A wedding is one of the most important events in a Thai person’s Life. It’s the celebration and announcement to the world of the two people who will begin the life together as one. Thailand has a very long beautiful history and Thai weddings include some of the old custom and tradition that have been passed along from generation to generation. The wedding has many steps that are all very important and because most of Thai people are Buddhist, some of the steps include a Buddhism ceremony.
The Parade
I’d like to explain some of the words that need to be known for that Thai traditional style wedding:
Khun-Mark – The groom has to prepare the parade to the brides home in the early morning, There are 2 levels of Khun-Mark.
Khun-Mark Eak – Main Khun-Mark, you could make it as Odd or Even, depending on the region, the popular style would be the even style as its represents the couple. Most of the time there would be Mark-Plu- some fresh Thai tobacco leaves, its old style tobacco chewing set, Bowls fill with dowry (money and gold) and other well meaning goods that Thais believe in, like bean, unpolished rice, gold leaves, silver leaves (they’re Thai plant that sort of have gold and silver color) some flowers with good meaning names.
Khun-Mark Tho - Secondary Khum-Mark, This is mostly wedding food and desert and others parade. The must haves for this one are Whisky, Banana tree, Sugar Cane tree and they should be even as well people who carry these are the groom friends and family.
The Morning of the Wedding
At this time, the bride and groom will be dress in Thai Traditional costume. The groom and his Khun-Mark parade will arrive at the brides home. At the home, friends and family of the bride will make a little gate using their jewelry silver and gold necklaces or braces or belt, the traditional style would be 4 gates, 2 silver, 2 gold, or just 2 gates, silver and gold, the groom have to pay their way to the bride bedroom, The bride should pay the people who carry Khun-Mar and then, it’s accept Khun-Mark Ceremony. At this ceremony they will count the dowry, exchange rings, pay respect to both sides parents, and also could be give food to the monk then they’ll give their blessing to the couple.
Water Ceremony
This ceremony could be done right after the Khun-Mark, if the bride and groom want only close family and friends or they can have it early evening so more people can come and join the ceremony. The couple will light the candles at the Buddhist shrine that will be on the right side of the groom there will be 2 bride maid and 2 best man and the couple guest of honor will light the candle too.
The couple will sit at the chair and table that are set up for the ceremony. They will bow down with their hands on the table and the guest of honor will put two round thread on bride and groom (the thread connect together), I believed it’s symbolized to be that now they are joined as one. There will be a big bowl of water with jasmine or rose leave next to the bride and groom and one of the young relatives will be the water boy/girl. Their job is to take the small bowl filled with water and give it to the guests, the guests then will pour it over bride and groom hands and give them blessing, this ceremony could take upwards to 1-3 hours depending on how many guests show up.
The Reception
The reception party is normally started around 6-7 in the afternoon the bride and groom will change into the western style wedding dress/suite. The traditional and most popular style of food setup would be Chinese table, which will be Thai/Chinese style food over about 7-10 courses. It starts off with snack like watermelon seeds, peanuts or some chips. Some Thai style salads, soup like shark fin soup some fried rice, and Chinese style desert. At each table they will have whiskey, a couple large bottles of sodas and a bucket of ice. All the guests will help themselves with the drinks, the food will be serve by the caterer. There will be a VIP guest table for the important guests for the bride and groom like their bosses, or their parent bosses, or local government officials.
The bride and groom will remain at the front of the reception hall greeting all the guests with the guest book table and the box to collect the gift (most guest bring money in an envelope) and take pictures with all the guests. After almost all of the guests arrive and the food starts being served for awhile, the bride and groom make their way close to the stage, the MC will call the bride and groom to the stage, then he will invite the parents and the guests of honor to give the bride and groom a necklace made of flowers, then they give a little speech about the bride and groom and the guest of honor would invite all the guest to cheer for the couple. After that the couple walk around chatting up with all the guests and taking pictures at each table.
At the very end of the night, the family and close friends will send the bride and groom to their bedroom to spend their first night together, the bed will be decorate with flowers. The parent give them the way to live their life as a couple, then all of them leave and left the couple resting on their first time together as husband and wife!
