; Lighting: Fusion Lighting; Cake: Vincenzo Salvatore Cakes; Engagement Ring: Sifani Jewellers, Sri Lanka; Wedding Dress: Elizabeth Johns, Morristown, NJ; Hair: Alison Farfan; MUA: Kimberly Dawn Makeup Artistry; Bridal Shoes: Bella Belle Wedding Shoes; Jewelry: Verstolo; Bridal Dresser: Francesca DiSpirito; Groom’s Attire: Tailored Image Clothier; Entertainment: Jarrel Entertainment, Jessica Rose; Photography: Clane Gessel Photography