The "traditional" part of the wedding can be done before or after the official registration.
Generally it is seen as the husband taking responsibility for the bride by arriving at the parents home to "take her away". It is quite a local occasion where all the neighbours turn up and the brides friends put barriers in your way to prevent you reaching your bride who is usually hiding in the bedroom. The barriers are usually pieces of ribbon held across door ways which you have to bribe your way through (nothing new there then!) 100 Baht is a red envelope will do it. After you have rescued your bride you all sit downstairs for the photos etc where the Sin Sod is displayed for all to see. You will need a best man who does all the talking for you, he should be older than you.
This takes place over a couple of hours starting in the morning. When finished everyone goes home, you and your bride off to the local hotel.
Then there is a food & drink party in the evening same day.
It's a fun occasion, not to be missed and will cement your place within your new Thai family.
Marriage to a Thai
-
malcolminthemiddle
- Guru
- Posts: 592
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:56 pm
- Location: Here,there and everywhere
I only want to add that if you check it out, the ceremony varies, depending on where your wife is from and if up country, almost from village to village.
Your fiancee will explain what is expected of you.
For example, the differences I had to Malcolms experience were that I was on my own! The ceremony and party all took place early in the morning - it was all done and dusted by about midday! I still don't really understand why? Yes the whole village and more - about 200 in my case - were all there and yes there were gates to walk throough, monks chanting forever and the all important sinsod on display! It cost me 200 baht to get through a silver and golden gate. Money to the wifes sister who washed my feet at the entrance to the home and 100 baht each for the monks. They get a good feed as well.
I stayed at the wifes family home the day before and on the day of the ceremony and left the day after, stopping at the local amphur en route to where we were heading.
On the day of the ceremony, in the afternoon, a load of us went to a nearby beach - a quarry lake - and drank some more, ate etc.
Can't recall too much after that!!!
Your fiancee will explain what is expected of you.
For example, the differences I had to Malcolms experience were that I was on my own! The ceremony and party all took place early in the morning - it was all done and dusted by about midday! I still don't really understand why? Yes the whole village and more - about 200 in my case - were all there and yes there were gates to walk throough, monks chanting forever and the all important sinsod on display! It cost me 200 baht to get through a silver and golden gate. Money to the wifes sister who washed my feet at the entrance to the home and 100 baht each for the monks. They get a good feed as well.
I stayed at the wifes family home the day before and on the day of the ceremony and left the day after, stopping at the local amphur en route to where we were heading.
On the day of the ceremony, in the afternoon, a load of us went to a nearby beach - a quarry lake - and drank some more, ate etc.
Can't recall too much after that!!!
Mart
Mart
I am sure you will get a number of good posts to this but can i suggest that you buy a book called "Thai Fever". I covers off all of the questions that you have and many more.
But in the end Love overcomes all obstacles !!
I am sure you will get a number of good posts to this but can i suggest that you buy a book called "Thai Fever". I covers off all of the questions that you have and many more.
But in the end Love overcomes all obstacles !!