A couple of friends of ours are Chiang Mai Songkran addicts and visit us every year in April, they have recently married and he would like to treat her to a Thai style wedding/blessing when they visit next year.

They are mad about elephants and would really like to somehow have elephants involved. My wife has suggested that we could host the ceremony at our house but aside from not liking the idea of shovelling elephant turds I don't like the fact that the elephants would have to walk along busy roads to get to and from our place. Our friends are true elephant lovers and although they are not beyond exploiting them for a ceremony(!) I don't think they would like to see them suffering the traffic, road surfaces etc.

I seem to remember that there was some sort of wedding ceremony involving elephants at Wiang Khum Kam but nobody I have spoken to shares that memory! On Sunday we plan to go to the Queen's elephant hospital/camp/sanctuary to see if they can give as any help or advice.

If anyone has any experience or advice to share on organising a Lanna style marriage blessing along with any cost information, elephant details, costume purchase/hire etc etc I would be really appreciative. The music is no problem as my brother in law is a well connected and accomplished local musician . . . . but doesn't seem to have much info on how to go about all this!

Looking forward to some interesting replies on this one, thanks in advance,

JxP

I think you may have to go to the elephants rather than they come to you.

I think you may have to go to the elephants rather than they come to you.

I really do hope that you are correct!

JxP

I think you may have to go to the elephants rather than they come to you.

Depends on your budget

I think you may have to go to the elephants rather than they come to you.

Depends on your budget

We had 2 elephants at our wedding....

We live near Korat and they came from the Surin area in the back of trucks.

The cost was about 10,000 baht for the 2. They came a couple of days before the wedding and stayed until the day after. The mahouts spent their time giving rides to all the local kids.....