Thailand Wedding Tips & Advice
Why have a destination wedding?
Why choose Thailand as a destination?
First steps to planning a destination wedding?
Why choose a professional wedding planner?
Why choose Thailand Weddings?
How far in advance should I plan my Destination Wedding?
Who pays for a destination wedding?
What to wear at a Thai wedding?
Wedding etiquette
Is my marriage legal?
Why have a destination wedding?
- Less Stress !! Destination weddings are usually smaller and easier to organise than traditional weddings here at home. You can relax and enjoy the process of organising a wedding and being engaged.
- Less Cost !! Not everyone wants to or can afford to spend a small fortune or house deposit on their wedding. An overseas wedding, especially in destinations such as Thailand, the cost is a lot less than Australia and usually allows you to get a lot more for your money. Flowers and food for example are typically more extravagant and less inexpensive.
- More Time !! More time with the people you want on your big day, and more time for yourself leading up to the wedding. One of the best things about getting married overseas is that only the people you really want to be there and spend time with will come; and you get to spend real quality time with them. You don’t have to spend all your time making sure you’ve said hello to every guest or worry about who is sitting next to who.
- More Fun !! It’s a holiday for you and for your guests. Guests get the chance to meet and spend time together before the wedding, and usually after the big day too. Your wedding is not simply the one-day where you only have a few short hours to mingle and enjoy being a newly wed. It can be a weeklong affair from pre-wedding events to just simply sitting around the pool and spending time with all your friends.
- Original !! Your wedding will be completely unique and different.
Why choose Thailand as a destination?
Thailand is the perfect location – with its beautiful beaches, friendly people, incredible food, and variety of resort options, you would be hard pressed to find a better location. Thailand is also considerably cheaper when it comes to hosting events, compared to other destination wedding options.
What are the first steps to planning a destination wedding?
- Choose a destination
- Set the date
- Decide if you will organise it yourself, or use the services of a professional planner
- Send out “Save the date” notifications to your guests to give them as much notice as possible to plan
- Choose what type of ceremony you would like (Buddhist, western, beach etc), and the theme of your day
- Planning begins….
Why choose a professional wedding planner?
Mainly because we do all the hard work for you. Based on your requirements and wishes, we plan and co-ordinate your entire event to ensure that you have the most unforgettable day (and all within your budget!). You don’t need to worry about language barriers, time differences, concerns about what it will look like, will I get what I paid for or even do I have the time to organise this event – relax. We do it all for you. As an Australian company, we pride ourselves in organising events that are distinctive, and we promise that your event will be completely unique.
“I’ve always dreamed of a beach wedding but I just don’t have the time to organise one”
“I’m worried about organising a wedding overseas when I can’t see the reception or location beforehand”
3 reasons why you should choose Thailand Weddings to organise your event, we have the (1) knowledge (2) capability and most importantly (3) the experience in organising weddings in Thailand. We have carefully chosen a limited number of resorts in beautiful locations which vary in budget, so there is something to suit every couple.
How far in advance should I plan my Destination Wedding?
It is recommended to allow at least 6 months to 1 year, in order to secure the venue of your choice on the date you would like. Once the decision is made on the date, get your “Save the Date” notice out to all of your guests. Formal wedding invitations should be sent 6 – 8 weeks prior to the wedding.
Who pays for a destination wedding?
This is really up to the couple. There are no set rules or wedding etiquette to follow. Generally speaking though the following is recommended:
The bride and groom (and/or their parents) are expected to pay for:
- The wedding reception
- Transportation to and from the ceremony and reception sites
- Hair and Make up for the bridal party
- Formal wear for the bridal party
Guests should expect to pay for:
- Their plane ticket to and from the destination
- Their hotel room stay
- Any meals or beverages that are not part of the wedding festivities
What to wear to a wedding in Thailand
Most importantly, don’t wear black. This is associated with funerals in Thailand. Thai people as a whole are very superstitious and wearing black at a wedding is believed to bring bad luck to the bride and groom.
Around 95% of the Thai population are Buddhists and visitors to Thailand should note that there are certain do’s and don’ts when it comes to Buddhism. The Buddhist monk is on the highest tier of Thai society and should be accorded respect. Women should not touch monks and nor should they hand anything directly to them. Buddhist monks are not permitted to handle money, so when financial donations are made the money is placed in envelopes and offered on trays. Don’t sit cross-legged in front of monks but kneel with your feet behind you.
During a wedding blessing ceremony, the guests will be sitting or kneeling on the floor whilst the monks will usually be sat on chairs or a raised stage so that their heads are at a higher level than the guests. Try to keep your head lower than those of the monks during the wedding ceremony and this is also true if you are taking photographs, which should be taken from a kneeling or crouching position. Thai people at your wedding will show you the correct way to behave so try not to worry too much, but finding out in advance about manners and etiquette will gain you a lot of respect in Thailand.
Australia will recognise any wedding that is bound by the laws of the country you marry in, which includes Thailand, as long as you have undertaken all the legal requirements within that country.
Alternatively, many couples choose to have their wedding in Thailand, but complete the legal requirements in Australia either before or after. This is a simple process of having your marriage authorised at a registry office. Please visit the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in your state for more information.