Not only is Phuket an incredible place for long holidays, but it is also a dream destination for people who are getting married. Having your wedding at the beach may seem surreal, but you can make it happen in Phuket. No matter what country you are from, you can arrange to have your dream beach wedding on this island. The wonderful thing is that you can choose whether you want it done in the traditional Thai style or western style. Either one can be a great choice! It just depends on what type of ceremony you are looking for.
Not looking forward to handling the logistics of such a complex event? No problem. You can hire a wedding organizer to help you plan your big day! Just let them know what style you want your wedding done in, and everything will be all set. If you have no clue about the differences between Thai and western wedding styles, here’s some information so you can make the right decision:
Traditional Thai wedding ceremony
If you are familiar with the western style, you will be amazed at how different a Thai wedding is compared to it. The first thing that you might notice is the uniqueness of the wedding party’s outfits. Their costumes can be intriguing if you know next to nothing about Thai culture. The color is not restricted to white only. Many Thai couples go for other colors to make it unique. During the ceremony, there are two primary practices that couples can do, which are the water blessing and the monk blessing.
At the beginning of the ceremony, both the groom and bride will be sitting right next to each other in front of the guests. They will hold their hands out and wait for the guests to pour holy water onto them. The water isn’t mere tap water. It has to be blessed by the monks to make it sacred. The guests have to put a small amount of holy water in a shell and pour it over the palms of the bride and groom. While they are doing that, they also give them blessings and wish them a happy marriage. If the guests are younger than the couple, they will only congratulate them on their wedding. This is because, in Thai culture, only older people give blessings to the younger ones. If you like this practice, consider implementing it in your own wedding!
The monk blessing is more on the religious side of the event. It can be odd to have the monks chanting if you are Christian. This practice can only be done in the morning. The couple will have the monks giving blessings to the bride and groom and starting their morning chant. After that, the couple will offer food and necessities to the monks as making merit.
Western wedding ceremony
On the western side, there are not as many practices. The most important one is when the groom and bride stand on the altar. With people sitting in silence, the couple will take turns exchanging their vows in front of the secular professional celebrant. Even though the wedding will be held in Phuket, the setting and practice in a western-style wedding are similar to how they do it in the western world. Once the groom and bride exchange rings, there will be a party to celebrate the ceremony. You can decide on the wedding cake and food at the event yourself.
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