Thai Weddings Flying High In Popularity

[webfact]

VOTED BEST WEDDING DESTINATION

Thai weddings flying high in popularity

BANGKOK, Thailand - Every couple wants their wedding day to not only be memorable but also a reflection of their personalities and interests, making tailor-made destination weddings an increasingly popular choice.

It is, therefore, not surprising that exotic and mystical Thailand with its varied landscape, colorful culture, and value for money packages saw it recently voted as the Best Wedding Destination by Travel + Leisure magazine, and ranked the no. 1 Dream Wedding Destination in a survey by the Swedish magazine, Resia.

“The appeal of Thailand is that it offers a variety of beautiful and unique locations for those looking to tie the knot. Couples have the choice of beautiful islands, sandy beaches, majestic mountains, or tropical rainforest scenery all in one destination and at very affordable prices.

“No matter how big or small their budget, Thailand allows every couple to make their dream wedding a reality,” said Thamanoon Kuprasert, General Manager of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa for Thai Airways International (THAI).

Kuprasert said that the last few years has seen a noticeable move away from local, traditional weddings held in the couples’ country and community of origin.

Full story: http://www.eturbonews.com/33594/thai-weddings-flying-high-popularity/

-- eTurbonews 2013-02-25

[Puccini]

making tailor-made destination weddings an increasingly popular choice

I've heard of tailor-made suits, in fact got about a dozen hanging in my wardrobe, but tailor-made weddings?

[Puccini]

“No matter how big or small their budget, Thailand allows every

couple to make their dream wedding a reality,” said Thamanoon Kuprasert,

General Manager of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa for Thai

Airways International (THAI).

Kuprasert said that the last few years has seen a noticeable move away

from local, traditional weddings held in the couples’ country and

community of origin.

“Worldwide, couples are now considering options that make a statement

about who they are and that are a reflection of how they want to

celebrate their love for each other and share their special day with

family and friends in their own unique way,” he added.

Oh, I see, it is Africans who want to get married in Thailand and "share their special day with family and friends in their own unique way". Excellent. Good for Thailand's economy. The more tourists, the better. I wonder what paperwork is involved in getting married in a foreign country but never mind, love overcomes all obstacles.

[Swiss1960]

Oh, I see, it is Africans who want to get married in Thailand and "share their special day with family and friends in their own unique way". Excellent. Good for Thailand's economy. The more tourists, the better. I wonder what paperwork is involved in getting married in a foreign country but never mind, love overcomes all obstacles.

Of course it is good for the Thai economy... every tourist that comes here and spends money for wedding ceremony / honeymoon is good for the economy... and the more family / friends they take with them, the better

And for the paperwork, with the exception of the Visa they need to enter Thailand, they need the exact same papers they anyway need back home. And they can register their marriage either at the Embassy in Thailand or beforehand at home... so no obstacle except the Visa (assuming foreign-foreign marriage which can not / will not be registered in a Thai Amphur).

[chooka]

Thailand the new Wedding HUB.

I have some friends who came to Thailand to get married. It cut down on the invitation list and it was by far cheaper than Australia where a wedding can cost around 20K

[laislica]

In order to be legally married in Thailand, there is a fair amount of paperwork required and it can take time to complete.

The foreigner will need An Affirmation of Freedom To Marry stamped by their embassy. (If previously married and now divorced, then the original divorce document must accompany the Affirmation). Photocopies of their passport are also required.

This affirmation must be translated into Thai and stamped as a correct translation by the Thai Embassy.

Then go to a Thai Amphur and answer a lot of questions and get married.

There is no ceremony and it is a similar process to obtaining a Thai Driving Licence when you already have a valid one in your home country.

There will be two marriage certificates and associated paperwork, one for each partner in the marriage.

The foreigner will need to have the certificate translated into his/her own language and then it can be presented to their Embassy and registered in their own country and will then have the same standing as if they had married in their home country.

However, there is a different kind of Thai Wedding that has no legal standing.

The Thai Wedding Ceremony.

It is a colourful Buddhist ceremony and officiated by about 9 Monks who perform chants and other rituals which start early in the morning and continue until about midday.

You do not need any government documentation to have a religious ceremony, which is most common with Thai people. This is considered by many to be the real wedding.

I have attended such a wedding between a couple who were legally married a few years earlier in Europe but who now wanted to have the Thai Wedding.

It was super and had much more meaning than say a formal European wedding in a church.

I imagine that a foreign couple could arrange a quiet civil ceremony in their home country and then, legally married, travel to Thailand for the wonders of the Thai wedding and therefore avoid the additional time/costs and complication of the various translations and submissions etc.

[David48]

The legal ramifications (advantages) and 'extra paperwork' for being married in Thailand for the majority of the Western male and Thai female far outweigh being married back in the States, UK etc.

Do it here ... it's clean, simple, a lot of fun, and far, far cheaper.

Could also be one hell of a bucks night, week-end, week ...

.

[Swiss1960]

The legal ramifications (advantages) and 'extra paperwork' for being married in Thailand for the majority of the Western male and Thai female far outweigh being married back in the States, UK etc.

Do it here ... it's clean, simple, a lot of fun, and far, far cheaper.

Could also be one hell of a bucks night, week-end, week ...

.

The article talks about foreigners coming to Thailand to do a special wedding ceremony, i.e. beach wedding with monks or even with a priest... so for that, you will not need any paperwork at all. If however you want to have a legal wedding, you will need the same paperwork as back home and will have to register your wedding at your embassy... two foreigners can not register their marriage at the Amphur.

With regards to foreigner and Thai, of course you need all the additional paperwork for the Amphur wedding (which is easy to get, I agree) and you can have your legal weeding under Thai law and have a traditional Thai wedding with all the implications (cost for party etc.) that come with such ceremony.

If however you want to have this Thai wedding registered in your home country (and I would assume that is necessary as the people mentioned in the article come from abroad for a Thai ceremony), you will additionally need all the documents that your home country will ask for...

If you are "only" legally married within Thailand, your home country will most probably not give your wife a residency Visa without prior registration of the marriage under the laws of your country... if however you are legally married (and live) in Thailand but have not registered your marriage back home, then the advantage is that your assets back home are pretty safe in case of divorce...

[David48]

The legal ramifications (advantages) and 'extra paperwork' for being married in Thailand for the majority of the Western male and Thai female far outweigh being married back in the States, UK etc.

Do it here ... it's clean, simple, a lot of fun, and far, far cheaper.

Could also be one hell of a bucks night, week-end, week ...

.

The article talks about foreigners coming to Thailand to do a special wedding ceremony ...

<snip>

My post ... woosh.

Is there a wicket keeper back there?

.

[PEP]

Yes Foreigners have been involved in a "Special, Simple Thai Ceremony Wedding". in our village. I have attended many and have yet to see any Monks in attendance. The record goes to an "Old Boiler" who has been wed four times in the last ten years and has produced six children with six different fathers. Our Village is an exotic destination indeed with inexpensive catering of Som Tam,Tom Yum and Khao.

[laislica]

Must have the Monks or not Lucky....

But the ceremony I attended was very nice and a lot of fun, eating etc and then in the evening it was party time for 500, food and drink provided with a stage show etc.

[krisb]

Yep great, pay elephants instead of limosines and use a monkey instead of a paige boy.

Sweedish magazine pfff, like the rest of us care.

Edited February 25, 2013 by krisb

[laislica]

Yep great, pay elephants instead of limosines and use a monkey instead of a paige boy.

Sweedish magazine pfff, like the rest of us care.

Great to see that romance ain't dead where you live then

[super22k]

My Thai girlfriend invited me to a special welcoming ceremony at her village in Issan. They seemed to overdo the

welcoming and I had to pay a fee of 1,000 bht. After a little girl sang a song in front of the whole village and

everyone ate a lot of food,I asked a student type of boy, who was the only one in the village who could speak any english, if it was normal to welcome a visitor so lavishly. He looked shocked and replied,"You have just been

married!". I did not sign anything,so I suppose it is not legal.My girlfriend did not even tell me!Eeeeeeeeee!

[laislica]

My Thai girlfriend invited me to a special welcoming ceremony at her village in Issan. They seemed to overdo the

welcoming and I had to pay a fee of 1,000 bht. After a little girl sang a song in front of the whole village and

everyone ate a lot of food,I asked a student type of boy, who was the only one in the village who could speak any english, if it was normal to welcome a visitor so lavishly. He looked shocked and replied,"You have just been

married!". I did not sign anything,so I suppose it is not legal.My girlfriend did not even tell me!Eeeeeeeeee!

Wonderful, welcome to Thailand, may you have a long and happy marriage and may she not have too large a family for you to support.

[Rob8891]

My Thai girlfriend invited me to a special welcoming ceremony at her village in Issan. They seemed to overdo the

welcoming and I had to pay a fee of 1,000 bht. After a little girl sang a song in front of the whole village and

everyone ate a lot of food,I asked a student type of boy, who was the only one in the village who could speak any english, if it was normal to welcome a visitor so lavishly. He looked shocked and replied,"You have just been

married!". I did not sign anything,so I suppose it is not legal.My girlfriend did not even tell me!Eeeeeeeeee!

I hope she gives you some very clear indication if she wants to start breeding with you.....