Hi all,i am wondering what i can expect to happen at a wedding as i have had the legal wedding but now it is time for ceremony with the monks.So if anyone can supply me with what a falang is expected to do i will be grateful.D DAY is April 24th.

MacB your invite is in the post.

There's quite a lot of information on Thai weddings here:

Wedding Link 1

Wedding Link 2

Wedding Link 3

Wedding Link 4

Hope those links answer most of your questions.

Peter

Just some info that i know personally from my wifes' brothers wedding (I havent had village ceremony yet).

3 day party, paid for by grooms' family (beer, food etc).

2 pigs, paid for by grooms' family.

Sin sod (or dowry) of

a)minimum 50,000 bht, richer families ask for 100,000+ bht and

b)in this case, 3 baht of gold (for poor thai), but some ask for 5 baht or more (so 35,000 bht minimum)

People also come and inspect your bedroom, even lead you to the bedroom.

The frightening part is washing the in-laws feet (serious) I felt sorry, for brother in laws new wife as my father in law had been working on the roads and had a serious case of tar-foot, he is ok now though

Hi all,i am wondering what i can expect to happen at a wedding as i have had the legal wedding but now it is time for ceremony with the monks.So if anyone can supply me with what a falang is expected to do i will be grateful.D DAY is April 24th.

MacB your invite is in the post.

THanks mate I will be there

Well In February 2004 I came to village with my with (Bee) we had a blessing I didnt know what was going on then: Basically welcoming me inot the family and wishing us both good luck:

THis consisted of a Family Gathering a pigs head binding ofd hands etc and chanting I put 50,000 bht in a type of Chalis Bee told me its for show, we give her folks 20.000 bht she gave me rest back at the end of the ceremony. Bless her:

Also on show was Bee's Gold which she recovered later.

THen we had House party last year and they combined another ceremony I think marriage thing as well Bee had to wash my feet and we pararde around house 3 times etc.

But that only cost me outlay for party then we more or less broke even with monay donated in envelopes:

40.000 bht spent on house party which included wedding thing it appears, but we got 34000 bht back

At the bottom of my blog there is a thing about brother in laws village wedding.

Blog

People also come and inspect your bedroom, even lead you to the bedroom.

The frightening part is washing the in-laws feet (serious) I felt sorry, for brother in laws new wife as my father in law had been working on the roads and had a serious case of tar-foot, he is ok now though

Leading you to the bedroom is very traditional, you are supposed to go there after the main ceremony and not be seen again until the morning, and as you are both supposed to be virgins it is also traditional to hang the blood-stained sheets out of the bedroom window. (that isn't expected so much these days, but keep a bottle of ketchup handy just in case )

Washing of feet is always an age/status up thing, during my marriage, the local children washed my feet before I entered the house, and the I performed the same task on the in-laws when the main service was concluded. But, it is only ceremonial, a few drops of water and a banana leaf will do, you don't need a full bottle of shower cream and a sponge.