Wedding Costs - Anyone with recent experience?

[kblaze]

Trying to decide between having a wedding here in Bangkok or in the states...possibly both.

Anyone have some recent experience with renting places in Bangkok? trying to get an idea of prices for everything - dj, food, photographer, everything.

Haven't decided on anything so not sure if we will do the Thai morning ceremony. It will be pretty small - maybe 100 people.

Any input is appreciated!

[koolkarl]

You should be much more concerned about divorce costs after you

buy her a house and car, in her name, and 3 million baht cash up front before you

sign on the dotted line.

I may sound pessimistic but based on true stories, my numbers are accurate.

Stay single.

[chicowoodduck]

Go back to the airport and find your brain.....get married in LOS??? A fool and his money.....lol...????

[bridge2bridge]

Would suggest a THAI BUDDHA WEDDING.

Not legal in our countries.

And easy to walk away from a BAD marriage.

If they want a Dowry then walk away.

I. M .H .O.

[maoro2013]

If you pay sin sot then the parents should fund the party, as was the case for me. This was the cultural wedding which is the important one for most Thais. The legal wedding is done at the local amphur and costs a couple of hundred baht or so.

Some posters above are pretty ignorant, obviously having been ripped off by their own bad choices.

[leosurin]

Wedding dresses, pics,cards,around 20000 bath,for food depends, you should contact a catering service,1500 for a table of 8.

Dj not sure,but a stage with singers and dancers around 20000.

Congratulation!

[Muzarella]

In 2011 a woman, I met 10 minutes before, told me that I will need 90000THB for the party if I wanted to get married with her the following week...and she said that the price was for 100 people's party...(10 tables for 10 people each). Many people...because she was well known by the community in that particular town. She was a 42 years old Government School English Teacher.

At the same time she said that, because she was divorced for 15 years and never had sex after divorce, she now was like a "virgin".

I was holding my laughing when I asked. "How I will know?".. Her response.."I know a motel close by...we can go and I will show you"

And this is not a joke....just one of my many "interesting" experiences with Thai women....before getting married with the right one, with no party, not sin sod, no money.... Happy married for 4 years.

If I get married again... with my wife...may be I trow a nice party. She deserves it.

Also ...now.. WE are very well known by the community.

[kblaze]

Thanks for the replies with numbers.

No Sinsot - my gf is actually much older than me. We have been together for nigh on 7 years and it just feels like it could be the right thing to do.

My folks have a place we could have the ceremony at in the States, but I'm trying to work out if we should do a small ceremony here first, get the papers signed, then have a ceremony in the States. Or do it all in the States...I'm not a rich guy so I gotta be careful on budget.

[mike324]

It really depends on your budget and what you want. Can be anywhere from 200,000 to over 500k at Hotels for 100 people. Can be done cheaper if you do it at a local restaurant. 5 Star Hotel usually have a spending minimum - normally 500k and up.

Photographer / Videographer for wedding ceremony - price ranges from 20k to over 150k (most of the time people add in videographer - so don't forget about that). I would say average photographer with videographer will run 30k-50k.

If you go to a wedding studio and get a package, it usually runs from 50k to 150k. This includes, prewedding photoshoot, wedding album, wedding dress rental, make up artist for wedding day. Depending on the package some may include photographers and videographers on the wedding day. There are a lot of different packages with prices all over the place. Don't forget Asians always do a pre-wedding photoshoot, and show the pictures at the wedding - its a must so plan a head!

Price below is rough estimate for 3 Star to 5 Star Hotel

Food at Hotels are divided in two groups. Buffet Style of Chinese Table (you can opt for 3 course western too, but most Thais don't like it)

Buffet style run from 1000-3000 per person

Chinese Table 12,000 - 28,000 per table (10 people)

Add wine - around 400-600 per bottle for the cheapest selection. Some will allow you to bring your own if you buy X number of bottles from them. Soft drinks are always included. Wedding cake is normally included as well (5 star hotel sometimes will make it to the style and color of your choice).

Basic backdrop (name initials and date) and flower will be included. Many also include ice carving sculpture for free. Hotels will try to upsell you on the flowers which is usually very very expensive.

DJ / Music / Wedding Band

Around 15k and up per session, roughly 3-4 hours. Again price ranges a lot depending on what you want and how good the band is. You normally call your own, if not hotel also has contacts for normal bands (eg. 3-4 piece band with piano, violin, drum)

[Happy Grumpy]

In your house here or their parent's house - Free.

Do you really have 100 friends?

10 people each - family and good friends - 20 people.

Food - 20k baht.

Black label - 8 liter bottles - 14k baht or so.

Monk - leave it up to the Thais.

Done.

[maxtingtong]

It's really up to you guys, and mostly from bride's family dreams of glory and showing face.

My good girl friend married couple of weeks ago in ratchaburi. Morning celebration at home + big party/dinner for 300 people in upscale resort full optional with band, photo/video, etc it costed about 500k baht.

My marriage celebration costed 40k.

Can be anything you think is ok

[SOTIRIOS]

...really...90% of the time...do not call it a marriage...call it a scam...

...these people know much more than you can imagine...

...and they plan and prepare for the likes of you and I...

...and even the remaining 10% usually end up with everything at the end....

...sad but true...

...and do not expect any 50/50 even in divorce....

...I am not even getting 5%....

[jippytum]

I had an inexpensive wedding but years later I'm still paying for the divorce .

[sanukjim]

The correct name for "fake or plastic grass" is Astro Turf,cir 1965 first installed in the Astrodome Stadium ,Houston Texas,1966.There are many versions now

[sawadee1947]

Wedding Costs?

It will cost a lot of trouble, will cost your money, costs your nerves, costs your life sometimes

[thaiduncankk]

The correct name for "fake or plastic grass" is Astro Turf,cir 1965 first installed in the Astrodome Stadium ,Houston Texas,1966.There are many versions now

And the relevance to a thread about 'wedding costs' is ?

[kblaze]

The correct name for "fake or plastic grass" is Astro Turf,cir 1965 first installed in the Astrodome Stadium ,Houston Texas,1966.There are many versions now

And the relevance to a thread about 'wedding costs' is ?

He's responding to a question I had in another thread

[1FinickyOne]

I think you are approaching this from the back end first - decide how much you want to pay and then price it out - budget first... some of the nicest weddings that I have been to in USA were help outdoors in beautiful wooded settings - free...

good luck - enjoy.

[robertson468]

You should be much more concerned about divorce costs after you

buy her a house and car, in her name, and 3 million baht cash up front before you

sign on the dotted line.

I may sound pessimistic but based on true stories, my numbers are accurate.

Stay single.

And how many stories do you know compared to how many mixed marriages there are in Thailand. Well done on speaking a load of unadulterated twaddle.

[mgjackson69]

You should be much more concerned about divorce costs after you

buy her a house and car, in her name, and 3 million baht cash up front before you

sign on the dotted line.

I may sound pessimistic but based on true stories, my numbers are accurate.

Stay single.

"True stories" you read on ThaiVisa, so they must be true...

[laislica]

Legally, you may only have one formal marriage and it will be recognised world wide.

If married in Thailand you will need to get the Marriage cert translated and verified by the Thai Min of Foreign Affairs

for use in the States.

In Thailand you can have the traditional Monk wedding with a party and up to you how much you spend.

We had a House Party for 100 people with outside caterers and I guess the cost was in excess of 40,000Baht.

I am a Brit so I have no idea what visa she would need to enter the USA and get married.

It's very cheap and easy to have a formal marriage in Thailand if you organise everything yourself,

the charge by a broker could be up to 20,000 Baht..

It's easy to organise the monk wedding too.

You will need to go to the Embassy and swear an affidavit to say that you are free to marry.

If previously married and divorced you will need to show the original of the divorce cert.

Same you your g/f re: a divorce, my wife was not asked for an affidavit.

Congratulations and all the very best to you both.

[bwpage3]

We spent a little over 100,000 in Isaan with Live Band, Dancer, Roast Pigs, Fish, etc. Beautifully decorated tables under huge tents, lots of flowers, exquisite wedding dress. The time or our lives. My wife is forever thankful and so am I. Best bash I have ever been to.

[Wanderer555]

We will be married on the 28th of May, and have a budget of 150,000 Bhat for a simple but very nice wedding celebration for 100 people in Kalasin Province. This amount covers for most all of the expenses , including custom clothes for both of us, an organizer, musician, photographer, catered food and ample libations.

Food: 20,000 - Liquor/Beer/Wine: 17,000 - Organizer with staff & materials: 27,000 (includes the hand-made decorations used in the ceremony) and many misc expenses...

Hope this helps, and congratulations!

[luckyman]

You should be much more concerned about divorce costs after you

buy her a house and car, in her name, and 3 million baht cash up front before you

sign on the dotted line.

I may sound pessimistic but based on true stories, my numbers are accurate.

Stay single.

Hahaha! Nice 1 ! Fully agree. 2 things you just dont do here. Marry a Thai woman or fall in love with one. If u follow those 2 rules you can't go wrong.

[luckyman]

I think you are approaching this from the back end first - decide how much you want to pay and then price it out - budget first... some of the nicest weddings that I have been to in USA were help outdoors in beautiful wooded settings - free...

good luck - enjoy.

This is truly the best advice in this thread. Determine a budget yourself and make it happen, improvise if needed and scour the internet for ideas, locations etc. Be creative, its supposed to be 1 of the biggest days in your life, innit?

[Bantex]

A wedding in Thailand as in the states will cost you as much as she and her family can get you to spend. They'll give you a price will escalate as the wedding becomes more elaborate.

Good luck.

[Happy Grumpy]

You tell them how much you will spend.

It is then up to them to spend it how they choose.

They don't give you the costs, you give them the amount that you will give towards it.