Kathy & Ragavan: A Two-Day Celebration of Culture at Bore Place

Kathy and Ragavan’s story with Bore Place began long before their wedding day. While out walking in the countryside, they stumbled across the venue and, almost instinctively, said they would marry there one day. When the time came, it felt only right to return to the place where that quiet promise had been made. Surrounded by nature, with its relaxed, rural charm, Bore Place provided the perfect setting for a weekend that blended their cultures, traditions and celebration so beautifully.

Day One honoured Ragavan’s Sri Lankan heritage with a traditional Tamil ceremony. Kathy wore two sarees across the ceremony: beginning in a soft, light blue, before changing into a traditional deep red Koorai saree, gifted to her by Ragavan’s family during the ceremony. She was adorned with intricate gold jewellery, adding richness and symbolism. Ragavan wore a classic off-white veshti and an angavastram draped over his shoulder.

On Day Two, Kathy chose a simple, elegant white gown, while Ragavan wore a tailored three-piece suit with a green jacket.

Florals played a beautiful role across both days, thoughtfully designed by Katherine and her team. For the Tamil ceremony, the mandap was dressed in vibrant, British wildflower-inspired arrangements, adding layers of colour and texture to an already richly detailed celebration.

On the second day, the couple carried this theme through into their humanist ceremony, held in front of the main house, and into the barn for the wedding breakfast. The use of wildflowers felt relaxed, abundant and full of life.

Day One featured a traditional Sri Lankan buffet by Ruby’s Event Catering, with a variety of curries and sides that brought bold flavours and authenticity to the celebration.

Day Two was catered by Home Gurr’own, known for their generous, sharing-style dining. Guests enjoyed a three-course feast, including a standout lamb dish served with potatoes and chargrilled vegetables. Desserts made just as much of an impression, with towering profiteroles and large pavlovas served to each table.

I am a documentary-style wedding photographer living in Margate. My approach to wedding photography is all about capturing moments and telling the story of your special day in a natural, relaxed and unobtrusive way. I do my best to blend into every wedding day, so hopefully, I feel more like a guest, just with a camera. Kathy & Ragavan made me feel so welcome from the start, and it was so easy to integrate into their wedding day. I had the best two days capturing this couple’s story!

The whole weekend was just incredible!

With so much happening across the weekend, it’s hard to choose just one highlight. But the Tamil ceremony was particularly memorable, filled with colour, tradition and intricate rituals that were just amazing to witness.

The dancefloor brought a completely different kind of energy, with guests fully embracing the celebrations late into the evening.

Another standout moment came on the second day, when Kathy and Ragavan shared private vows together in the orchard — a quiet, intimate moment away from the festivities.

As the sun began to set, we got lucky with gorgeous golden-hour light on the second day. It was nice to take Kathy & Rag away from all the buzz to get some quiet time alone. The golden hour light made for some very romantic and intimate photos.