COLOMBO - Nineteen couples from China and Sri Lanka were wedded at a mass wedding ceremony in Negombo on Thursday, strengthening the island's position as an ideal wedding destination.

The couples, who are employees from China State Construction Engineering Corporation, walked down the isle at a grand ceremony at a luxury hotel in Negombo on Thursday afternoon.

Out of the 19, 12 couples were Chinese while seven were Sri Lankan.

The ceremony was themed, "We gathered for Belt and Road, We are married in Sri Lanka," as the couples met while being employed for projects under China's Belt and Road Initiative in Sri Lanka.

Dressed in red Chinese traditional wedding garments, the couples were married in front of 300 guests with the Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese embassy in Sri Lanka, Pang Chunxue being the key witness.

"The Belt and Road Initiative brought the 19 wedding couples together as well as all of us. I firmly believe that the future of China, Sri Lanka cooperation will be as bright as the prospects of these newly-weds," said the Chinese diplomat.

One of the bridegrooms, Quantity Surveyor from the Sri Lanka's Southern Expressway Extension Project, Section 3, Srinath said he was excited to be a part of the wedding ceremony and was proud to be able to co-build the Belt and Road with his Chinese colleagues.