No matter what religion, nationality, or culture we claim as our own, we all have one thing in common â our wedding day is a big deal, and therefore we want it to be special. An increasing number of intrepid newlyweds are choosing to tie the knot in Thailand, opting for a destination wedding experience that includes white sand beaches, tropical breezes, and plenty of sunshine. In fact, weâve seen an influx of young couples from Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, all over Europe and the United States traveling to our island paradise of Koh Samui in Thailand to say, âWe doâ at Beach Republic.
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- There are two kinds of marriages that take place in Thailand, traditional Buddhist marriages and civil unions. In this blog, weâll cover Thai traditions and customs. Look for part 2 of this blog for information on the civil side of Thai marriages, as well as foreigners marrying Thai citizens and Westerners getting married in Thailand for beautiful destination weddings.
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- In the Buddhist faith â prominent in Thailand â weddings donât look like nuptials in Western cultures and other countries. Not a civil or official government ceremony, Buddhist wedding ceremonies instead consist of beautiful traditions and rituals to bless the marrying couple. Weddings are considered a sacred bond, and taken very seriously.
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- Thai marriages have an engagement period, though it differs from most Western cultures. A traditional Thai engagement ceremony is called thong mun.
- A fascinating tradition in Thailand calls for one of the groomâs best friends to formally ask the brideâs father for her hand in marriage. So the groom and the bride arenât directly involved in the formal marriage proposal!
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- When setting a date for the wedding, astrologers are consulted, with August being the most popular month for Thai weddings.
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- Traditions in Thailand also call for a dowry, called son sod, to be negotiated to the brideâs family. While dowries sometimes have a negative connotation in modern society, the Thai version is actually charming, a way for the groom to express his gratitude to the brideâs parents for doing such a good job raising their daughter, sometimes called âfor motherâs milk.â
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- Son sod is rooted in practical origins, a way for families to ensure their daughter didnât marry beneath her station and that her value is appreciated and reputation protected, as a poor suitor wouldnât be able to afford a suitable dowry.
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- The amount of son sod is customarily negotiated, a process where the groomâs best friend participates as his spokesperson.
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- Itâs worth noting that son sod or dowries are not required when someone is getting remarried because of a previous spouseâs death or divorce.
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- In modern Thailand, many Thai people donât want to discard the tradition of son sod, but donât necessarily want to take money for their daughterâs hand in marriage. So they often first accept the dowry payment but only as a formality, returning it as a gift to the wedding couple or used to help pay for the wedding.
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- In accordance with the Buddhist faith, to ensure a âmarriage made in heaven,â a donation is given to the local Buddhist temple, or wat. Called a âMerit Giftâ this donation invites the temple to perform a wedding blessing ceremony.
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- Buddhist monks are usually invited. There should always be an odd number of monks at a Thai wedding ceremony or party, usually 3, 5, 7, or commonly 9, but never more.
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- The evening before the wedding day, the bride and groom pay their respects and honor their ancestors with a traditional Buddhist ceremony.
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- On the morning of the wedding day, a parade of people form about a half mile from the brideâs house, including the groom, who tries to time his walk to arrive at 9:09 AM, a lucky time in Thai culture.
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- The procession of friends and guests, including candles, special foods, young girls in traditional costumes and flags, is meant to announce the arrival of the groomâs party. A loud song is played from the brideâs house, which signals to her neighbors that a man will come marry their familyâs daughter that day according to traditions.
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- Morning ceremonies ensue at the location of the wedding ceremony, with monks saying prayers to bless the couple. The bride and groom then present each monk with an envelope containing money.
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- To conclude the morning ceremonies, the bride and groom sit down to eat lunch with the monks.
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- The main event of the wedding ceremony is held in the afternoon, called rod nam sang in Thai.
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- With the most senior or respected member of the clan officiating, a chain of flowers is affixed to join the bride and groomâs hands as they are held up in wai, the Thai symbol of respect.
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- The bride and groom are joined by a scared string that forms a circle to bond the couple, a wedding custom that originates in the Northeast of the country.
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- Their hands are also soaked water held in a conch shell. The coupleâs parents, siblings, and good friends will also follow and help soak the newlywedsâ hands, wishing them good luck.
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- Towards evening, wedding ceremony proceeds to the much-welcomed dinner banquet, an elaborate buffet, cocktail, or formal sit-down meal. Commonly 100-300 guests attend the wedding and evening feast, although itâs impossible to tally the guest count beforehand. Thatâs because unlike in Western weddings, guests to Thai weddings often bring along their uninvited family and friends.
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- Thai people love drinking and being merry during wedding parties. The drink of choice is often local Thai whiskey, like Mekhong and Sang Som, which might be polished off by the case.
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- After the dinner party, the newlyweds are sent off with roses adorned with roses, a traditional ceremony conducted by the elders.
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Start each day with our extensive breakfast spread that leaves nothing to the imagination. From fine home-baked breads and fresh tropical fruits to imported meats, cold cuts and a selection of imported cheeses to die for. Or how about organic yoghurt, traditional Thai dishes, rosemary potatoes, Singapore noodles, organic eggs and omelettes cooked your way, Canadian bacon, English sausages, mushrooms, baked beans and grilled tomatoes for a full belly. We even have a wide variety of pancakes made to order served with Canadian maple syrup, freshly squeezed tropical juices, coffee, imported teas and boozy options for those so inclined! (Not applicable to any room only promotional rates).
Feel free to get ripped in our gym and sweat out the toxins in our large herbal steam room.
If you can live without an internet connection then we salute you! But if you belong to the other 99.9% of the population then you'll be well taken care of with uninterrupted in-room and resort wide WiFi throughout your stay â all on one of Samui's fastest networks, with double redundancy fibre optic feeds for you techies!
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